New children’s formulary — BNF for Children is launched
BNF for Children is organised by the familiar BNF classifications |
The British National Formulary for Children (BNF-C) was launched by the Pharmaceutical Press on 20 September. Organised by the familiar British
National Formulary (BNF) classifications, the publication covers licensed
and unlicensed medicines for neonate to adolescent patients aged up to
18 years. It offers advice on all important aspects of medicines, ranging
from guidance on choosing the best drug for a disorder to the specific
dose and formulation suitable for a child.
Working under the supervision of an expert paediatric formulary committee,
BNF-C has been developed with the assistance of an extensive network
of paediatric advisers. It has been jointly produced by the British Medical
Association, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Royal College of Paediatrics
and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists
Group. A website to support and update information in BNF-C is also being
constructed and will be available soon at www.bnfc.org
The publication, supported by the Department of Health, follows one strand of
its children’s medicines strategy launched in August this year — to
improve the provision of information on children’s medicines. It has replaced
the RCPCH’s publication ‘Medicines for children’ and is intended
for use by those involved in prescribing, dispensing and administering medicines
to children. It has been distributed to all NHS pharmacists, doctors and extended
formulary nurse prescribers in England
(the same distribution as the BNF).
Ian Costello, lead editor of BNF-C, emphasised that the reader is expected to
use appropriate professional knowledge and expertise to interpret the content
in the context of the individual child. He added: “This will not replace
the need for local formularies, where the doses may differ due to specialist
practices.”
Annual revisions, with a new edition produced each year, will ensure that the
work remains at the forefront of practice. Mr Costello said: “BNF-C will
continue to develop and take in innovative treatments and new evidence as they
become available.”
An insert has been provided with each copy to allow users to provide feedback
on the publication and this information will be used to help shape subsequent
editions.
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Hospital Pharmacist