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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Dexamethasone vs Hydrocortisone

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

Dexamethasone was dispensed 17.1× as often as Hydrocortisone in May 2026 — 68,949 items versus 4,026 in England.

68,949items

Dexamethasone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

4,026items

Hydrocortisone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

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

▬ Dexamethasone   ·   ╌ Hydrocortisone

0 66k 132k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Hydrocortisone 68,949 Jan 2021: 100k Feb 2021: 95k Mar 2021: 105k Apr 2021: 87k May 2021: 87k Jun 2021: 102k Jul 2021: 117k Aug 2021: 113k Sep 2021: 122k Oct 2021: 118k Nov 2021: 121k Dec 2021: 112k Jan 2022: 111k Feb 2022: 101k Mar 2022: 111k Apr 2022: 94k May 2022: 105k Jun 2022: 103k Jul 2022: 113k Aug 2022: 128k Sep 2022: 118k Oct 2022: 117k Nov 2022: 127k Dec 2022: 117k Jan 2023: 128k Feb 2023: 117k Mar 2023: 126k Apr 2023: 101k May 2023: 111k Jun 2023: 114k Jul 2023: 116k Aug 2023: 132k Sep 2023: 130k Oct 2023: 125k Nov 2023: 122k Dec 2023: 115k Jan 2024: 120k Feb 2024: 112k Mar 2024: 110k Apr 2024: 107k May 2024: 108k Jun 2024: 100k Jul 2024: 115k Aug 2024: 117k Sep 2024: 114k Oct 2024: 115k Nov 2024: 111k Dec 2024: 107k Jan 2025: 111k Feb 2025: 101k Mar 2025: 100k Apr 2025: 91k May 2025: 93k Jun 2025: 99k Jul 2025: 109k Aug 2025: 92k Sep 2025: 88k Oct 2025: 91k Nov 2025: 91k Dec 2025: 89k Jan 2026: 83k Feb 2026: 76k Mar 2026: 80k Apr 2026: 71k May 2026: 69k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Dexamethasone versus Hydrocortisone, May 2026
Measure Dexamethasone Hydrocortisone
Items, May 2026 68,949 4,026
Items, last 12 months 1,038,095 32,857
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £627,196 £31,037

See the full profile for Dexamethasone or Hydrocortisone.