The October 2009 issue of Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB) contains an editorial and three articles. The editorial discusses the use of generic and trade names in current prescribing. The issue also includes a review of the role of BNP testing in heart failure, and articles about the drugs imiquimod, and two new oral fixed-dose oral anti-coagulants-▼dabigatran and ▼rivaroxiban. A podcast outlining what is in the October issue is also available via our website [1] www.dtb.bmj.com.