THOUSANDS of North-East patients who take medication are being urged to keep an eye on their prescriptions as new medicine names are phased in.

About 100 commonly used medicines, ranging from those to treat heart disease to depression, are now to be known by the same name all over the world.

The move, ordered to meet European law, is designed to avoid confusion among patients.

In the past, medicines in the UK have been given British Approved Names (BAN) but from now on they must adopt the recommended International Non-proprietary Name (rINN).

The medical brands will not alter - only the generic names of the drugs themselves. Manufacturers have until December to change their packaging and literature.

Darlington Primary Care Trust's pharmaceutical advisor, Linda Neely, said if members of the public had any concerns they should contact their GP or community pharmacist.

"The medicines will be just the same and contain the same ingredients but patients may be concerned by the name change," she said.

"They may notice this on their repeat prescriptions or on their box of tablets and, as this is being phased in, the change could be gradual as stocks of the old tablets are run down."