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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Light liquid paraffin vs Zinc oxide

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

Light liquid paraffin was dispensed 1.6× as often as Zinc oxide in May 2026 — 14,010 items versus 8,597 in England.

14,010items

Light liquid paraffin · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

8,597items

Zinc oxide · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Light liquid paraffin versus Zinc oxide: national items dispensed by month

▬ Light liquid paraffin   ·   ╌ Zinc oxide

0 19k 37k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Zinc oxide 14,010 Jan 2021: 35k Feb 2021: 32k Mar 2021: 36k Apr 2021: 37k May 2021: 32k Jun 2021: 34k Jul 2021: 31k Aug 2021: 28k Sep 2021: 28k Oct 2021: 26k Nov 2021: 28k Dec 2021: 27k Jan 2022: 28k Feb 2022: 26k Mar 2022: 30k Apr 2022: 28k May 2022: 29k Jun 2022: 28k Jul 2022: 25k Aug 2022: 23k Sep 2022: 23k Oct 2022: 23k Nov 2022: 24k Dec 2022: 23k Jan 2023: 25k Feb 2023: 23k Mar 2023: 25k Apr 2023: 22k May 2023: 24k Jun 2023: 24k Jul 2023: 21k Aug 2023: 20k Sep 2023: 20k Oct 2023: 20k Nov 2023: 20k Dec 2023: 19k Jan 2024: 21k Feb 2024: 19k Mar 2024: 20k Apr 2024: 21k May 2024: 20k Jun 2024: 19k Jul 2024: 19k Aug 2024: 17k Sep 2024: 17k Oct 2024: 18k Nov 2024: 17k Dec 2024: 17k Jan 2025: 19k Feb 2025: 16k Mar 2025: 18k Apr 2025: 17k May 2025: 18k Jun 2025: 16k Jul 2025: 16k Aug 2025: 14k Sep 2025: 15k Oct 2025: 15k Nov 2025: 14k Dec 2025: 14k Jan 2026: 15k Feb 2026: 14k Mar 2026: 15k Apr 2026: 15k May 2026: 14k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Light liquid paraffin versus Zinc oxide, May 2026
Measure Light liquid paraffin Zinc oxide
Items, May 2026 14,010 8,597
Items, last 12 months 178,277 108,426
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £135,249 £80,763

See the full profile for Light liquid paraffin or Zinc oxide.