British National Formulary 58: September 2009

This is the authoritative guide to prescribing, dispensing and administering medicines for all healthcare professionals. Nobody working in healthcare can afford to be without the latest edition of "BNF". Compiled with the advice of clinical experts and continually updated to reflect the latest evidence from all credible sources worldwide, this essential reference provides up-to-date guidance on prescribing, dispensing, administering, and monitoring medicines. Not only does the "BNF" include the widely accepted framework for the drug management of common diseases, it also includes details of medicines prescribed in the UK, with special reference to their uses, cautions, contraindications, side-effects, dosage and relative costs. This allows treatment to be tailored to the individual needs of each patient. Updated in print every six months by an expert team of pharmacists, with guidance and validation from a network of leading clinicians, and oversight by a Joint Formulary Committee with representatives from all spheres of clinical practice. The "BNF" reflects current best practice as well as legal and professional guidelines relating to the use of medicines. As a result it is used widely as a touchstone reference, and cited in Parliaments and courts as a source of authority. It is available online as part of Medicines. It is complete, on PDA and on CD-ROM for intranets. International relevance: "BNF" and "BNFC" are the gold standard of drug information in English-speaking countries. They are used for constructing national formularies in other countries and to support regulatory work. They provide essential information when treating patients who have been prescribed medicines in the UK. Unlike many other local alternatives, both resources are completely independent from pharmaceutical industry influence with guidance that is based on best practice and real life evidence.