What distinguishes brand names from generic names of medications?

The choice that indicates the distinction between brand names and generic names of medications is accurate because brand names are specifically developed by pharmaceutical companies for marketing their products and are always capitalized to signify their trademark status. These names are designed to be memorable and may reflect the drug's purpose or intended effects, often crafted to evoke a particular image or appeal to consumers.

In contrast, generic names are the chemical or pharmacological names assigned to medications and are typically written in lowercase, representing the universally recognized name of the active ingredient in the drug. Generic names focus on the substance itself rather than branding considerations and are often used in clinical and professional contexts.

While it is true that brand names may generally be more expensive than their generic counterparts, this is not a defining characteristic that differentiates them; rather, it is one consequence of marketing and production costs. The suggestion that generic names are clinical terms used by doctors is misleading, as these names are standardized and used universally, regardless of clinical practice.