I asked ChatGPT "What is the most useful publication to guide prescribers in the selection and use of medicines?"
Here is the response and a comment from me below.
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The British National Formulary
Why the BNF is the key resource
The BNF is considered the gold standard because it provides:
Authoritative, evidence-based guidance on prescribing
Drug selection advice for specific conditions
Detailed dosing information (including special populations)
Contraindications, cautions, and side effects
Drug interactions and safety alerts
Practical prescribing guidance aligned with UK clinical practice
What makes it especially useful
It is jointly produced by expert bodies like the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
It is regularly updated to reflect current evidence and safety changes
It is used daily by doctors, pharmacists, and other prescribers
It supports safe, rational, and cost-effective prescribing
Bottom line
For prescribers in the UK, the BNF is the primary and most trusted publication for selecting and using medicines safely and effectively.
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COMMENT (NPW): Given that the BNF is widely regarded as the most useful publication to guide prescribers in the selection and use of medicines, it is unfortunate that it is behind a pay-wall. If the publication had been made open-access, or at least free-access, it would have had much more direct and indirect impact on the quality of care worldwide and would have saved many more lives. It could also have provided the basis for national formularies in dozens of countries worldwide. This was a huge opportunity missed due to commercial interests.
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA Project on Information for Prescribers and Users of Medicines
https://www.hifa.org/projects/prescribers-and-users-medicines
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org