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Bedfordshire and Luton Joint Formulary
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB
Formulary Chapter: 5 - Infections 
Notes:

For full details on UKHSA guidance for managing common infections with local amendments please see:

BLMK Primary Care Antimicrobial Guidelines hosted via: https://blmkantibioticspubliclive.azurewebsites.net/

Secondary care antimicrobial guidelines:

Bedfordshire Hospitals Foundation Trust: Antimicrobial guidelines are hosted on:  EOLAS Medical App. 
05.01.09 Antituberculosis drugs

National Shortage of Anti-Tuberculosis medicines - See NPSA Alert for further details and actions

NICE CG33: Tuberculosis NICE NG15: Antimicrobial stewardship: systems and processes for effective antimicrobial medicine use

Ethambutol tablets

RED
Formulary

Available in 100mg or 400mg strengths

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Isoniazid tablets

RED
Formulary

Available in 50mg or 100mg strengths

 

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Pyrazinamide 500mg tablets
(Tablets)

RED
Formulary

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Rifampicin
(Oral)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted

150mg & 300mg Capsules
100mg/5mL syrup

 

National shortage of anti-TB medications - rifampicin should be reserved for use in Tuberculosis only during period of shortage. See NPSA alert for further detail.

Restricted - Microbiology or consultant approval required.

Oral bioavailability is near 100%. Food delays the rate and extent of absorption so an oral dose should be taken at least 30 minutes before or 2 hours after food. Oral rifampicin is significantly less expensive than IV; so early switch to oral therapy is encouraged.

Must always be prescribed with another antibiotic.

 

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Rifampicin 600mg
(Injection)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted
Restricted - Microbiology or consultant approval required.
BNF BNFc SPC

Rifampicin and Isoniazid (Rifinah® )

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted

Rifampicin 150mg/Isoniazid 100mg Tablets
Rifampicin 300mg/Isoniazid 150mg Tablets
Restricted - Microbiology or consultant approval required.

 

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Rifampicin and Isoniazid and Pyrazinamide (Rifater®)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted

Restricted - Microbiology or Consultant approval required.
Rifampicin 120mg/ Isoniazid 50mg/ Pyrazinamide 300mg tablet

Initial unsupervised treatment of tuberculosis (in combination with ethambutol)

By mouth
Adult (body-weight up to 40 kg)
3 tablets daily for 2 months (initial phase), use Rifater® Tablets, preferably taken before breakfast.
Adult (body-weight 40–49 kg)
4 tablets daily for 2 months (initial phase), use Rifater® Tablets, preferably taken before breakfast.
Adult (body-weight 50–64 kg)
5 tablets daily for 2 months (initial phase), use Rifater® Tablets, preferably taken before breakfast.
Adult (body-weight 65 kg and above)
6 tablets daily for 2 months (initial phase), use Rifater® Tablets, preferably taken before breakfast.

 

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol (Voractiv®)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Isoniazid 50mg/5ml
(oral solution)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted

Red unlicensed Unlicensed isoniazid 50mg/5ml liquid available for paediatric patients on advice of Specialist Tuberculosis Clinic when tablets are not suitable

Restricted - Microbiology or Consultant approval required.

 

Entry checked: July 2025

BNF BNFc SPC

Ethambutol 400mg/5ml
(Liquid)

RED
Unlicensed Drug Unlicensed

Red unlicensed Unlicensed ethambutol 400mg/5ml liquid available for paediatric patients on advice of Specialist Tuberculosis Clinic when tablets are not suitable

BNF BNFc SPC

Isoniazid 50mg/2mL
(Injection)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted
Restricted - Microbiology or Consultant approval required.
unlicensedunlicensed
BNF BNFc SPC

Pyrazinamide 500mg/5mL
(Oral Suspension)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted
Restricted - Microbiology or Consultant approval required.
unlicensedunlicensed
BNF BNFc SPC

Streptomycin Sulphate 1g
(Injection)

RED
Restricted Drug Restricted
Restricted - Microbiology or Consultant approval required.
unlicensedunlicensed
BNF BNFc SPC
Classifications
GREEN
May be initiated in any care setting
Amber SPA
Specialist to advise therapy and provide first 28 days supply, continuation in Primary Care
Amber SPIS
Specialist to initiate and stabilise medicine prior to continuation in Primary Care
SCG
To be prescribed as per Shared Care Guidance. If no SCG in place status reverts to red.
RED
Red medicines are designated as specialist only medicines which should only be prescribed by a specialist, usually within secondary care (either due to the requirement for specialist knowledge, long-term monitoring requirements, or restrictions that mean medicine supplies are only available to hospitals).
DNP
A decision has been made either locally and/or nationally not to routinely commission this preparation. Do not prescribe.
SELF
To be purchased over the counter. May be prescribed for chronic, long term conditions or on admission to hospital if essential.