Preferred brand prescribing.
To ensure you are viewing the most up-to-date information, it is suggested that visitors to this page refresh their browser.
Using approved (generic) names for medicines is generally encouraged for prescribing in both primary and secondary care and in the majority of cases generic prescribing is the most cost-effective way to prescribe. However there are some circumstances in which continuity of the same brand is important for clinical reasons or patient safety; in these cases this is reflected in the Devon Formulary.
Occasionally branded prescribing is significantly more cost-effective than generic prescribing, so to help with cost pressures across the NHS and specifically for primary care prescribing the NHS Devon Medicines Optimisation (MO) Team has prepared a list of locally recommended preferred brands.
In preparing the list below, the MO Team has considered the evidence of equivalence, efficacy and safety, and cost efficiency. In some instances, these will not be the brands provided in secondary care, where the brand supplied may be determined by nationally agreed pharmacy purchasing contracts.
Chapter 1. Gastrointestinal
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Glycopyrronium bromide tablets | Assicco tablets |
| Sodium acid phosphate with sodium phosphate 133ml enema | Cleen Ready-to-Use |
Chapter 2. Cardiovascular
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Isosorbide mononitrate 60mg MR tablets | Chemydur XL, Monomil XL (S&W Devon only) |
Chapter 3. Respiratory
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Hypertonic (3%) sodium chloride nebuliser solution (N&E Devon only) | PulmoClear |
| Hypertonic (7%) sodium chloride nebuliser solution | Respi-Clear |
Chapter 4. Central Nervous System
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Ropinirole MR tablets | Ipinnia XL |
| Venlafaxine modified release capsules 225mg | Vencarm XL prolonged release capsules 225mg |
Chapter 7. Obstetrics, gynaecology, and urinary-tract disorders
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Tolterodine MR capsules | Tolthen XL |
Chapter 9. Blood and nutrition
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Calcium carbonate 1.5g chewable tablets | Adcal |
| Calcium carbonate 1.25g chewable tablets | Calcichew |
| Calcium carbonate 2.5g chewable tablets (S&W Devon only) | Calcichew Forte |
| Colecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 1,000 unit tablets | Stexerol D3 |
| Colecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 25,000 unit tablets | Stexerol D3 |
| Colecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 25,000 units/ml oral solution | InVita D3 |
| Colecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 50,000 units/ml oral solution | InVita D3 |
| Colecalciferol + Calcium carbonate 200 unit + 750mg Caplets (S&W Devon only) | Adcal D3 Caplets |
| Colecalciferol + Calcium carbonate 400 unit + 1.5g tablets | Accrete-D3 |
| Colecalciferol + Calcium carbonate 400 unit + 1.5g chewable tablets (S&W Devon only) | Adcal D3 Chewable |
| Colecalciferol + Calcium carbonate 400 unit + 1.5g effervescent tablets (S&W Devon only) | Adcal D3 Dissolve |
| Colecalciferol + Calcium carbonate 880 unit + 2.5g chewable tablets | theiCal-D3 |
| Gluten Free fresh bread* | Genius*, Juvela* * Please prescribe in case quantities (8 loaves). Note: Juvela Fresh bread can also be prescribed as a mixed case (4 white + 4 fibre loaves) |
| Gluten Free long life bread | Juvela, Glutafin Select |
| Gluten Free Mix | Juvela, Glutafin Select |
Chapter 11. Eye
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Carbomer eye gel | Viscotears |
| Carbomer unit dose preservative free eye gel | Viscotears unit dose |
| Carmellose preservative free eye drops 0.5% | Evolve Carmellose |
| Carmellose unit dose preservative free eye drops 0.5% | Celluvisc unit dose |
| Chloramphenicol preservative free eye drops | Minims unit dose (N&E Devon only) |
| Dexamethasone preservative free eye drops | Minims unit dose (N&E Devon only) |
| Hypromellose preservative free eye drops | Evolve Hypromellose |
| Liquid paraffin eye ointment 3.5g | Lacri-Lube |
| Liquid paraffin eye ointment 5g | HYLO NIGHT |
| Polyvinyl alcohol eye drops | Sno Tears |
| Polyvinyl alcohol unit dose preservative free eye drops | Liquifilm Tears unit dose |
| Prednisolone preservative free eye drops | Minims unit dose (N&E Devon only) |
| Sodium hyaluronate preservative free eye drops 0.2% | Xailin Plus HA |
| Sodium hyaluronate unit dose preservative free eye drops 0.4% | Clinitas unit dose* *Each Clinitas vial is re-closable and can be used for up to 12 hours after opening. Please counsel patients on the correct use and that the re-closable vials need not be discarded after the first use. |
Chapter 13. Skin
Generic |
MO Team preferred brand |
| Metronidazole 0.75% gel (for rosacea) |
Rozex |
| Metronidazole 0.75% gel (for malodorous fungating tumours) (S&W Devon only) |
Metrogel |
