Description
The British National Formulary (BNF) is the first choice for concise medicines information. Trusted by healthcare professionals across the world to support confident decision-making at the point of care.
The new edition (BNF 84) provides up-to-date guidance on prescribing, dispensing, and administering medicines, plus legal and professional guidelines.
Extensive content updates in the BNF 84 edition include:
New monographs for:
- Aspaveli® [pegcetacoplan] for paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria
- Givlaari® [givosiran] for acute hepatic porphyria
- Jemperli® [dostarlimab] for endometrial cancer
- Paxlovid® [nirmatrelvir with ritonavir] for COVID-19
- Shingrix® [herpes-zoster vaccine (recombinant, adjuvanted)] for immunisation against herpes zoster (shingles)
- Vazkepa® [icosapent ethyl] as an adjunct to statin in prevention of cardiovascular events in hyperlipidaemia
- Vumerity® [diroximel fumarate] for multiple sclerosis
- Xevudy® [sotrovimab] for COVID-19
- Xofluza® [baloxavir marboxil] for post-exposure prophylaxis or treatment of influenza
MHRA advice on:
- Amiodarone hydrochloride (Cordarone X®): reminder of risks of treatment and need for patient monitoring and supervision
- Brolucizumab (Beovu®): updated recommendations to minimise the known risk of intraocular inflammation, including retinal vasculitis and/or retinal vascular occlusion
- Chloroquine: increased risk of cardiovascular events when used with macrolide antibiotics; reminder of psychiatric reactions
- Cladribine (Mavenclad®): new advice to minimise risk of serious liver injury
- COVID-19 antivirals: reporting to the UK COVID-19 Antivirals Pregnancy Registry
- Haloperidol (Haldol®): reminder of risks when used in elderly patients for the acute treatment of delirium
- Hydroxychloroquine sulfate: increased risk of cardiovascular events when used with macrolide antibiotics; reminder of psychiatric reactions
- Ivacaftor, tezacaftor, elexacaftor (Kaftrio®▼) in combination with ivacaftor (Kalydeco®): risk of serious liver injury; updated advice on liver function testing
- Metformin hydrochloride: study shows no safety concerns in pregnancy
- Paclitaxel formulations (conventional and nab-paclitaxel): caution required due to potential for medication error
- Pregabalin (Lyrica®): findings of safety study on risks during pregnancy
- Venetoclax (Venclyxto®): updated recommendations on tumour lysis syndrome
Other significant changes include updated guidance on:
- Antiplatelet drugs for transcatheter aortic valve implantation
- Buprenorphine transdermal patch strengths and prescribing considerations
- Maximum daily doses added for colecalciferol and ergocalciferol in the treatment of vitamin D deficiency
- COVID-19 updated guidance in-line with UK Health Security Agency recommendations
- Management of acute otitis media
- New requirement to register patients onto Esketamine (Spravato®) Register and Alert system
- Management of glaucoma and ocular hypertension
- Immunisation schedule updated guidance in-line with Public Health England/UK Health Security Agency recommendations, including human papillomavirus, influenza, and varicella-zoster vaccines
- Individual monographs created for herpes-zoster vaccine (recombinant, adjuvanted), herpes-zoster vaccine, live, and varicella-zoster vaccine
- Miconazole oral gel no longer licensed for treatment of intestinal candidiasis
- Obstetrics: induction of labour
- Phosphate imbalance
- Potassium permanganate: inadvertent oral administration of potassium permanganate [National Patient Safety Alert advice]
- Sex hormones: use of progestogens for the prevention of miscarriage
- Smoking cessation
BNF 84 is an essential publication, it provides you with:
• Up-to-date information on prescribing, dispensing, and administering medicines
• Authoritative, independent guidance on best practice enabling you to select safe and effective medicines
• Information you know you can trust for quality, reliability, and independence
• Everything you need at your fingertips, all in one book
