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PharmaInsight

Buprenorphine vs Morphine sulfate

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

Morphine sulfate was dispensed 1.8× as often as Buprenorphine in March 2026 — 421,187 items versus 233,896 in England.

233,896items

Buprenorphine · March 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

421,187items

Morphine sulfate · March 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Buprenorphine versus Morphine sulfate: national items dispensed by month

▬ Buprenorphine   ·   ╌ Morphine sulfate

Morphine sulfate 233,896

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to March 2026

Buprenorphine versus Morphine sulfate, March 2026
Measure Buprenorphine Morphine sulfate
Items, March 2026 233,896 421,187
Items, last 12 months 2,762,051 5,010,523
Net ingredient cost, March 2026 £3,873,919 £2,448,531

See the full profile for Buprenorphine or Morphine sulfate.