Electronic BNF needs sophisticated hardware …

EDITOR,—Jeremy Wyatt and Robert Walton present an informative summary of the part that medical informatics can play in improving prescribing practices.1 Their timely editorial coincides with the release of the CD ROM edition of the British National Formulary. Several problems with this electronic edition are cause for concern.

Firstly, the format requires a system based on Microsoft Windows, which many general practices do not have. Secondly, although the BNF is provided free to hospital doctors, pounds sterling50 is required to subscribe to the electronic version—which is probably cheaper to produce. Finally, for the system to be acceptable quick for general use, I cannot see it running on anything less than a 486 based, IBM compatible machine with a large memory (>8 megabytes of random access memory) and a CD ROM drive. Many general practices—and many hospital networks—do not have such sophisticated machines. Unless there is yet another major outlay on the acquisition of computer hardware across the NHS, this wonderful initiative is not likely to be effective.