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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Fusidic acid vs Metronidazole

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

Fusidic acid was dispensed 3.5× as often as Metronidazole in April 2026 — 86,365 items versus 24,654 in England.

86,365items

Fusidic acid · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

24,654items

Metronidazole · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Fusidic acid versus Metronidazole: national items dispensed by month

▬ Fusidic acid   ·   ╌ Metronidazole

0 49k 98k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Metronidazole 86,365 Jan 2021: 64k Feb 2021: 65k Mar 2021: 74k Apr 2021: 69k May 2021: 63k Jun 2021: 71k Jul 2021: 71k Aug 2021: 65k Sep 2021: 75k Oct 2021: 74k Nov 2021: 73k Dec 2021: 66k Jan 2022: 68k Feb 2022: 66k Mar 2022: 79k Apr 2022: 69k May 2022: 76k Jun 2022: 77k Jul 2022: 80k Aug 2022: 78k Sep 2022: 76k Oct 2022: 79k Nov 2022: 87k Dec 2022: 85k Jan 2023: 84k Feb 2023: 80k Mar 2023: 91k Apr 2023: 74k May 2023: 82k Jun 2023: 90k Jul 2023: 84k Aug 2023: 84k Sep 2023: 88k Oct 2023: 89k Nov 2023: 87k Dec 2023: 77k Jan 2024: 86k Feb 2024: 81k Mar 2024: 83k Apr 2024: 84k May 2024: 85k Jun 2024: 83k Jul 2024: 89k Aug 2024: 85k Sep 2024: 87k Oct 2024: 91k Nov 2024: 87k Dec 2024: 79k Jan 2025: 87k Feb 2025: 80k Mar 2025: 88k Apr 2025: 81k May 2025: 86k Jun 2025: 88k Jul 2025: 98k Aug 2025: 87k Sep 2025: 94k Oct 2025: 96k Nov 2025: 88k Dec 2025: 86k Jan 2026: 88k Feb 2026: 82k Mar 2026: 92k Apr 2026: 86k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Fusidic acid versus Metronidazole, April 2026
Measure Fusidic acid Metronidazole
Items, April 2026 86,365 24,654
Items, last 12 months 1,072,005 253,403
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £222,018 £390,321

See the full profile for Fusidic acid or Metronidazole.