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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Mesalazine (Systemic) vs Balsalazide sodium

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

Mesalazine (Systemic) was dispensed 47.3× as often as Balsalazide sodium in May 2026 — 130,186 items versus 2,754 in England.

130,186items

Mesalazine (Systemic) · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

2,754items

Balsalazide sodium · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Mesalazine (Systemic) versus Balsalazide sodium: national items dispensed by month

▬ Mesalazine (Systemic)   ·   ╌ Balsalazide sodium

0 72k 143k Jan 2021 Dec 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Balsalazide sodi… 130,186 Jan 2021: 128k Feb 2021: 119k Mar 2021: 133k Apr 2021: 130k May 2021: 123k Jun 2021: 131k Aug 2021: 125k Sep 2021: 131k Oct 2021: 125k Nov 2021: 129k Dec 2021: 137k Jan 2022: 129k Feb 2022: 119k Mar 2022: 135k Apr 2022: 126k May 2022: 134k Jun 2022: 130k Jul 2022: 130k Aug 2022: 132k Sep 2022: 131k Oct 2022: 130k Nov 2022: 132k Dec 2022: 132k Jan 2023: 132k Feb 2023: 121k Mar 2023: 138k Apr 2023: 124k May 2023: 133k Jun 2023: 135k Jul 2023: 132k Aug 2023: 133k Sep 2023: 131k Oct 2023: 133k Nov 2023: 134k Dec 2023: 134k Jan 2024: 136k Feb 2024: 128k Mar 2024: 130k Apr 2024: 135k May 2024: 138k Jun 2024: 131k Jul 2024: 141k Aug 2024: 134k Sep 2024: 132k Oct 2024: 141k Nov 2024: 134k Dec 2024: 138k Jan 2025: 141k Feb 2025: 125k Mar 2025: 132k Apr 2025: 133k May 2025: 138k Jun 2025: 134k Jul 2025: 143k Aug 2025: 130k Sep 2025: 137k Oct 2025: 139k Nov 2025: 129k Dec 2025: 143k Jan 2026: 138k Feb 2026: 125k Mar 2026: 136k Apr 2026: 133k May 2026: 130k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Mesalazine (Systemic) versus Balsalazide sodium, May 2026
Measure Mesalazine (Systemic) Balsalazide sodium
Items, May 2026 130,186 2,754
Items, last 12 months 1,618,592 34,962
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £7,516,097 £119,157

See the full profile for Mesalazine (Systemic) or Balsalazide sodium.