Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Loratadine vs Promethazine hydrochloride

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

Promethazine hydrochloride was dispensed 2.0× as often as Loratadine in April 2026 — 246,200 items versus 123,374 in England.

123,374items

Loratadine · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

246,200items

Promethazine hydrochloride · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Loratadine versus Promethazine hydrochloride: national items dispensed by month

▬ Loratadine   ·   ╌ Promethazine hydrochloride

0 127k 255k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Promethazine hyd… 123,374 Jan 2021: 121k Feb 2021: 116k Mar 2021: 140k Apr 2021: 149k May 2021: 140k Jun 2021: 179k Jul 2021: 163k Aug 2021: 141k Sep 2021: 140k Oct 2021: 123k Nov 2021: 124k Dec 2021: 126k Jan 2022: 120k Feb 2022: 113k Mar 2022: 137k Apr 2022: 136k May 2022: 150k Jun 2022: 157k Jul 2022: 146k Aug 2022: 139k Sep 2022: 128k Oct 2022: 120k Nov 2022: 119k Dec 2022: 117k Jan 2023: 117k Feb 2023: 109k Mar 2023: 128k Apr 2023: 125k May 2023: 143k Jun 2023: 161k Jul 2023: 139k Aug 2023: 132k Sep 2023: 126k Oct 2023: 121k Nov 2023: 117k Dec 2023: 114k Jan 2024: 118k Feb 2024: 113k Mar 2024: 119k Apr 2024: 133k May 2024: 144k Jun 2024: 143k Jul 2024: 145k Aug 2024: 130k Sep 2024: 120k Oct 2024: 120k Nov 2024: 112k Dec 2024: 113k Jan 2025: 116k Feb 2025: 105k Mar 2025: 119k Apr 2025: 130k May 2025: 138k Jun 2025: 137k Jul 2025: 137k Aug 2025: 118k Sep 2025: 119k Oct 2025: 116k Nov 2025: 104k Dec 2025: 112k Jan 2026: 109k Feb 2026: 101k Mar 2026: 119k Apr 2026: 123k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Loratadine versus Promethazine hydrochloride, April 2026
Measure Loratadine Promethazine hydrochloride
Items, April 2026 123,374 246,200
Items, last 12 months 1,434,684 2,913,211
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £142,328 £472,333

See the full profile for Loratadine or Promethazine hydrochloride.