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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Acetylcysteine vs Lumacaftor/ivacaftor

National NHS prescribing compared (Prescription Cost Analysis)
Data updated April 2026

Acetylcysteine was dispensed 48,302.0× as often as Lumacaftor/ivacaftor in April 2026 — 48,302 items versus 1 in England.

48,302items

Acetylcysteine · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

1items

Lumacaftor/ivacaftor · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Acetylcysteine versus Lumacaftor/ivacaftor: national items dispensed by month

▬ Acetylcysteine   ·   ╌ Lumacaftor/ivacaftor

0 24k 48k Jan 2021 Oct 2021 Jul 2022 May 2023 Feb 2024 Nov 2024 Apr 2026 Lumacaftor/ivaca… 48,302 Jan 2021: 6k Feb 2021: 6k Mar 2021: 7k Apr 2021: 6k May 2021: 6k Jun 2021: 7k Jul 2021: 7k Aug 2021: 7k Sep 2021: 8k Oct 2021: 8k Nov 2021: 8k Dec 2021: 9k Jan 2022: 8k Feb 2022: 8k Mar 2022: 9k Apr 2022: 9k May 2022: 9k Jun 2022: 10k Jul 2022: 10k Aug 2022: 10k Sep 2022: 11k Nov 2022: 12k Dec 2022: 12k Jan 2023: 12k Feb 2023: 11k Mar 2023: 13k Apr 2023: 10k May 2023: 13k Jun 2023: 14k Jul 2023: 14k Aug 2023: 15k Sep 2023: 13k Oct 2023: 17k Nov 2023: 18k Dec 2023: 18k Jan 2024: 19k Feb 2024: 19k Mar 2024: 18k Apr 2024: 22k May 2024: 23k Jun 2024: 20k Jul 2024: 25k Aug 2024: 25k Sep 2024: 24k Oct 2024: 28k Nov 2024: 27k Dec 2024: 30k Jan 2025: 31k Feb 2025: 29k Mar 2025: 31k Apr 2025: 33k May 2025: 34k Jun 2025: 35k Jul 2025: 39k Aug 2025: 36k Sep 2025: 39k Oct 2025: 42k Nov 2025: 40k Dec 2025: 45k Jan 2026: 45k Feb 2026: 43k Mar 2026: 48k Apr 2026: 48k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Acetylcysteine versus Lumacaftor/ivacaftor, April 2026
Measure Acetylcysteine Lumacaftor/ivacaftor
Items, April 2026 48,302 1
Items, last 12 months 495,103 6
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £442,131 £8,000

See the full profile for Acetylcysteine or Lumacaftor/ivacaftor.