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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Codeine phosphate vs Pholcodine

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

Codeine phosphate was dispensed 5,787.0× as often as Pholcodine in May 2026 — 5,787 items versus 1 in England.

5,787items

Codeine phosphate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

1items

Pholcodine · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Codeine phosphate versus Pholcodine: national items dispensed by month

▬ Codeine phosphate   ·   ╌ Pholcodine

0 6k 12k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Pholcodine 5,787 Jan 2021: 7k Feb 2021: 6k Mar 2021: 6k Apr 2021: 6k May 2021: 6k Jun 2021: 6k Jul 2021: 6k Aug 2021: 6k Sep 2021: 7k Oct 2021: 8k Nov 2021: 9k Dec 2021: 9k Jan 2022: 9k Feb 2022: 7k Mar 2022: 8k Apr 2022: 8k May 2022: 8k Jun 2022: 7k Jul 2022: 7k Aug 2022: 7k Sep 2022: 7k Oct 2022: 9k Nov 2022: 10k Dec 2022: 12k Jan 2023: 11k Feb 2023: 9k Mar 2023: 9k Apr 2023: 7k May 2023: 7k Jun 2023: 7k Jul 2023: 7k Aug 2023: 7k Sep 2023: 7k Oct 2023: 8k Nov 2023: 9k Dec 2023: 10k Jan 2024: 11k Feb 2024: 9k Mar 2024: 9k Apr 2024: 9k May 2024: 8k Jun 2024: 7k Jul 2024: 7k Aug 2024: 6k Sep 2024: 6k Oct 2024: 7k Nov 2024: 8k Dec 2024: 9k Jan 2025: 9k Feb 2025: 7k Mar 2025: 7k Apr 2025: 6k May 2025: 6k Jun 2025: 5k Jul 2025: 5k Aug 2025: 5k Sep 2025: 6k Oct 2025: 7k Nov 2025: 6k Dec 2025: 7k Jan 2026: 7k Feb 2026: 6k Mar 2026: 7k Apr 2026: 6k May 2026: 6k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Codeine phosphate versus Pholcodine, May 2026
Measure Codeine phosphate Pholcodine
Items, May 2026 5,787 1
Items, last 12 months 74,079 16
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £165,775 £11

See the full profile for Codeine phosphate or Pholcodine.