

Arlene (Arlene Tech)
Veteran pharmaceutical namer and poet (credited with naming Viagra) who describes the creative and poetic approaches to drug naming in the episode.
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May 12, 2026 • 32min
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Arlene Tech, a veteran pharmaceutical namer and poet credited with naming Viagra, shares craft and intuition behind memorable drug names. Scott Piergrosi, head of creative at Brand Institute, explains the multi-hundred-name process, FDA constraints, and visual letter choices. Sean Cole, a reporter and narrator, guides the investigation into how creativity, regulation, and language shape the names we remember.


