BNF is a joint publication of the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. It is issued under the auspices of a Joint Formulation Committee composed of representatives of two professional bodies, the British Health Departments, the Agency for the Regulation of Medicines and Medical Products and the manufacturer of national guidelines. Dental Advisory Group oversees the preparation of dental and oral treatment management advice; the group includes representatives of the British Dental Association and representatives of the British Health Departments. The Prescribing Physicians Advisory Group provides advice on nurse-related content and includes representatives from different parts of the nursing community and the UK's health departments. If unprotected ("generic") names are provided, they should be used in prescribing. This allows any suitable product to be delivered, thus saving patient delays and sometimes healthcare costs. The only exception is when there is a difference in clinical effect between each version of the product, which is important so that the patient always receives the same brand; in such cases, the brand or manufacturer name must be given. Non-proprietary names should not often be devised for prescribing, as this can lead to confusion, especially in the case of compound and controlled release products. The BNF is authored by the Joint Formulary Committee and you can access it via our Medicines Complete subscription. Mylan. Acamprosate 333 mg Gastro-resistant Tablets SmPC. 2020 [cited 2020 Dec 4]Available from: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/2729/smpc A biosilar drug is a biological drug that is very similar and clinically equivalent (in terms of quality, safety and efficacy) to an existing biological drug already approved by the European Union (known as the reference biological drug of origin). The active substance of a biosimal drug is similar but not identical to the biological origin of the drug. Once a biological drug patent expires, the biosimal drug can be authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A biosilar drug is not the same as a generic that has a simpler molecular structure similar to the original drug.

Livtencity® [maribavir] for cytomegalovirus disease in recipients of haematopoietic stem cell transplant or solid organ transplant Medicines should only be prescribed when they are needed, and in any case the benefits of drug administration should be considered in relation to the associated risk. This is especially important during pregnancy, when the risk to the mother and fetus must be taken into account.

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Practical and evidence based, British National Formulary (BNF) is the only drug formulary in the world that is both independent, and has rigorous, accredited content creation processes. In general, drug and product names should be written in full. Unofficial abbreviations should not be used as they may be misinterpreted. Non-proprietary titles

Different programmes use different referencing styles, but basic principles are the same with two key elements: In-text citations

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As an example, here's a reference for the whole print BNF in Harvard format (remember, though, that you will probably be referencing a specific entry): An integral part of the UK’s healthcare infrastructure and relied on by health professionals who prescribe, dispense, and administer medicines globally. Containing guidance on best practice in prescribing, as well as legal and ethical considerations, BNF supports safe and effective decision-making at the point of care. On all programmes, it is essential to reference everything you use in your written work. Any time you quote from, summarise, paraphrase or discuss something you have read, listened to or watched, you should reference it. This tells the reader where your information comes from, and it ensures that you are not plagiarising (using someone else's words or work without credit). National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2020) Acute coronary syndromes. NG185. Available at:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng185(Accessed: 7 December 2020). It is important to use the latest information on BNF for clinical decisions. The BNF printed edition is updated every year in March and September. Monthly updates are provided online through Medicines Complete and the NHS Evidence Portal. More important changes are in the Changes section; The changes are listed on the Internet as cumulative (from one printed edition to the next) and can be printed monthly to reflect major changes since the last print as an auxiliary book for those who use the printed version.