New Pfizer vaccine name, "Comirnaty"

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    Vaccine
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the new name "Comirnaty" for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine following its full FDA approval. Participants explore the implications of the name change, its origins, and reactions to the branding decision.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that "Comirnaty" is the same mRNA vaccine previously authorized under a different name, emphasizing that it is administered in two doses, three weeks apart.
  • One participant highlights the name's construction, suggesting it combines elements of "COVID-19 immunity," "mRNA," and "community," as explained by a Brand Institute representative.
  • Another participant questions the creativity of the name, suggesting alternatives like "Communitavy" and humorously speculating on its meaning in Russian.
  • Some express skepticism about the branding decision, with comments on how it compares to other vaccine names and the perceived overthought nature of the name.
  • There is a discussion about the implications of including "RNA" in the name, with one participant pointing out that it could misleadingly suggest the active ingredient is miRNA rather than mRNA.
  • Several participants share humorous takes on the naming process, including references to other potential names like "COVIDy-McCOVIDface" and "Supercovidfragilisticvaxpialidocious."
  • A participant with experience in the pharmaceutical industry describes the name change as a branding effort, reiterating that the vaccine remains the same product.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions, with no consensus on the effectiveness or appropriateness of the name "Comirnaty." Some find it overthought or unappealing, while others defend it as a branding strategy.

Contextual Notes

There are references to earlier announcements of the name in the EU, indicating that the name was not entirely new at the time of FDA approval. Some participants also note the potential confusion regarding the active ingredient implied by the name.

berkeman
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Well, now that the Pfizer vaccine has full FDA approval, they have decided to give it a new name, "Comirnaty". And believe it or not, they actually have reasons for putting that name together...

https://www.kron4.com/trending/comirnaty-whats-the-story-behind-the-new-pfizer-vaccine-name/

Comirnaty, who? It’s the same exact mRNA vaccine Pfizer has producing through the emergency use authorization, but now it’s being marketed under the new name. Comirnaty is administered in two doses, three weeks apart, just like Pfizer doses have been all along.

The vaccine name is pronounced koe-mir’-na-tee. It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but neither did “Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine,” which is what it was technically called before.

The name was developed by Brand Institute in conjunction with BioNTech and Pfizer, according to Fierce Pharma.

“The name is coined from COVID-19 immunity, and then embeds the mRNA in the middle, which is the platform technology, and as a whole the name is meant to evoke the word community,” Scott Piergrossi, Brand Institute president of operations and communications, told the site.

The rebranding didn’t go unnoticed – nor unpunished – on social media.

:-p
One example of the push-back:

Covid-19 immunity + mRNA + community = Comirnaty

The person(s) who came up with this name should never be allowed to name anything ever again. They shouldn't even be allowed to name their pets.
 
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Haters going to hate, while it is definitely overthought it doesn't look that bad.

Or rather: I saw much worse :oldbiggrin:
 
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I initially read "Comirnaty" "Cominarty", which would sound snarky.

Why not Communitavy, or Communitivy, or does that look too close to Communism?
 
I believe they wanted RNA in the name (similar to the name of the company Moderna).
 
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Astronuc said:
I initially read "Comirnaty" "Cominarty", which would sound snarky.

Why not Communitavy, or Communitivy, or does that look too close to Communism?
Does "Comirnaty" mean "get vaccinated, comrade" in Russian?
 
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Ygggdrasil said:
I believe they wanted RNA in the name (similar to the name of the company Moderna).
Yes but Moderna is clever, as the active ingredient in the vaccine is modRNA. Comirnaty subtly implies that the active ingredient is miRNA, which it isn't.
berkeman said:
They shouldn't even be allowed to name their pets.
RNAin Tin tin
 
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It is way better than the runner up: COVIDy-McCOVIDface.

I wonder what this bit of brilliance cost Pfizer. Makes me a proud MODERNA recipient
 
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other runner-ups were covfefe and corbomite
 
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Sticking with Pfizer would have been better.
 
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  • #12
Supercovidfragilisticvaxpialidocious
 
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  • #13
As someone who used to work for a large pharmaceutical company specializing in vaccines, this is really nothing more than branding, similar to the work conducted by the marketing department.

It's the same Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine we've all grown to love (or at least appreciate, if you're not a rabid anti-vaxxer), and which many of us no doubt have already received (including myself).
 
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