Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Diclofenac diethyl vs Ibuprofen

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

Ibuprofen was dispensed 1.4× as often as Diclofenac diethyl in May 2026 — 319,724 items versus 226,102 in England.

226,102items

Diclofenac diethyl · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

319,724items

Ibuprofen · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Diclofenac diethyl versus Ibuprofen: national items dispensed by month

▬ Diclofenac diethyl   ·   ╌ Ibuprofen

0 171k 342k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Ibuprofen 226,102 Jan 2021: 160k Feb 2021: 152k Mar 2021: 175k Apr 2021: 171k May 2021: 163k Jun 2021: 176k Jul 2021: 176k Aug 2021: 169k Sep 2021: 180k Oct 2021: 172k Nov 2021: 176k Dec 2021: 179k Jan 2022: 171k Feb 2022: 164k Mar 2022: 189k Apr 2022: 176k May 2022: 188k Jun 2022: 184k Jul 2022: 181k Aug 2022: 188k Sep 2022: 189k Oct 2022: 184k Nov 2022: 187k Dec 2022: 176k Jan 2023: 188k Feb 2023: 175k Mar 2023: 201k Apr 2023: 180k May 2023: 199k Jun 2023: 205k Jul 2023: 199k Aug 2023: 204k Sep 2023: 201k Oct 2023: 201k Nov 2023: 203k Dec 2023: 186k Jan 2024: 207k Feb 2024: 195k Mar 2024: 197k Apr 2024: 208k May 2024: 215k Jun 2024: 203k Jul 2024: 222k Aug 2024: 214k Sep 2024: 213k Oct 2024: 224k Nov 2024: 209k Dec 2024: 205k Jan 2025: 219k Feb 2025: 197k Mar 2025: 213k Apr 2025: 216k May 2025: 227k Jun 2025: 221k Jul 2025: 235k Aug 2025: 219k Sep 2025: 233k Oct 2025: 238k Nov 2025: 215k Dec 2025: 233k Jan 2026: 225k Feb 2026: 210k Mar 2026: 233k Apr 2026: 232k May 2026: 226k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Diclofenac diethyl versus Ibuprofen, May 2026
Measure Diclofenac diethyl Ibuprofen
Items, May 2026 226,102 319,724
Items, last 12 months 2,719,143 3,894,488
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £1,889,765 £1,385,245

See the full profile for Diclofenac diethyl or Ibuprofen.