British National Formulary (BNF) 86
ISBN 9780857114617
Published September 2023
Format: Paperback
Dimensions: 210 × 148 × 36½ mm (1904pp)
Published jointly by BMJ and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
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 86) provides up-to-date guidance on prescribing, dispensing, and administering medicines, plus legal and professional guidelines.Extensive content updates in the BNF 86 edition include:
New monographs for:
Livtencity® [maribavir] for cytomegalovirus disease in recipients of haematopoietic stem cell transplant or solid organ transplant
Lupkynis® [voclosporin] for lupus nephritis
Mounjaro® [tirzepatide] for type 2 diabetes mellitus
Orgovyx® [relugolix] for prostate cancer
Rezurock® [belumosudil] for chronic graft-versus-host disease
Tezspire® [tezepelumab] for severe asthma
MHRA advice on:
Dupilumab (Dupixent®): risk of ocular adverse reactions and need for prompt management
Ibrutinib (Imbruvica®): new risk minimisation measures, including dose modification recommendations, due to the increased risk for serious cardiac events
Metolazone (Xaqua®): exercise caution when switching patients between metolazone preparations
Pholcodine-containing cough and cold medicines: withdrawal from UK market as a precautionary measure
Terlipressin acetate: new recommendations to reduce risks of respiratory failure and septic shock in patients with type 1 hepatorenal syndrome
Testosterone (Testogel®): risk of harm to children following accidental exposure
Other significant changes include updated guidance on:
Specialist drug monographs: inclusion of the words “Specialist drug” alongside the monograph title to identify drugs used within specialist settings (such as drugs used for malignancy, and those given via intravitreal injection). These monographs continue to include information to support patient safety and non-specialist patient care (such as important safety information, interactions, side-effects, and contra-indications) but no longer include information which is within the remit of specialist care (such as doses, and directions for administration).
Adrenaline/epinephrine: recall of Emerade® 500 micrograms and Emerade® 300 micrograms auto-injectors, due to the potential for device failure [National Patient Safety Alert advice]
Pre-treatment screening advice on genetic testing for aminoglycoside exposure posing risk to hearing
Management of iron deficiency anaemia, including update to oral iron dosing and monitoring based on British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines
COVID-19 vaccines
Management of uncomplicated genital chlamydia and non-gonococcal urethritis
National genomic testing directory
Ibuprofen: breast-feeding advice
Management of metabolic disorders
Management of obesity
Management of osteoarthritis
Prescribing in palliative care
Respiratory system, inhaled drug delivery
Smallpox and mpox vaccine