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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone vs Glucose blood testing reagents

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

Glucose blood testing reagents was dispensed 733.8× as often as Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone in May 2026 — 396,242 items versus 540 in England.

540items

Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

396,242items

Glucose blood testing reagents · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone versus Glucose blood testing reagents: national items dispensed by month

▬ Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone   ·   ╌ Glucose blood testing reagents

0 284k 568k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Glucose blood te… 540 Jan 2021: 2k Feb 2021: 2k Mar 2021: 2k Apr 2021: 2k May 2021: 2k Jun 2021: 2k Jul 2021: 2k Aug 2021: 1k Sep 2021: 2k Oct 2021: 1k Nov 2021: 1k Dec 2021: 2k Jan 2022: 1k Feb 2022: 1k Mar 2022: 1k Apr 2022: 1k May 2022: 1k Jun 2022: 1k Jul 2022: 1k Aug 2022: 1k Sep 2022: 1k Oct 2022: 1k Nov 2022: 1k Dec 2022: 1k Jan 2023: 1k Feb 2023: 1k Mar 2023: 1k Apr 2023: 1k May 2023: 1k Jun 2023: 1k Jul 2023: 1k Aug 2023: 1k Sep 2023: 1k Oct 2023: 1k Nov 2023: 1k Dec 2023: 944 Jan 2024: 1k Feb 2024: 903 Mar 2024: 902 Apr 2024: 913 May 2024: 908 Jun 2024: 861 Jul 2024: 858 Aug 2024: 844 Sep 2024: 760 Oct 2024: 825 Nov 2024: 759 Dec 2024: 770 Jan 2025: 782 Feb 2025: 663 Mar 2025: 694 Apr 2025: 716 May 2025: 693 Jun 2025: 688 Jul 2025: 678 Aug 2025: 665 Sep 2025: 648 Oct 2025: 654 Nov 2025: 595 Dec 2025: 637 Jan 2026: 625 Feb 2026: 526 Mar 2026: 579 Apr 2026: 575 May 2026: 540

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone versus Glucose blood testing reagents, May 2026
Measure Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone Glucose blood testing reagents
Items, May 2026 540 396,242
Items, last 12 months 7,410 5,101,256
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £22,521 £5,188,321

See the full profile for Metformin hydrochloride/pioglitazone or Glucose blood testing reagents.