About the BAN
The British Approved Name (BAN) is a unique name assigned to a pharmaceutical substance by the British Pharmacopoeia Commission (BPC) to ensure standardisation and clarity in drug nomenclature. The BP publishes the BAN every 5 years with annual supplements.
British Approved Names (BAN) are
- the non-proprietary name or generic name for an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for use in the UK
- distinctive names for use with medicines in the UK
- harmonised with the English form of the recommended international non-proprietary name (rINN)
The BAN publication is the official dictionary of drug names for regulatory use in the UK. Each entry includes:
- the official pronunciation guide
- systematic name
- molecular formula
- molecular structure
- CAS registry number
- pharmacological action and/or medicinal use
You can find information about applying for a BAN
We have also created a handy video guide to show you how you can access BAN online