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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Dihydrocodeine tartrate vs Morphine sulfate

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

Morphine sulfate was dispensed 3.6× as often as Dihydrocodeine tartrate in May 2026 — 404,508 items versus 113,504 in England.

113,504items

Dihydrocodeine tartrate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

404,508items

Morphine sulfate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Dihydrocodeine tartrate versus Morphine sulfate: national items dispensed by month

▬ Dihydrocodeine tartrate   ·   ╌ Morphine sulfate

0 227k 454k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Morphine sulfate 113,504 Jan 2021: 123k Feb 2021: 117k Mar 2021: 131k Apr 2021: 126k May 2021: 120k Jun 2021: 127k Jul 2021: 128k Aug 2021: 122k Sep 2021: 127k Oct 2021: 122k Nov 2021: 125k Dec 2021: 130k Jan 2022: 121k Feb 2022: 115k Mar 2022: 129k Apr 2022: 121k May 2022: 124k Jun 2022: 122k Jul 2022: 121k Aug 2022: 124k Sep 2022: 121k Oct 2022: 120k Nov 2022: 123k Dec 2022: 123k Jan 2023: 120k Feb 2023: 110k Mar 2023: 125k Apr 2023: 112k May 2023: 120k Jun 2023: 122k Jul 2023: 118k Aug 2023: 121k Sep 2023: 117k Oct 2023: 118k Nov 2023: 119k Dec 2023: 118k Jan 2024: 120k Feb 2024: 113k Mar 2024: 114k Apr 2024: 118k May 2024: 120k Jun 2024: 111k Jul 2024: 121k Aug 2024: 116k Sep 2024: 113k Oct 2024: 120k Nov 2024: 113k Dec 2024: 117k Jan 2025: 118k Feb 2025: 106k Mar 2025: 112k Apr 2025: 113k May 2025: 117k Jun 2025: 112k Jul 2025: 119k Aug 2025: 111k Sep 2025: 116k Oct 2025: 120k Nov 2025: 109k Dec 2025: 122k Jan 2026: 115k Feb 2026: 107k Mar 2026: 118k Apr 2026: 117k May 2026: 114k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Dihydrocodeine tartrate versus Morphine sulfate, May 2026
Measure Dihydrocodeine tartrate Morphine sulfate
Items, May 2026 113,504 404,508
Items, last 12 months 1,378,555 4,990,364
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £634,921 £2,301,425

See the full profile for Dihydrocodeine tartrate or Morphine sulfate.