According to the nomenclature established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to devise international non-proprietary names (INNs), the INNs of retinol (vitamin A) derivatives, commonly known as retinoids, contain the common stem -retin- (1,2). As of 19 October 2017, 4 drugs with this stem were marketed in France for use in various situations, including: oral acitretin for severe psoriasis, severe lichen pla-nus or keratinisation disorders; oral alitretinoin for severe forms of chronic hand eczema; oral and topical isotretinoin for acne; oral tretinoin for certain forms of acute pro-myelocytic leukaemia, and topical tretinoin for acne, keratinisation disorders or plane warts. Tretinoin is also marketed in combination with antibiotics (erythromycin or clindamycin) for topical use in acne (2). Two retinoids that lack the stem -retin- are also available: topical adapalene (alone or combined with benzoyl peroxide) for acne, and topical tazarotene for plaque psoriasis (2).
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