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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Hydrocortisone vs Hydrocortisone acetate

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

Hydrocortisone was dispensed 7.1× as often as Hydrocortisone acetate in May 2026 — 272,329 items versus 38,206 in England.

272,329items

Hydrocortisone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

38,206items

Hydrocortisone acetate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Hydrocortisone versus Hydrocortisone acetate: national items dispensed by month

▬ Hydrocortisone   ·   ╌ Hydrocortisone acetate

0 179k 358k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Hydrocortisone a… 272,329 Jan 2021: 313k Feb 2021: 309k Mar 2021: 358k Apr 2021: 349k May 2021: 297k Jun 2021: 322k Jul 2021: 304k Aug 2021: 276k Sep 2021: 299k Oct 2021: 286k Nov 2021: 309k Dec 2021: 293k Jan 2022: 318k Feb 2022: 306k Mar 2022: 352k Apr 2022: 305k May 2022: 320k Jun 2022: 311k Jul 2022: 301k Aug 2022: 292k Sep 2022: 282k Oct 2022: 284k Nov 2022: 311k Dec 2022: 292k Jan 2023: 328k Feb 2023: 308k Mar 2023: 349k Apr 2023: 302k May 2023: 336k Jun 2023: 349k Jul 2023: 317k Aug 2023: 314k Sep 2023: 309k Oct 2023: 311k Nov 2023: 321k Dec 2023: 290k Jan 2024: 353k Feb 2024: 325k Mar 2024: 333k Apr 2024: 350k May 2024: 338k Jun 2024: 314k Jul 2024: 314k Aug 2024: 289k Sep 2024: 273k Oct 2024: 294k Nov 2024: 289k Dec 2024: 272k Jan 2025: 314k Feb 2025: 274k Mar 2025: 296k Apr 2025: 280k May 2025: 287k Jun 2025: 285k Jul 2025: 290k Aug 2025: 255k Sep 2025: 269k Oct 2025: 278k Nov 2025: 266k Dec 2025: 267k Jan 2026: 293k Feb 2026: 269k Mar 2026: 306k Apr 2026: 295k May 2026: 272k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Hydrocortisone versus Hydrocortisone acetate, May 2026
Measure Hydrocortisone Hydrocortisone acetate
Items, May 2026 272,329 38,206
Items, last 12 months 3,345,890 475,949
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £1,646,355 £251,915

See the full profile for Hydrocortisone or Hydrocortisone acetate.