Morphemic Patterns of Pharmaceutical Brand Names on The Ghanaian Market

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Purpose: This study aims to analyse the morphemic structures employed by pharmaceutical companies in naming medicine brand names and explore how these naming patterns reflect the brands' perceived effects on users. Design/Methodology/Approach: Using the purposive sampling technique, the researchers sampled 1,000 medicine brand names fully registered under the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) of Ghana and applied Katamba’s Lexical Morphology Theory to identify the morphemic structures used in composing these names. Findings: The analysis revealed that the medicine brand names incorporate elements such as Generic Names (GN), Dosage Forms (DF), Manufacturers’ Names (MN), Local Representatives (LR), and Zero Criteria. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the morphemic patterns of medicine brand names on the Ghanaian market are structured mono-morphemically, incorporating coinages and borrowings, as well as di-morphemically and poly-morphemically, both of which involve blending and compounding word-formation processes. Research Limitation: The paper focused on brand names that omitted generic drug information. This limitation highlights the challenges in analysing pharmaceutical brand names while acknowledging the constraints of market-based pharmaceutical research. Social Implications: These findings carry significant social implications, particularly for the Food and Drugs Authority of Ghana, by emphasising the need to scrutinise medicine brand names to ensure they do not mislead consumers or pose potential risks. Practical Implication: Regulatory authorities, such as the Food and Drugs Authority of Ghana, can use these insights to evaluate and approve medicine brand names that prioritise accuracy and public safety. Originality/Value: This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge and offers insights into the linguistic strategies used in medicine branding. It sheds light on how morphemic structures influence consumer perceptions and highlights the intersection of linguistics, public health, and regulatory practices in the pharmaceutical industry.