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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate vs Phenazone/lidocaine

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

Phenazone/lidocaine was dispensed 5.7× as often as Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate in May 2026 — 14,454 items versus 2,521 in England.

2,521items

Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

14,454items

Phenazone/lidocaine · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate versus Phenazone/lidocaine: national items dispensed by month

▬ Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate   ·   ╌ Phenazone/lidocaine

0 11k 22k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Phenazone/lidoca… 2,521 Jan 2021: 640 Feb 2021: 2k Mar 2021: 3k Apr 2021: 3k May 2021: 4k Jun 2021: 5k Jul 2021: 6k Aug 2021: 6k Sep 2021: 6k Oct 2021: 7k Nov 2021: 8k Dec 2021: 7k Jan 2022: 7k Feb 2022: 6k Mar 2022: 7k Apr 2022: 6k May 2022: 7k Jun 2022: 7k Jul 2022: 7k Aug 2022: 8k Sep 2022: 8k Oct 2022: 8k Nov 2022: 8k Dec 2022: 8k Jan 2023: 8k Feb 2023: 6k Mar 2023: 4k Apr 2023: 2k May 2023: 2k Jun 2023: 1k Jul 2023: 1k Aug 2023: 926 Sep 2023: 748 Oct 2023: 620 Nov 2023: 1k Dec 2023: 3k Jan 2024: 4k Feb 2024: 5k Mar 2024: 4k Apr 2024: 4k May 2024: 4k Jun 2024: 3k Jul 2024: 4k Aug 2024: 4k Sep 2024: 4k Oct 2024: 4k Nov 2024: 4k Dec 2024: 3k Jan 2025: 4k Feb 2025: 4k Mar 2025: 4k Apr 2025: 3k May 2025: 3k Jun 2025: 3k Jul 2025: 4k Aug 2025: 4k Sep 2025: 6k Oct 2025: 6k Nov 2025: 5k Dec 2025: 7k Jan 2026: 7k Feb 2026: 6k Mar 2026: 7k Apr 2026: 4k May 2026: 3k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate versus Phenazone/lidocaine, May 2026
Measure Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate Phenazone/lidocaine
Items, May 2026 2,521 14,454
Items, last 12 months 63,590 168,166
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £19,673 £129,438

See the full profile for Dexamethasone sodium metasulphobenzoate or Phenazone/lidocaine.