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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Allopurinol vs Febuxostat

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

Allopurinol was dispensed 32.1× as often as Febuxostat in May 2026 — 619,140 items versus 19,263 in England.

619,140items

Allopurinol · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

19,263items

Febuxostat · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Allopurinol versus Febuxostat: national items dispensed by month

▬ Allopurinol   ·   ╌ Febuxostat

0 331k 663k Jan 2021 Dec 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Febuxostat 619,140 Jan 2021: 513k Mar 2021: 543k Apr 2021: 528k May 2021: 504k Jun 2021: 541k Jul 2021: 543k Aug 2021: 520k Sep 2021: 544k Oct 2021: 518k Nov 2021: 538k Dec 2021: 565k Jan 2022: 528k Feb 2022: 496k Mar 2022: 559k Apr 2022: 526k May 2022: 551k Jun 2022: 536k Jul 2022: 539k Aug 2022: 561k Sep 2022: 554k Oct 2022: 547k Nov 2022: 560k Dec 2022: 566k Jan 2023: 558k Feb 2023: 514k Mar 2023: 587k Apr 2023: 530k May 2023: 568k Jun 2023: 581k Jul 2023: 566k Aug 2023: 584k Sep 2023: 573k Oct 2023: 580k Nov 2023: 583k Dec 2023: 583k Jan 2024: 596k Feb 2024: 559k Mar 2024: 569k Apr 2024: 592k May 2024: 608k Jun 2024: 567k Jul 2024: 623k Aug 2024: 604k Sep 2024: 588k Oct 2024: 623k Nov 2024: 595k Dec 2024: 616k Jan 2025: 623k Feb 2025: 558k Mar 2025: 595k Apr 2025: 601k May 2025: 626k Jun 2025: 606k Jul 2025: 652k Aug 2025: 606k Sep 2025: 633k Oct 2025: 649k Nov 2025: 599k Dec 2025: 663k Jan 2026: 634k Feb 2026: 583k Mar 2026: 641k Apr 2026: 630k May 2026: 619k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Allopurinol versus Febuxostat, May 2026
Measure Allopurinol Febuxostat
Items, May 2026 619,140 19,263
Items, last 12 months 7,516,006 230,938
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £618,756 £86,632

See the full profile for Allopurinol or Febuxostat.