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PharmaInsight

Coal tar vs Benzalkonium chloride

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

Coal tar was dispensed 7.9× as often as Benzalkonium chloride in March 2026 — 38,220 items versus 4,808 in England.

38,220items

Coal tar · March 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

4,808items

Benzalkonium chloride · March 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Coal tar versus Benzalkonium chloride: national items dispensed by month

▬ Coal tar   ·   ╌ Benzalkonium chloride

Benzalkonium chl… 38,220

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to March 2026

Coal tar versus Benzalkonium chloride, March 2026
Measure Coal tar Benzalkonium chloride
Items, March 2026 38,220 4,808
Items, last 12 months 465,335 56,364
Net ingredient cost, March 2026 £256,572 £32,927

See the full profile for Coal tar or Benzalkonium chloride.