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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Diclofenac sodium vs Hydroxychloroquine sulfate

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

Hydroxychloroquine sulfate was dispensed 3.7× as often as Diclofenac sodium in May 2026 — 107,136 items versus 28,924 in England.

28,924items

Diclofenac sodium · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

107,136items

Hydroxychloroquine sulfate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Diclofenac sodium versus Hydroxychloroquine sulfate: national items dispensed by month

▬ Diclofenac sodium   ·   ╌ Hydroxychloroquine sulfate

0 58k 115k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Hydroxychloroqui… 28,924 Jan 2021: 40k Feb 2021: 37k Mar 2021: 41k Apr 2021: 40k May 2021: 38k Jun 2021: 40k Jul 2021: 40k Aug 2021: 38k Sep 2021: 39k Oct 2021: 37k Nov 2021: 38k Dec 2021: 39k Jan 2022: 37k Feb 2022: 35k Mar 2022: 39k Apr 2022: 36k May 2022: 38k Jun 2022: 36k Jul 2022: 36k Aug 2022: 37k Sep 2022: 37k Oct 2022: 36k Nov 2022: 36k Dec 2022: 35k Jan 2023: 35k Feb 2023: 32k Mar 2023: 36k Apr 2023: 32k May 2023: 35k Jun 2023: 36k Jul 2023: 35k Aug 2023: 35k Sep 2023: 34k Oct 2023: 34k Nov 2023: 34k Dec 2023: 33k Jan 2024: 33k Feb 2024: 32k Mar 2024: 32k Apr 2024: 33k May 2024: 33k Jun 2024: 31k Jul 2024: 34k Aug 2024: 32k Sep 2024: 31k Oct 2024: 33k Nov 2024: 31k Dec 2024: 31k Jan 2025: 32k Feb 2025: 28k Mar 2025: 29k Apr 2025: 28k May 2025: 32k Jun 2025: 30k Jul 2025: 32k Aug 2025: 29k Sep 2025: 31k Oct 2025: 31k Nov 2025: 29k Dec 2025: 31k Jan 2026: 30k Feb 2026: 28k Mar 2026: 30k Apr 2026: 30k May 2026: 29k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Diclofenac sodium versus Hydroxychloroquine sulfate, May 2026
Measure Diclofenac sodium Hydroxychloroquine sulfate
Items, May 2026 28,924 107,136
Items, last 12 months 359,058 1,305,590
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £226,982 £426,654

See the full profile for Diclofenac sodium or Hydroxychloroquine sulfate.