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The British National Formulary: 70 years supporting healthcare professionals

Your essential guide to making effective decisions

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the British National Formulary (BNF), a celebration of its pivotal contribution to clinical decision making. Since 1949 the BNF has been the UK’s most trusted and authoritative healthcare resource, helping to ensure the safe and effective use of medicines at the point-of-care.

The BNF started out as the National War Formulary. Following the end of World War II, the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and the British Medical Association sought to continue the publication of a formulary for ‘general use’.  The BNF was created, meeting the growing information needs of healthcare professionals and reflecting the rapid appearance of new drugs.

After a brief lull, the BNF was relaunched in 1981.  Now available in a variety of print and digital formats, the BNF continues to lead the way in providing practical, independent, evidence-based information about medicines, in the UK and beyond.

Karen Baxter – Managing Director, Pharmaceutical Press said:

“Having started my career as a pharmacist working in the hospital sector, I know how important having instant access to the BNF is.   It’s a testament to the clinical expertise and editorial rigor that go into each content update, that after 70 years healthcare professionals continue to rely on the BNF to support their decision making at the point of care.

As global healthcare becomes more complex it is our responsibility to ensure that the BNF continues to provide essential trusted medicines guidance, be it online, via the app, in the book, or in new formats, so that we can support clinicians for the next 70 years at least.”

Take a closer look at the BNF, one of the most influential and timeless clinical tools in healthcare. Learn about the history, people and processes that makes the BNF so special.


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