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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Lithium carbonate vs Valproic acid

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

Lithium carbonate was dispensed 1.8× as often as Valproic acid in May 2026 — 67,512 items versus 37,098 in England.

67,512items

Lithium carbonate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

37,098items

Valproic acid · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Lithium carbonate versus Valproic acid: national items dispensed by month

▬ Lithium carbonate   ·   ╌ Valproic acid

0 37k 73k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Valproic acid 67,512 Jan 2021: 70k Feb 2021: 66k Mar 2021: 73k Apr 2021: 71k May 2021: 67k Jun 2021: 71k Jul 2021: 71k Aug 2021: 68k Sep 2021: 70k Oct 2021: 67k Nov 2021: 70k Dec 2021: 73k Jan 2022: 69k Feb 2022: 65k Mar 2022: 72k Apr 2022: 68k May 2022: 70k Jun 2022: 69k Aug 2022: 70k Sep 2022: 69k Oct 2022: 69k Nov 2022: 69k Dec 2022: 70k Jan 2023: 69k Feb 2023: 63k Mar 2023: 72k Apr 2023: 65k May 2023: 69k Jun 2023: 70k Jul 2023: 68k Aug 2023: 70k Sep 2023: 68k Oct 2023: 68k Nov 2023: 69k Dec 2023: 69k Jan 2024: 70k Feb 2024: 66k Mar 2024: 67k Apr 2024: 68k May 2024: 70k Jun 2024: 65k Jul 2024: 71k Aug 2024: 68k Sep 2024: 66k Oct 2024: 70k Nov 2024: 68k Dec 2024: 70k Jan 2025: 71k Feb 2025: 63k Mar 2025: 66k Apr 2025: 67k May 2025: 70k Jun 2025: 68k Jul 2025: 72k Aug 2025: 66k Sep 2025: 69k Oct 2025: 72k Nov 2025: 66k Dec 2025: 73k Jan 2026: 70k Feb 2026: 64k Mar 2026: 70k Apr 2026: 69k May 2026: 68k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Lithium carbonate versus Valproic acid, May 2026
Measure Lithium carbonate Valproic acid
Items, May 2026 67,512 37,098
Items, last 12 months 827,478 469,924
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £445,328 £582,233

See the full profile for Lithium carbonate or Valproic acid.