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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Cod liver oil vs Alfacalcidol

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

Alfacalcidol was dispensed 221.6× as often as Cod liver oil in May 2026 — 66,267 items versus 299 in England.

299items

Cod liver oil · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

66,267items

Alfacalcidol · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Cod liver oil versus Alfacalcidol: national items dispensed by month

▬ Cod liver oil   ·   ╌ Alfacalcidol

0 36k 72k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Alfacalcidol 299 Jan 2021: 572 Feb 2021: 488 Mar 2021: 560 Apr 2021: 555 May 2021: 502 Jun 2021: 540 Jul 2021: 548 Aug 2021: 531 Sep 2021: 530 Oct 2021: 477 Nov 2021: 530 Dec 2021: 510 Jan 2022: 509 Feb 2022: 497 Mar 2022: 535 Apr 2022: 472 May 2022: 474 Jun 2022: 486 Jul 2022: 459 Aug 2022: 478 Sep 2022: 446 Oct 2022: 440 Nov 2022: 446 Dec 2022: 450 Jan 2023: 412 Feb 2023: 370 Mar 2023: 431 Apr 2023: 400 May 2023: 388 Jun 2023: 419 Jul 2023: 395 Aug 2023: 392 Sep 2023: 403 Oct 2023: 424 Nov 2023: 403 Dec 2023: 368 Jan 2024: 417 Feb 2024: 369 Mar 2024: 363 Apr 2024: 406 May 2024: 384 Jun 2024: 327 Jul 2024: 387 Aug 2024: 397 Sep 2024: 361 Oct 2024: 346 Nov 2024: 373 Dec 2024: 354 Jan 2025: 331 Feb 2025: 283 Mar 2025: 286 Apr 2025: 291 May 2025: 333 Jun 2025: 285 Jul 2025: 322 Aug 2025: 319 Sep 2025: 316 Oct 2025: 351 Nov 2025: 277 Dec 2025: 330 Jan 2026: 339 Feb 2026: 289 Mar 2026: 299 Apr 2026: 259 May 2026: 299

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Cod liver oil versus Alfacalcidol, May 2026
Measure Cod liver oil Alfacalcidol
Items, May 2026 299 66,267
Items, last 12 months 3,685 817,610
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £633 £366,507

See the full profile for Cod liver oil or Alfacalcidol.