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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol) vs Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol)

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

Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol) was dispensed 13.1× as often as Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol) in April 2026 — 1,219,674 items versus 92,972 in England.

1,219,674items

Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol) · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

92,972items

Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol) · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol) versus Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol): national items dispensed by month

▬ Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol)   ·   ╌ Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol)

0 669k 1.3m Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Co-dydramol (Dih… 1,219,674 Jan 2021: 1.2m Feb 2021: 1.2m Mar 2021: 1.3m Apr 2021: 1.3m May 2021: 1.2m Jun 2021: 1.3m Jul 2021: 1.3m Aug 2021: 1.2m Sep 2021: 1.3m Oct 2021: 1.2m Nov 2021: 1.3m Dec 2021: 1.3m Jan 2022: 1.3m Feb 2022: 1.2m Mar 2022: 1.3m Apr 2022: 1.2m May 2022: 1.3m Jun 2022: 1.3m Jul 2022: 1.2m Aug 2022: 1.3m Sep 2022: 1.3m Oct 2022: 1.3m Nov 2022: 1.3m Dec 2022: 1.3m Jan 2023: 1.3m Feb 2023: 1.2m Mar 2023: 1.3m Apr 2023: 1.2m May 2023: 1.3m Jun 2023: 1.3m Jul 2023: 1.3m Aug 2023: 1.3m Sep 2023: 1.3m Oct 2023: 1.3m Nov 2023: 1.3m Dec 2023: 1.3m Jan 2024: 1.3m Feb 2024: 1.2m Mar 2024: 1.2m Apr 2024: 1.3m May 2024: 1.3m Jun 2024: 1.2m Jul 2024: 1.3m Aug 2024: 1.3m Sep 2024: 1.2m Oct 2024: 1.3m Nov 2024: 1.2m Dec 2024: 1.3m Jan 2025: 1.3m Feb 2025: 1.2m Mar 2025: 1.2m Apr 2025: 1.2m May 2025: 1.3m Jun 2025: 1.2m Jul 2025: 1.3m Aug 2025: 1.2m Sep 2025: 1.3m Oct 2025: 1.3m Nov 2025: 1.2m Dec 2025: 1.3m Jan 2026: 1.2m Feb 2026: 1.1m Mar 2026: 1.2m Apr 2026: 1.2m

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol) versus Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol), April 2026
Measure Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol) Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol)
Items, April 2026 1,219,674 92,972
Items, last 12 months 14,886,389 1,144,495
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £7,189,629 £449,489

See the full profile for Co-codamol (Codeine phosphate/paracetamol) or Co-dydramol (Dihydrocodeine/paracetamol).