Description
Practical and evidence-based, BNF is 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.
Extensive content updates in the BNF 91 edition include:
New monographs for:
- Abrysvo® and Arexvy® [respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine] for immunisation against respiratory syncytial virus
- Filspari® [sparsentan] for primary immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy
- IXCHIQ® [chikungunya vaccine (live)] for immunisation against chikungunya
- Livdelzi® [seladelpar] for primary biliary cholangitis
- Nemluvio® [nemolizumab] for moderate-to-severe atopic eczema and moderate-to-severe prurigo nodularis
- Piperaquine phosphate with artenimol for treatment of falciparum malaria
- Suvexx® [sumatriptan with naproxen] for treatment of acute migraine
- Tzield® [teplizumab] for type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Vimkunya® [chikungunya vaccine (inactivated)] for immunisation against chikungunya
MHRA advice on:
- Isotretinoin: updates to prescribing guidance and survey of services
- Ivacaftor with tezacaftor and elexacaftor (Kaftrio®): risk of psychological side effects
- Paracetamol: reminder that taking paracetamol during pregnancy remains safe
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine (Abrysvo® and Arexvy®): be alert to a small risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome following vaccination in older adults
- Short-acting beta2-agonists (SABA) (salbutamol and terbutaline sulfate): reminder of the risks from overuse in asthma and to be aware of changes in the SABA prescribing guidelines
- Thiopurines: risk of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
- Valproate: updated safety and educational materials to support patient discussion on reproductive risks
Other significant changes include updated guidance on:
- Amoxicillin: updated indications and dose for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary-tract infection
- Antibacterials, principles of therapy: updated guidance on notifiable diseases
- Antibacterials, use for prophylaxis: updated guidance for Haemophilus influenzae type b infection
- Asthma, acute: update to criteria for severity of acute asthma attacks
- Benralizumab: new indication and dose for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- Cefalexin: updated indications and dose for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary-tract infection
- Citalopram: new indications and dosing for known CYP2C19 poor metabolisers
- COVID-19: updated vaccine monograph and guidance on management of COVID-19
- Escitalopram: new indications and dosing for known CYP2C19 poor metabolisers
- Fluorouracil: new indication and dose for actinic keratosis
- Genital system infections, antibacterial therapy: updated guidance for management of uncomplicated gonorrhoea
- Guselkumab: new indications and doses for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Herpesvirus infections: updated guidance for post-exposure prophylaxis against chickenpox or shingles
- Immunisation schedule: updated guidance
- Influenza vaccine (live): update to cautions
- Life support algorithm: adult advanced life support algorithm image updated
- Liraglutide: monograph updated to incorporate new preparations
- Malaria, treatment: updated guidance
- Mirikizumab: new indication and dose for Crohn’s disease
- Nitrofurantoin: updated indications and dose for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary-tract infection
- Ocular corticosteroids and ocular NSAIDs: update to cautions
- Posaconazole: update to indications and dose, and important safety information
- Prescribing in palliative care: updated guidance for opioid dose conversions
- Rasburicase: harm from delayed administration of rasburicase for tumour lysis syndrome [National Patient Safety Alert advice]
- Semaglutide (Ozempic®): updated dose equivalence and conversion statement
- Semaglutide (Rybelsus®): updated indications and dose for type 2 diabetes mellitus, and important safety information
- Trimethoprim: updated indications and dose for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary-tract infection
- Ulipristal acetate: updated breast-feeding advice
- Vaccination, general principles: updated guidance for vaccines and asplenia, splenic dysfunction, or complement disorders.
BNF is published jointly by BMJ Group and Pharmaceutical Press.
