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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Leflunomide vs Methotrexate

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

Methotrexate was dispensed 11.1× as often as Leflunomide in May 2026 — 182,888 items versus 16,405 in England.

16,405items

Leflunomide · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

182,888items

Methotrexate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Leflunomide versus Methotrexate: national items dispensed by month

▬ Leflunomide   ·   ╌ Methotrexate

0 99k 198k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Methotrexate 16,405 Jan 2021: 16k Feb 2021: 15k Mar 2021: 16k Apr 2021: 16k May 2021: 15k Jun 2021: 16k Jul 2021: 16k Aug 2021: 15k Sep 2021: 16k Oct 2021: 15k Nov 2021: 16k Dec 2021: 17k Jan 2022: 16k Feb 2022: 15k Mar 2022: 16k Apr 2022: 16k May 2022: 16k Jun 2022: 16k Jul 2022: 16k Aug 2022: 16k Sep 2022: 16k Oct 2022: 16k Nov 2022: 16k Dec 2022: 16k Jan 2023: 16k Feb 2023: 15k Mar 2023: 17k Apr 2023: 15k May 2023: 16k Jun 2023: 16k Jul 2023: 16k Aug 2023: 16k Sep 2023: 16k Oct 2023: 16k Nov 2023: 16k Dec 2023: 16k Jan 2024: 17k Feb 2024: 15k Mar 2024: 16k Apr 2024: 16k May 2024: 17k Jun 2024: 16k Jul 2024: 17k Aug 2024: 17k Sep 2024: 16k Oct 2024: 17k Nov 2024: 16k Dec 2024: 17k Jan 2025: 17k Feb 2025: 15k Mar 2025: 16k Apr 2025: 16k May 2025: 17k Jun 2025: 16k Jul 2025: 17k Aug 2025: 16k Sep 2025: 17k Oct 2025: 17k Nov 2025: 16k Dec 2025: 18k Jan 2026: 17k Feb 2026: 15k Mar 2026: 16k Apr 2026: 17k May 2026: 16k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Leflunomide versus Methotrexate, May 2026
Measure Leflunomide Methotrexate
Items, May 2026 16,405 182,888
Items, last 12 months 197,406 2,236,227
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £206,618 £2,247,752

See the full profile for Leflunomide or Methotrexate.