They are the same drug. Diazepam is the generic name; Valium is the original brand name under which Roche marketed it from 1963. The relationship is the same as paracetamol and Panadol — one names the substance, the other names a product containing it.
The core difference
- diazepam — the international non-proprietary name for the molecule.
- Valium — Roche's trademark for it. One brand among many.
Generic and brand
Every medicine has a generic name that anyone may use and, usually, one or more brand names owned by manufacturers. Once a patent expires other companies may sell the same substance under their own names or simply as the generic. Diazepam has been off patent for decades and is sold worldwide under many labels.
The distinction matters when reading a prescription or a package insert: two boxes with different names may contain exactly the same drug.
What class it belongs to
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine, a family developed from the late 1950s. Others in the group include lorazepam, alprazolam, clonazepam and temazepam — the -azepam and -azolam endings are the clue, since drug naming uses shared suffixes to mark shared class. Recognising the stem tells you the family without knowing the individual drug.
Why Valium in particular is a cultural reference
It was for a period the most prescribed medicine in the United States, and it entered general language in a way few drugs do — the Rolling Stones referenced it in 1966 as mother's little helper. That prominence is why the brand name is still used generically by people who have never seen the packaging.
Where the names come from
Generic drug names are assigned systematically, with stems indicating class. Valium is a coined trade name; the resemblance to Latin valere, to be well or strong, is the sort of association brand names are built on.
The same pattern elsewhere
- Ibuprofen and Nurofen · Advil · Motrin.
- Paracetamol, called acetaminophen in the US, and Panadol · Tylenol.
- Sildenafil and Viagra.
In each case the first is the substance and the rest are products.
This page explains the words, not medication. Anything about a prescription is a question for a doctor or pharmacist.
Frequently asked questions
Is Valium the same as diazepam?
Yes. Diazepam is the generic name for the drug; Valium is the original brand name Roche marketed it under from 1963.
Why do medicines have two names?
Every medicine has a generic name anyone may use and brand names owned by manufacturers. After a patent expires the same substance may be sold under many labels.
What does the -azepam ending mean?
It marks the benzodiazepine class. Drug naming uses shared stems to indicate shared class, so lorazepam and temazepam belong to the same family.