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Bedfordshire and Luton Joint Formulary
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB
Formulary Chapter: 9 - Nutrition and blood 
Notes:

Any drug not listed on the Formulary should be considered Non-Formulary - Not recommended for prescribing

09.01.01.01 Oral iron

Ferrous Fumarate

First Choice

210mg Tablets (Equivalent to 68mg elemental iron)

140mg/5mL syrup (Equivalent to 45mg elemental iron)

 

See BLMK ICB Prescribing guidance for Vitamins and Minerals

 

Consider once daily dosing as per Adult Iron Deficiency Anaemia Care Guidelines | BSG

 

Entry reviewed: October 2024

Ferric Maltol (Feraccru®)

RED
Formulary

30mg iron (as ferric maltol)

Second line for iron deficiency anaemia in adult with mild to moderate inflammatory bowel disease who have failed 2 oral ferrous products.

Entry reviewed July 2025

Ferrous Sulphate

Formulary

200mg Tablets
Equivalent to 65mg elemental iron

See BLMK ICB Prescribing guidance for Vitamins and Minerals

 

Entry reviewed: September 2023

Sodium Feredetate (Sytron®)
(Elixir)

Restricted Drug Restricted

Restricted to paediatric use.

For adults prescribe ferrous fumarate if liquid required.
Equivalent to 27.5mg elemental iron/5mL

 Sytron shortage expected until June 2025-Alternative brands - Feredet, SodiFer (Source: MIMs shortage tracker) Last updated Feb 2024

See BLMK ICB Prescribing guidance for Vitamins and Minerals

 

Entry reviewed: March 2023

Non formulary items

Ferrous Gluconate

 
Non Formulary

Ferrous Sulphate (Ferrograd®)

 
Non Formulary

Ferrous Sulphate (Ironorm® drops)

 
Non Formulary

Polysaccharide Iron Complex (Niferex®)

 
Non Formulary

 

Product discontinued 

Entry reviewed: September 2023

09.01.01.01 Iron and folic acid
09.01.01.01 Compound iron preparations
Classifications
May be initiated in any care setting
Specialist to advise therapy and provide first 28 days supply, continuation in Primary Care
Specialist to initiate and stabilise medicine prior to continuation in Primary Care
To be prescribed as per Shared Care Guidance. If no SCG in place status reverts to 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).
A decision has been made either locally and/or nationally not to routinely commission this preparation. Do not prescribe.
To be purchased over the counter. May be prescribed for chronic, long term conditions or on admission to hospital if essential.