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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Dexamethasone vs Prednisone

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

Dexamethasone was dispensed 17,433.0× as often as Prednisone in May 2026 — 17,433 items versus 1 in England.

17,433items

Dexamethasone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

1items

Prednisone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Dexamethasone versus Prednisone: national items dispensed by month

▬ Dexamethasone   ·   ╌ Prednisone

0 12k 24k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Prednisone 17,433 Jan 2021: 18k Feb 2021: 16k Mar 2021: 19k Apr 2021: 18k May 2021: 20k Jun 2021: 21k Jul 2021: 20k Aug 2021: 18k Sep 2021: 19k Oct 2021: 20k Nov 2021: 20k Dec 2021: 20k Jan 2022: 18k Feb 2022: 17k Mar 2022: 20k Apr 2022: 18k May 2022: 20k Jun 2022: 20k Jul 2022: 21k Aug 2022: 18k Sep 2022: 19k Oct 2022: 22k Nov 2022: 22k Dec 2022: 23k Jan 2023: 19k Feb 2023: 18k Mar 2023: 20k Apr 2023: 16k May 2023: 18k Jun 2023: 17k Jul 2023: 17k Aug 2023: 17k Sep 2023: 17k Oct 2023: 19k Nov 2023: 21k Dec 2023: 20k Jan 2024: 20k Feb 2024: 19k Mar 2024: 19k Apr 2024: 18k May 2024: 19k Jun 2024: 17k Jul 2024: 19k Aug 2024: 17k Sep 2024: 18k Oct 2024: 22k Nov 2024: 22k Dec 2024: 22k Jan 2025: 20k Feb 2025: 17k Mar 2025: 19k Apr 2025: 17k May 2025: 18k Jun 2025: 17k Jul 2025: 17k Aug 2025: 15k Sep 2025: 18k Oct 2025: 21k Nov 2025: 21k Dec 2025: 24k Jan 2026: 21k Feb 2026: 19k Mar 2026: 20k Apr 2026: 18k May 2026: 17k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Dexamethasone versus Prednisone, May 2026
Measure Dexamethasone Prednisone
Items, May 2026 17,433 1
Items, last 12 months 228,773 6
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £100,163 £27

See the full profile for Dexamethasone or Prednisone.