Another management strategy involves switching to an "alternate" PPI brand

[prudent260]

There are at least 6 PPI brands, so switching to another brand of PPI is a management strategy if patients with acid reflux report partial or complete lack of response to their current PPIs.

A reveiw article had a sentence as below:
"Another management strategy involves switching to an alternate PPI brand,
brand, despite negligible objective differences in PPI efficacy."

I believe the article was professionally edited and proofread.

I would have used "alternative" instead of "alternate". Does the word, "alternate," imply anything in the sentence?

Thank you.

 

[Uncle Jack]

I, too, would have used 'alternative', but then I speak BrE. I often come across 'alternate' to mean 'alternative' (with no suggestion of any other meaning), most commonly in my employers' business software which is from an American company, so I assume it is AmE usage.

 

[prudent260]

I, too, would have used 'alternative', but then I speak BrE. I often come across 'alternate' to mean 'alternative' (with no suggestion of any other meaning), most commonly in my employers' business software which is from an American company, so I assume it is AmE usage.

Thank you, Jack.

 

[dojibear]

"Alternate" can be used as a noun in both BE and AE (I think). "We should switch to an alternate". In AE it is acceptable to use it as an adjective with this meaning. An "alternate PPI brand" is a different PPI brand we are using as an alternate.

However the article was clearly not proofread sufficiently. I don't think the bold blue part is correct in BE or AE:

A reveiw article had a sentence as below:
"Another management strategy involves switching to an alternate PPI brand,
brand, despite negligible objective differences in PPI efficacy."

 

[london calling]

In AE it is acceptable to use it as an adjective with this meaning. An "alternate PPI brand" is a different PPI brand we are using as an alternate.

I have no problem with 'alternate' as an adjective. I actually prefer it: I tend to think of 'alternative' as a noun, but then this may well be due interference from my knowledge of Italian (which I speak fluently and which makes this difference).

 

[Uncle Jack]

I have no problem with 'alternate' as an adjective.

Neither do I, but it has a different meaning: The bus runs on alternate weeks.

I don't think 'alternate' is used as a noun in BrE at all, except for a person whose role alternates with another.

 

[prudent260]

I don't think the bold blue part is correct in BE or AE:

It is my fault. I transcribed it wrong.
Is "alternative" used in AE since "alternate" is able to replace alternative?