BNF for Children (BNFC) 2015-2016

The resource addresses a significant knowledge gap in many areas of paediatric practice by providing practical information on the use of medicines in children of all ages from birth to adolescence.

Recommendations in the BNF for Children have been constructed on the basis of authoritative sources, emerging evidence and best practice guidelines. The content has been carefully validated by a network of paediatric experts and the process is overseen by a paediatric formulary committee.

To make it even easier to find the information you need, the content in the new BNFC 2015-2016 has been restructured.

You’ll find improved consistency and clarity in the print version. See www.bnf.org to find out more, along with sample pages and a clear guide on how to use the improved BNFC.

The BNF for Children 2015-2016 has been revised and revalidated to reflect changes in product availability, emerging safety concerns and shifts in clinical practice.

Significant content updates include:

    Updated monographs with links to ‘Medicines for children’ leaflets, which provide parents and carers with information about how to use certain medicines in children
    New safety information about reducing the risk of QT interval prolongation and Torsade de Pointes for hydroxyzine
    Further guidance on the restricted use of codeine for cough and cold symptoms in children
    Updated dosing information for the use of tramadol in the treatment of acute and chronic pain
    Update on the scheduling of sodium oxybate under the Misuse of Drugs Regulation 2001
    Guidance on the use of domperidone for the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in children
    Updated dosing information on the use of nifedipine for the treatment of hypertensive crisis, acute angina and Kawasaki disease or progeria.
    Advice about the risk of hepatotoxicity and phototoxicity with voriconazole treatment

Unique benefits

    Shares the structure of the British National Formulary (BNF) and is designed to be used in paediatric and general practice settings
    Includes information on unlicensed use of medicines and provides details of unlicensed medicines that can be imported, manufactured by ‘special order' or prepared extemporaneously
    Covers the drug treatment of rare childhood conditions, provides guidance on specialist paediatric interventions and includes details of those medicines that are used in children in a different way to adults
    As a point-of-care tool it is important that it provides practitioners with the most up-to-date information and therefore the latest edition is essential.

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.