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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Desloratadine vs Cetirizine hydrochloride

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

Cetirizine hydrochloride was dispensed 22.9× as often as Desloratadine in April 2026 — 306,665 items versus 13,406 in England.

13,406items

Desloratadine · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

306,665items

Cetirizine hydrochloride · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Desloratadine versus Cetirizine hydrochloride: national items dispensed by month

▬ Desloratadine   ·   ╌ Cetirizine hydrochloride

0 200k 400k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Cetirizine hydro… 13,406 Jan 2021: 13k Feb 2021: 13k Mar 2021: 16k Apr 2021: 18k May 2021: 17k Jun 2021: 21k Jul 2021: 20k Aug 2021: 17k Sep 2021: 16k Oct 2021: 14k Nov 2021: 14k Dec 2021: 14k Jan 2022: 13k Feb 2022: 13k Mar 2022: 16k Apr 2022: 16k May 2022: 18k Jun 2022: 18k Jul 2022: 17k Aug 2022: 15k Sep 2022: 13k Oct 2022: 14k Nov 2022: 13k Dec 2022: 13k Jan 2023: 12k Feb 2023: 12k Mar 2023: 14k Apr 2023: 14k May 2023: 16k Jun 2023: 18k Jul 2023: 15k Aug 2023: 15k Sep 2023: 14k Oct 2023: 13k Nov 2023: 12k Dec 2023: 12k Jan 2024: 12k Feb 2024: 12k Mar 2024: 13k Apr 2024: 14k May 2024: 15k Jun 2024: 15k Jul 2024: 16k Aug 2024: 14k Sep 2024: 12k Oct 2024: 12k Nov 2024: 11k Dec 2024: 12k Jan 2025: 12k Feb 2025: 11k Mar 2025: 13k Apr 2025: 14k May 2025: 15k Jun 2025: 15k Jul 2025: 15k Aug 2025: 13k Sep 2025: 12k Oct 2025: 12k Nov 2025: 11k Dec 2025: 12k Jan 2026: 11k Feb 2026: 11k Mar 2026: 13k Apr 2026: 13k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Desloratadine versus Cetirizine hydrochloride, April 2026
Measure Desloratadine Cetirizine hydrochloride
Items, April 2026 13,406 306,665
Items, last 12 months 151,105 3,557,454
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £44,019 £661,839

See the full profile for Desloratadine or Cetirizine hydrochloride.