|
Many individuals and organisations contribute towards the preparation of the BNF. It is jointly published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the BMJ Group, which is owned by the British Medical Association. It is published under the authority of a Joint Formulary Committee which comprises representatives of the two professional bodies and the Department of Health. Information on drugs is drawn from the manufacturers' product literature, medical and pharmaceutical literature, regulatory authorities and professional bodies. Advice is constructed from clinical literature and reflects, as far as possible, an evaluation of the evidence from diverse sources. The BNF also takes account of authoritative national guidelines and emerging safety concerns. In addition, the Joint Formulary Committee takes advice on all therapeutic areas from expert clinicians; this ensures that the BNF's recommendations are relevant to practice. However, in September 2013 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK opened a consultation on its draft decision not to give NICE accreditation to the processes to produce BNF publications following a review by an independent advisory committee.[8] Editions A new edition is published twice a year, in March and September. The current edition is 68, which was published in September 2014. As a custom, the colour of each edition is radically different from the previous; edition 64 was red, edition 65 was purple, edition 66 was blue, edition 67 is green, and edition 68 is orange. Availability The BNF is available as a book, a website and a mobile app. The book is available for purchase and also distributed to healthcare professionals in the UK at no direct cost to them.[9] NHS workers and healthcare professionals in the HINARI group of developing nations are entitled to free access via MedicinesComplete following registration (requires provision of a name, an address, an email address, and a phone number). Other visitors can subscribe to the BNF on MedicinesComplete.[10] Healthcare organisations can also subscribe to a customisable BNF via their intranet online.[11] In June 2012, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence released applications for offline access to the BNF on iOS and Android devices. An NHS Athens log-in is required to use this application, and monthly content updates are available, over an internet connection.[12] Sister publications The British National Formulary for Children (BNF-C)[13][14] is published yearly, and details the doses and uses of medicines in children. The Nurse Prescriber's Formulary for Community Practitioners (NPF) is issued in print every 2 years, for use by District Nurses and Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (including Health Visitors) who have received training to become nurse prescribers.[15] Sections The BNF is divided into various sections with the main sections on drugs and preparations being organised by body system. Table of Contents Preface General information and late changes General Reference Guidance on prescribing Emergency treatment of poisoning Medical emergencies in the community Notes on drugs and preparations Gastro-intestinal system Cardiovascular system Respiratory system Central nervous system Infections Endocrine system Obstetrics, gynaecology, and urinary-tract disorders Malignant disease and immunosuppression Nutrition and blood Musculoskeletal and joint diseases Eye Ear, nose, and oropharynx Skin Immunological products and vaccines Anaesthesia Appendixes and indexes Appendix 1 Interactions Appendix 2 Liver disease Appendix 3 Renal impairment Appendix 4 Pregnancy Appendix 5 Breast-feeding Appendix 6 Intravenous additives Appendix 7 Borderline substances Appendix 8 Wound management products and elastic hosiery Appendix 9 Cautionary and advisory labels for dispensed medicines Dental Practitioners’ Formulary Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary Index of manufacturers Special-order manufacturers Yellow Card Scheme[16] The British National Formulary (BNF)[1][2][3][4][5][6] is a pharmaceutical reference book that contains a wide spectrum of information and advice on prescribing and pharmacology, along with specific facts and details about many medicines available on the National Health Service (NHS), including indication(s), contraindications, side effects, doses, legal classification, names and prices of available proprietary and generic formulations, and any other notable points.[7] Though it is a national formulary, it nevertheless also includes entries for some medicines which are not available under the NHS and must be prescribed and/or bought privately (such as alprazolam tablets or minoxidil solution). A symbol clearly denotes such drugs in their entry. It is used by pharmacists and doctors (both general practitioners and specialist practitioners), and by other prescribing healthcare professionals (such as nurses, pharmacy technicians, paramedics, and dentists) as a reference for correct dosage, indication, interactions and side effects of drugs. It is also used as a reassurance by those administering drugs, for example a nurse on a hospital ward, and even for patients and others seeking an authoritative source of advice on any aspect of pharmacotherapy. |
About us|Jobs|Help|Disclaimer|Advertising services|Contact us|Sign in|Website map|Search|
GMT+8, 2015-9-11 20:38 , Processed in 0.134790 second(s), 16 queries .
