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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Desloratadine vs Promethazine hydrochloride

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

Promethazine hydrochloride was dispensed 17.9× as often as Desloratadine in May 2026 — 234,806 items versus 13,114 in England.

13,114items

Desloratadine · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

234,806items

Promethazine hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

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

▬ Desloratadine   ·   ╌ Promethazine hydrochloride

0 127k 255k Jan 2021 Dec 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Promethazine hyd… 13,114 Jan 2021: 13k Feb 2021: 13k Mar 2021: 16k 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 May 2026: 13k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Desloratadine versus Promethazine hydrochloride, May 2026
Measure Desloratadine Promethazine hydrochloride
Items, May 2026 13,114 234,806
Items, last 12 months 149,424 2,912,461
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £43,541 £437,542

See the full profile for Desloratadine or Promethazine hydrochloride.