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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Desogestrel vs Etonogestrel

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

Desogestrel was dispensed 34.2× as often as Etonogestrel in April 2026 — 239,187 items versus 6,985 in England.

239,187items

Desogestrel · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

6,985items

Etonogestrel · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Desogestrel versus Etonogestrel: national items dispensed by month

▬ Desogestrel   ·   ╌ Etonogestrel

0 138k 276k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Etonogestrel 239,187 Jan 2021: 276k Feb 2021: 246k Mar 2021: 263k Apr 2021: 253k May 2021: 246k Jun 2021: 260k Jul 2021: 264k Aug 2021: 248k Sep 2021: 263k Oct 2021: 245k Nov 2021: 257k Dec 2021: 258k Jan 2022: 263k Feb 2022: 236k Mar 2022: 262k Apr 2022: 242k May 2022: 262k Jun 2022: 252k Jul 2022: 254k Aug 2022: 256k Sep 2022: 254k Oct 2022: 252k Nov 2022: 252k Dec 2022: 236k Jan 2023: 268k Feb 2023: 235k Mar 2023: 262k Apr 2023: 232k May 2023: 251k Jun 2023: 258k Jul 2023: 253k Aug 2023: 246k Sep 2023: 247k Oct 2023: 249k Nov 2023: 248k Dec 2023: 236k Jan 2024: 261k Feb 2024: 236k Mar 2024: 235k Apr 2024: 245k May 2024: 249k Jun 2024: 235k Jul 2024: 253k Aug 2024: 235k Sep 2024: 233k Oct 2024: 243k Nov 2024: 230k Dec 2024: 225k Jan 2025: 246k Feb 2025: 211k Mar 2025: 222k Apr 2025: 247k May 2025: 265k Jun 2025: 255k Jul 2025: 270k Aug 2025: 239k Sep 2025: 259k Oct 2025: 259k Nov 2025: 239k Dec 2025: 252k Jan 2026: 258k Feb 2026: 225k Mar 2026: 241k Apr 2026: 239k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Desogestrel versus Etonogestrel, April 2026
Measure Desogestrel Etonogestrel
Items, April 2026 239,187 6,985
Items, last 12 months 2,999,831 93,899
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £1,079,724 £585,178

See the full profile for Desogestrel or Etonogestrel.