Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Budesonide vs Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation)

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

Budesonide was dispensed 2.7× as often as Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation) in May 2026 — 426,847 items versus 160,431 in England.

426,847items

Budesonide · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

160,431items

Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation) · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Budesonide versus Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation): national items dispensed by month

▬ Budesonide   ·   ╌ Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation)

0 223k 445k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Fluticasone prop… 426,847 Jan 2021: 290k Feb 2021: 266k Mar 2021: 292k Apr 2021: 282k May 2021: 268k Jun 2021: 286k Jul 2021: 289k Aug 2021: 273k Sep 2021: 288k Oct 2021: 279k Nov 2021: 290k Dec 2021: 310k Jan 2022: 283k Feb 2022: 260k Mar 2022: 295k Apr 2022: 275k May 2022: 287k Jun 2022: 280k Jul 2022: 281k Aug 2022: 284k Sep 2022: 284k Oct 2022: 284k Nov 2022: 293k Dec 2022: 307k Jan 2023: 297k Feb 2023: 271k Mar 2023: 306k Apr 2023: 274k May 2023: 292k Jun 2023: 299k Jul 2023: 289k Aug 2023: 289k Sep 2023: 287k Oct 2023: 297k Nov 2023: 304k Dec 2023: 309k Jan 2024: 315k Feb 2024: 293k Mar 2024: 298k Apr 2024: 306k May 2024: 315k Jun 2024: 297k Jul 2024: 322k Aug 2024: 305k Sep 2024: 303k Oct 2024: 327k Nov 2024: 318k Dec 2024: 337k Jan 2025: 351k Feb 2025: 315k Mar 2025: 340k Apr 2025: 340k May 2025: 361k Jun 2025: 356k Jul 2025: 382k Aug 2025: 350k Sep 2025: 383k Oct 2025: 412k Nov 2025: 393k Dec 2025: 445k Jan 2026: 437k Feb 2026: 401k Mar 2026: 441k Apr 2026: 430k May 2026: 427k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Budesonide versus Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation), May 2026
Measure Budesonide Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation)
Items, May 2026 426,847 160,431
Items, last 12 months 4,857,771 2,202,492
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £14,450,848 £4,764,948

See the full profile for Budesonide or Fluticasone propionate (Inhalation).