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Appendix 6 - Medicines not classified in the BNF – Imported or Unlicensed Products

 These products are occasionally initiated in secondary care, but should only be used where other licensed conventional medicines are inappropriate, ineffective or not tolerated. Most of the following preparations are unlicensed. 

GREEN Light Drugs 

Generic Name 

Brand Name 

Indication / Comments 

Formulary Link 

Colecalciferol ProD3®,  HuxD3®, Osteocaps®, SunvitD3® Unlicensed 9>6>4
Levomepromazine 6mg Tablets Nozinan® Unlicensed. 4>6
Magnesium Glycerophosphate 95mg Tablets   Unlicensed. 9>5>1>3
Octenidine Skin Cleanser Octenisan®   13>11>5
Potassium Citrate Tablets Urocit-K® Unlicensed.  7>4>3 
       

 

AMBER Light Drugs  

 Generic Name

Brand Name 

 Indication / Comments 

 Formulary Link 

Biotin 5mg tablets (Vitamin B Complex)

  Unlicensed.  9>6>2 
Chlorothiazide 250mg in 5ml Suspension  Diuril®   Unlicensed.  2>2>1 
Clindamycin 75mg in 5ml Syrup   

Unlicensed.  5>1>6 
Colesevelam Cholestagel® Off license use for intractable diarrhoea
under specialsist gastroenterology
guidance only
  2>12
Diltiazem 2% Cream Anoheal®

Unlicensed.   For Anal Fissures.

1>7>4 
Ethinylestradiol 2mcg Tablets    Unlicensed.  6>4>1>1 
PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) and sodium hyaluronate 

 Gelclair® only for acute chemotherapy/radiation induced mucositis 12>3>1
Ivermectin 3mg Tablets  Ivexterm®  Mectizan®   Stromectol® Unlicensed.  5>5 
Lactitol 10g Sachets 

Importal®  Unlicensed.  1>6>4 
Magnesium Asparate Sachets Magnaspartate®

  9>5>1>3
Nefazodone 200mg tablets

Nefadar® Serzone®

Unlicensed.  4>3>1 
Papaverine Injection Papacon®,  Pavabid®, Pavacot®,  Pavagen®

Unlicensed. For Erectile Dysfunction.

7>4>5 

 


 
Phytomenadione 1mg Capsules Orakay® Unlicensed. 9>6>6 
Primaquine 15mg Tablets Malirid-DS

Unlicensed. Named patient.

5>4>1
Propranolol tablets   Unlicensed use for portal hypertension  4>
Zonisamide   Off licence use in generalised epilepsy or focal epilepsy (SANAD II Trial)  

 

RED Light Drugs 

Generic Name 

Brand Name 

Indication / Comments 

Formulary Link 

Acetylcysteine Capsules  Fluimucil®  NAC®  Unlicensed. 

3>7  
Albendazole 400mg Tablets  Albenza®  Andazol®  Eskazole®  Zentel®  Unlicensed.   5>5  
Alemtuzumab MabCampath® Unlicensed for MS

8>2>4
Anatacid and Oxetacaine Suspension   Unlicensed special for treatment of  Painful swallowing, during/following radiotherapy to the head & neck and chest areas  
Benzathine Penicillin 1.2 & 2.4 mega unit Injection  Bicillin L-A®  Extencilline®  Penidural®  Retarpen® Unlicensed.   5>1>1>1  
Benzbromarone    Unlicensed use - specialist initiation, named   patient basis only for use as a uricosuric agent in patients with severe adverse reaction to other licensed agents.  10.1.4
Bismuth Iodoform Paraffin Paste on Gauze BIPP® on Gauze   12>2>3
Cantharidrin   Unlicensed

13>7
Chloramphenicol   non-proprietary

Off licence use topically for wounds. Restricted to use by ENT and Maxillofacial.

 
Chlorhexidine diacetate 0.02% eye drops   Unlicensed - specialist use only 11>3>1
 Chlorothiazide Suspension 250mg/5mL 25mg/5mL
 Unlicensed special - diuresis  2>2
Ciclosporin eye drops 0.06% Moorfields Unlicensed - specialist use only - severe dry eyes

11>8>1

Co-Enzyme Q10

(Ubidecarenone)  

Lamberts brand 

Dr Rakshi.

For Mitochondrial disorders - unlicensed use of this dietary/healthfood supplement as recommended in the BNF for Children.  

9>8>1 

Colecalciferol 1,500iu in 1ml Oral Solution

Vitamin D3 

  Unlicensed.   9>6>4 
Deferiprone 750mg in 5ml Suspension Ferriprox® Unlicensed.  9>1>3
Diazoxide 50mg in 1ml Oral Suspension Proglycem Unlicensed 6>1>4
Dimethylfumurate (Fumaric Acid) 30mg & 120mg Tablets    Unlicensed.   13>5>2 

Dimethyl Sulphoxide Bladder Instillation (DMSO) 

Rimso-50®  Unlicensed.   7>4>4 
Fluspirilene 1.5mg in 0.75ml Injection 

Imap® 

Lopac-F-100®  Redeptin® 

Unlicensed.   4>2>2 
Fluspirilene 2mg in 1ml Injection 6ml 

Imap® 

Lopac-F-100®  Redeptin® 

Unlicensed.   4>2>2 
Folic Acid 15mg in 1ml Injection Folsan®  Unlicensed. 9>1>2 
Humulin R 500unit/5mL Humulin R 500 unit/5mL Unlicensed.Import on named patient basis 6>1>1
Iloprost 0.1mg in 1ml  Ilomedin® 

Unlicensed. 

Only for use in severe Raynaud's phenomenon & other associated disorders. 

2>5>1 
Indocyanine green  

Unlicensed.

Only for use in assessment of pre-operative hepatic function prior to liver resection

 
Isoprenaline 100mcg in 1ml & 2mg in 1ml Injection Saventrine® Unlicensed. 2>7>1 
Joulies Solution    Unlicensed   9>8>1
Ketamine Oral Solution    Unlicensed.   4>7>3 
Levamisole 50mg Tablets  Ergamisol®  Ketrax®  Solaskil® Unlicensed.   5>5 
 Lidocaine 4%, adrenaline 0.1%, tetracaine 0.5% w/v  LAT Gel® Unlicensed.

Wound anaesthesia in children <18 years. 

  13>3
Melatonin 500mcg, 1mg, 3mg & 5mg Capsules Melapure®  Travelag® / Vytalonin® Unlicensed. 4>1>1
Methotrexate 20mg in 5ml Oral Solution    Unlicensed.  

1>5>3

8>1>3

10>1>3 

13>5>3

Methoxypsoralen 1.2% Bath Lotion 

Psoralen® 

8-MOP® 

Unlicensed.   13>5>2 
Methoxypsoralen 0.005% Gel 50g 

Psoralen® 

8-MOP® 

Unlicensed.   13>5>2 
Methoxypsoralen 10mg & 20mg Tablets 

Psoralen® 

8-MOP® 

Unlicensed.   13>5>2 
Mexiletine  

Unlicensed.

Consultant use only

2>3>2
Midodrine Hydrochloride 2.5mg Tablets  Amatine®  Gutron®  Midon®  ProAmatine® 

Unlicensed. 

 
 Nifedipine oral drops 20mg  Nifedipin-ratiopharm  Unlicensed use - Raynauds syndrome in children  2>6>4

Nitrogen Mustard Cream

(Mechlorethamine / Mustine) 

Mustargen® 

Unlicensed. 

Discuss application in Primary Care with ELHT medicines information. 

13>8>1 
Oxandrolone 2.5mg Tablets  Anavar®  Oxandrin®  Unlicensed.   6>4>3 
Oxybutynin 5mg in 30ml Intravesical Solution    Unlicensed.   7>4>4 
Oxymetholone 50mg Tablets  Anadrol®  Anapolon® Unlicensed.   9>1>3 
 Paromomycin    Unlicensed. Liver abscess - microbiologist recommnedtaion only  5>4
Patent Blue V Sodium 2.5% Injection 2ml    Unlicensed.    
Pentosan Polysulphate 100mg Capsules  Elmiron®  Unlicensed.   7>4>4
Peppermint Water 

    1>2
 Phenobarbitone Oral Liquid    For paediatrics use only (includes unlicensed strengths)
 4>8>1
 Pirenzepine    Unlicensed. LCFT consultant initiation ONLY. Clozapine-induced hypersalivation  
Potassium Canrenoate Injection Soldactone®  Spiroctan-M® 

Unlicensed. For NICU use only.

2>2>3
Praziquantel 500mg Tablets  Biltricide®  Cisticid®  Cysticide® Unlicensed.   5>5 
Primaquine 7.5mg Tablets 

Malirid®  Unlicensed.   5>4>1 
Probenecid 500mg Tablets  Benemid®  Benuryl®  Probecid® Unlicensed.   10>1>4 
Procaine 0.5% Epidural Injection  Novocaine® 

Unlicensed.

Dr Mitchell - For use in the MSK service only.  

 

Riboflavin

Vitamin B2 

Lamberts brand  Dr Rakshi.  9>6>2 
Scleremo® Injection 

  Unlicensed.   2>13 
Sildenafil 25mg Viagra® Unlicensed use in severe primary or secondary Raynaud’s resistant to initial therapies 2>6>4
Sodium Hyaluronate 40mg in 50ml Intravesical Instillation Cystistat® Unlicensed. 7>4>4
Spironolactone   Unlicensed - refractory adult female acne vulgaris resistant to multiple oral antibiotics & isotretinoin - consultant dermatologist use only  
Stanozolol 2mg Tablets 

Winstrol®  Unlicensed.   6>4>3 
Streptomycin 1g Injection 

  Unlicensed.   5>1>9 

Streptomycin 1g injection 

  Unlicensed - specialist use - Madura foot  
Succimer Capsules 

Chemet®  Unlicensed.    
Succinated gelatin Gelofusine® Unlicensed use by endoscopy - Direct injection into mucosal layer under polyp prior to endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR)  
Sucralfate  Gastric & duodenal ulcers Unlicensed use   1>3>3
Sulphamethoxypyrazinamide 500mg Tablets    Unlicensed.    
Sulthiame

  Unlicensed - specialist use only  
Talc - Sterilised 4g 

  Unlicensed.   
Tiopronine 250mg Tablets  Retrophin Unlicensed use. Reduction of the risk of stone formation in patients with cystinuria  
Transvasin®

Transvasin® Unlicensed. 10>3>2
Urokinase 25,000iu Injection  Syner-KINASE®  Ukidan®  Unlicensed.   2>10>2 
 Nutritional Supplement  VSL#3 sachets  specialist gastroenterology use - unlicensed.  1>1>5

 
All material in this section is aimed at health professionals, but is information currently held within the public domain.   Members of the public seeking advice on medicine-related matters are encouraged to speak with their GP, pharmacist or nurse, or contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.