British National Formulary for Children

British National Formulary for Children
BNF for Children (BNFC) is the standard UK paediatric reference for prescribing and pharmacology.
It contains a wide range of information and advice on prescribing for children - from newborn to adolescence.
The entries are classified by group of drug, giving cautions for use, side effects, indications and dose for most of the drugs available for children in the UK National Health Service. It also includes information on the unlicensed uses of certain drugs. Though published in and for the United Kingdom, the vast bulk of the clinical information will apply in any country.
Authorship and Publication
The BNFC is jointly published annually by BMJ (owned by the BMA), Pharmaceutical Press (owned by the RPS), Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and the Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group. The principal contributors are acknowledged in the front pages.
It is overseen by the BNFC Paediatric Formulary Committee
and edited by a team of pharmacists.
History
The BNF for Children developed from the British National Formulary (BNF), which prior to 2005 had provided information on the treatment of children, with the doses largely determined by calculations based on the body weight of the child.
The guidance was provided by pharmacists and doctors whose expertise was in the care of adults.
This was an anomaly,
as in relation to responses to medicines, the difference between a newborn and a sixteen year old is greater than the difference between a sixteen year old and a sixty year old. Starting in 2002, Prof Martin Kendall, then chairman of the BNF Joint Formulary Committee worked to get things changed.
The UK Department of Health (now the DHSC) agreed to fund the BNFC, as it does the BNF, to ensure that NHS clinicians can have up to date information in their pockets.
The first edition was published in 2005, with George Rylance
chairing the Paediatric Formulary Committee and Dinesh Mehta as the first executive editor.
Anne, the Princess Royal attended the launch on 14 July.
Editions
The BNFC is published annually, but electronic updates
are produced monthly. The current 2022-2023 edition was published in September 2022.
Availability
Though not aimed at the general public, the BNFC, like the BNF, is available for purchase.
It is provided to NHS staff - usually through their employer, but may be accessed online through MedicinesComplete.
The app is available through the usual app stores.
Contents
How BNF publications are constructed
How to use BNF Publications in print
Changes
Guidance on Prescribing
Prescription writing
Supply of medicines
Emergency supply of medicines
Controlled drugs and drug dependence
Adverse reactions to drugs
Guidance on intravenous infusions
Prescribing in hepatic impairment
Prescribing in renal impairment
Prescribing in pregnancy
Prescribing in breast-feeding
Prescribing in palliative care
Drugs and sport
Medicines optimisation
Antimicrobial stewardship
Prescribing in dental practice
NOTES ON DRUGS AND PREPARATIONS
1 Gastro-intestinal system
2 Cardiovascular system
3 Respiratory system
4 Nervous system
5 Infection
6 Endocrine system
7 Genito-urinary system
8 Immune system and malignant disease
9 Blood and nutrition
10 Musculoskeletal system
11 Eye
12 Ear, nose and oropharynx
13 Skin
14 Vaccines
15 Anaesthesia
16 Emergency treatment of poisoning
APPENDICES AND INDICES
Interactions
Borderline substances
Cautionary and advisory labels for dispensed medicines
Dental Practitioners’ Formulary
Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary
Non-medical prescribing
Index of manufacturers
Special-order Manufacturers
Index
Medical emergencies in the community
See also
British National Formulary
Pharmacopeia
Pharmacy
Specification (technical standard)
Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Pharmaceutical Press
References
External links
Pharmaceutical Press
BNF
BNFC
Neonatal & Paediatric Pharmacists Group
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
British Medical Association
Pharmacology literature
Pharmaceuticals policy
Professional associations based in the United Kingdom
Pharmacy in the United Kingdom