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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Mefenamic acid vs Naproxen

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

Naproxen was dispensed 20.2× as often as Mefenamic acid in April 2026 — 622,071 items versus 30,759 in England.

30,759items

Mefenamic acid · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

622,071items

Naproxen · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Mefenamic acid versus Naproxen: national items dispensed by month

▬ Mefenamic acid   ·   ╌ Naproxen

0 336k 672k Jan 2021 Oct 2021 Aug 2022 May 2023 Feb 2024 Nov 2024 Apr 2026 Naproxen 30,759 Jan 2021: 21k Feb 2021: 20k Mar 2021: 23k Apr 2021: 21k May 2021: 21k Jun 2021: 22k Jul 2021: 22k Aug 2021: 21k Sep 2021: 23k Oct 2021: 21k Nov 2021: 22k Dec 2021: 21k Jan 2022: 22k Feb 2022: 21k Mar 2022: 24k Apr 2022: 21k May 2022: 23k Jul 2022: 22k Aug 2022: 22k Sep 2022: 24k Oct 2022: 23k Nov 2022: 24k Dec 2022: 20k Jan 2023: 23k Feb 2023: 22k Mar 2023: 26k Apr 2023: 21k May 2023: 24k Jun 2023: 25k Jul 2023: 24k Aug 2023: 23k Sep 2023: 25k Oct 2023: 25k Nov 2023: 25k Dec 2023: 23k Jan 2024: 26k Feb 2024: 25k Mar 2024: 25k Apr 2024: 25k May 2024: 26k Jun 2024: 25k Jul 2024: 26k Aug 2024: 25k Sep 2024: 27k Oct 2024: 29k Nov 2024: 27k Dec 2024: 25k Jan 2025: 28k Feb 2025: 26k Mar 2025: 28k Apr 2025: 25k May 2025: 27k Jun 2025: 26k Jul 2025: 30k Aug 2025: 27k Sep 2025: 32k Oct 2025: 31k Nov 2025: 28k Dec 2025: 29k Jan 2026: 32k Feb 2026: 30k Mar 2026: 33k Apr 2026: 31k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Mefenamic acid versus Naproxen, April 2026
Measure Mefenamic acid Naproxen
Items, April 2026 30,759 622,071
Items, last 12 months 356,036 7,541,200
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £793,178 £1,750,177

See the full profile for Mefenamic acid or Naproxen.