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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Fluoxetine hydrochloride vs Citalopram hydrochloride

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

Fluoxetine hydrochloride was dispensed 120.2× as often as Citalopram hydrochloride in May 2026 — 622,211 items versus 5,175 in England.

622,211items

Fluoxetine hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

5,175items

Citalopram hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Fluoxetine hydrochloride versus Citalopram hydrochloride: national items dispensed by month

▬ Fluoxetine hydrochloride   ·   ╌ Citalopram hydrochloride

0 332k 664k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Citalopram hydro… 622,211 Jan 2021: 597k Feb 2021: 561k Mar 2021: 630k Apr 2021: 609k May 2021: 582k Jun 2021: 618k Jul 2021: 616k Aug 2021: 585k Sep 2021: 616k Oct 2021: 589k Nov 2021: 613k Dec 2021: 638k Jan 2022: 606k Feb 2022: 565k Mar 2022: 638k Apr 2022: 595k May 2022: 621k Jun 2022: 605k Jul 2022: 600k Aug 2022: 614k Sep 2022: 612k Oct 2022: 604k Nov 2022: 616k Dec 2022: 613k Jan 2023: 618k Feb 2023: 571k Mar 2023: 652k Apr 2023: 583k May 2023: 621k Jun 2023: 631k Jul 2023: 614k Aug 2023: 624k Sep 2023: 613k Oct 2023: 622k Nov 2023: 626k Dec 2023: 620k Jan 2024: 641k Feb 2024: 602k Mar 2024: 611k Apr 2024: 630k May 2024: 644k Jun 2024: 601k Jul 2024: 653k Aug 2024: 626k Sep 2024: 615k Oct 2024: 651k Nov 2024: 623k Dec 2024: 638k Jan 2025: 657k Feb 2025: 585k Mar 2025: 619k Apr 2025: 617k May 2025: 644k Jun 2025: 624k Jul 2025: 663k Aug 2025: 606k Sep 2025: 638k Oct 2025: 657k Nov 2025: 605k Dec 2025: 664k Jan 2026: 643k Feb 2026: 591k Mar 2026: 651k Apr 2026: 637k May 2026: 622k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Fluoxetine hydrochloride versus Citalopram hydrochloride, May 2026
Measure Fluoxetine hydrochloride Citalopram hydrochloride
Items, May 2026 622,211 5,175
Items, last 12 months 7,600,833 64,839
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £1,102,342 £53,214

See the full profile for Fluoxetine hydrochloride or Citalopram hydrochloride.