Who is responsible for assigning generic names to drugs?

The organization responsible for assigning generic names to drugs is the United States Adopted Names (USAN) Council. The primary role of USAN is to create simple and informative drug names based on established naming conventions, which ensures that the names are unique and standardized for each drug.

The FDA plays a crucial role in the regulation of drugs, including the approval and monitoring of pharmaceutical products but does not directly assign generic names. Similarly, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees public health issues and provides support for various health-related programs, but it is not the entity that assigns generic names. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) focuses on pharmacy licensure and regulation, ensuring pharmacy practice standards are upheld.

Therefore, USAN is central to the process of naming generic drugs, as it is specifically tasked with developing these names to facilitate clarity and reduce confusion in drug identification and use. This focus on the distinct roles of these organizations clarifies why USAN is the correct answer regarding the assignment of generic drug names.