The British National Formulary (BNF) provides up-to-date, practical guidance on prescribing, dispensing, and administering medicines. This essential reference reflects current best practice as well as legal and professional guidelines relating to the uses of medicines.

Please note: NICE have altered their distribution arrangement for England, and eligible health professionals will now receive one free print copy of BNF a year - the September issue - to supplement online access. The March edition has been printed as usual, and you can buy your copy here.

BNF 69 (March 2015) has been revised and revalidated to reflect changes in product availability, emerging safety concerns and shifts in clinical practice. Access to the latest edition of the BNF is vital for healthcare professionals, as there are a large number of updates from one edition to the next.
Some of the significant changes in this edition include:
Updated general guidance on drugs and driving in response to new regulations in force from March 2015
Updated guidance on risk assessment and treatment in the management of arrhythmias
Updated recommendations on minimising risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw and hypocalcaemia associated with denosumab following new MHRA advice
New guidance on dose adjustment in renal impairment for atorvastatin
New recommendations on concomitant use of drugs affecting the renin-angiotensin system
New guidance on dose adjustment in hepatic and renal impairment for zolpiclone
Updated guidance on assessing cardiovascular risk and modification of blood lipids in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease
Updates to recommended regimens for prophylaxis against malaria for specific countries
The BNF evaluates clinical evidence from diverse sources with information validated by a network of clinical experts and published under the authority of a Joint Formulary Committee.

Content of the BNF reflects current best practice as well as legal and professional guidelines relating to the uses of medicines. The resource includes:
Guidance on the drug management of common conditions
Details of medicines prescribed within the UK with special reference to their uses, cautions, contra-indications, side-effects, doses and relative costs. This allows treatment to be tailored to the individual needs of each patient.
Guidance on prescribing, monitoring, dispensing and adminstering medicines.
The content is updated every 6 months in print, making it an up-to-date source of prescribing advice for informed decision-making.