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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Chlorhexidine gluconate vs Iodine compounds

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

Chlorhexidine gluconate was dispensed 143.1× as often as Iodine compounds in April 2026 — 17,606 items versus 123 in England.

17,606items

Chlorhexidine gluconate · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

123items

Iodine compounds · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Chlorhexidine gluconate versus Iodine compounds: national items dispensed by month

▬ Chlorhexidine gluconate   ·   ╌ Iodine compounds

0 10k 19k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Iodine compounds 17,606 Jan 2021: 16k Feb 2021: 15k Mar 2021: 17k Apr 2021: 16k May 2021: 15k Jun 2021: 17k Jul 2021: 17k Aug 2021: 16k Sep 2021: 18k Oct 2021: 16k Nov 2021: 17k Dec 2021: 16k Jan 2022: 16k Feb 2022: 15k Mar 2022: 18k Apr 2022: 16k May 2022: 17k Jun 2022: 17k Jul 2022: 15k Aug 2022: 13k Sep 2022: 11k Oct 2022: 11k Nov 2022: 10k Dec 2022: 9k Jan 2023: 13k Feb 2023: 10k Mar 2023: 13k Apr 2023: 12k May 2023: 15k Jun 2023: 15k Jul 2023: 15k Aug 2023: 14k Sep 2023: 14k Oct 2023: 14k Nov 2023: 16k Dec 2023: 15k Jan 2024: 16k Feb 2024: 16k Mar 2024: 16k Apr 2024: 16k May 2024: 17k Jun 2024: 17k Jul 2024: 19k Aug 2024: 18k Sep 2024: 17k Oct 2024: 17k Nov 2024: 16k Dec 2024: 16k Jan 2025: 17k Feb 2025: 15k Mar 2025: 16k Apr 2025: 17k May 2025: 18k Jun 2025: 17k Jul 2025: 19k Aug 2025: 17k Sep 2025: 19k Oct 2025: 19k Nov 2025: 17k Dec 2025: 18k Jan 2026: 18k Feb 2026: 17k Mar 2026: 19k Apr 2026: 18k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Chlorhexidine gluconate versus Iodine compounds, April 2026
Measure Chlorhexidine gluconate Iodine compounds
Items, April 2026 17,606 123
Items, last 12 months 215,966 1,532
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £163,156 £2,717

See the full profile for Chlorhexidine gluconate or Iodine compounds.