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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) vs Nitrofurantoin

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

Nitrofurantoin was dispensed 12.5× as often as Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) in May 2026 — 333,741 items versus 26,705 in England.

26,705items

Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

333,741items

Nitrofurantoin · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) versus Nitrofurantoin: national items dispensed by month

▬ Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole)   ·   ╌ Nitrofurantoin

0 204k 408k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Nitrofurantoin 26,705 Jan 2021: 16k Feb 2021: 15k Mar 2021: 17k Apr 2021: 16k May 2021: 15k Jun 2021: 16k Jul 2021: 17k Aug 2021: 16k Sep 2021: 17k Oct 2021: 17k Nov 2021: 17k Dec 2021: 19k Jan 2022: 18k Feb 2022: 16k Mar 2022: 18k Apr 2022: 17k May 2022: 18k Jun 2022: 18k Jul 2022: 18k Aug 2022: 18k Sep 2022: 18k Oct 2022: 18k Nov 2022: 19k Dec 2022: 20k Jan 2023: 19k Feb 2023: 18k Mar 2023: 20k Apr 2023: 18k May 2023: 19k Jun 2023: 20k Jul 2023: 19k Aug 2023: 20k Sep 2023: 20k Oct 2023: 20k Nov 2023: 21k Dec 2023: 21k Jan 2024: 22k Feb 2024: 21k Mar 2024: 21k Apr 2024: 22k May 2024: 23k Jun 2024: 21k Jul 2024: 24k Aug 2024: 23k Sep 2024: 22k Oct 2024: 24k Nov 2024: 24k Dec 2024: 25k Jan 2025: 25k Feb 2025: 23k Mar 2025: 24k Apr 2025: 24k May 2025: 25k Jun 2025: 24k Jul 2025: 26k Aug 2025: 24k Sep 2025: 26k Oct 2025: 27k Nov 2025: 25k Dec 2025: 28k Jan 2026: 28k Feb 2026: 26k Mar 2026: 28k Apr 2026: 27k May 2026: 27k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) versus Nitrofurantoin, May 2026
Measure Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) Nitrofurantoin
Items, May 2026 26,705 333,741
Items, last 12 months 316,722 4,416,505
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £85,461 £2,268,636

See the full profile for Co-trimoxazole(Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) or Nitrofurantoin.