Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Methadone hydrochloride vs Morphine sulfate

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

Morphine sulfate was dispensed 268.1× as often as Methadone hydrochloride in May 2026 — 404,508 items versus 1,509 in England.

1,509items

Methadone hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

404,508items

Morphine sulfate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Methadone hydrochloride versus Morphine sulfate: national items dispensed by month

▬ Methadone hydrochloride   ·   ╌ Morphine sulfate

0 227k 454k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Morphine sulfate 1,509 Jan 2021: 2k Feb 2021: 2k Mar 2021: 2k Apr 2021: 2k May 2021: 2k Jun 2021: 2k Jul 2021: 2k Aug 2021: 2k Sep 2021: 2k Oct 2021: 2k Nov 2021: 2k Dec 2021: 3k Jan 2022: 2k Feb 2022: 2k Mar 2022: 2k Apr 2022: 2k May 2022: 3k Jun 2022: 2k Jul 2022: 2k Aug 2022: 3k Sep 2022: 3k Oct 2022: 2k Nov 2022: 2k Dec 2022: 2k Jan 2023: 2k Feb 2023: 2k Mar 2023: 2k Apr 2023: 2k May 2023: 2k Jun 2023: 3k Jul 2023: 2k Aug 2023: 3k Sep 2023: 2k Oct 2023: 2k Nov 2023: 2k Dec 2023: 2k Jan 2024: 2k Feb 2024: 2k Mar 2024: 1k Apr 2024: 1k May 2024: 944 Jun 2024: 532 Jul 2024: 485 Aug 2024: 344 Sep 2024: 282 Oct 2024: 284 Nov 2024: 513 Dec 2024: 684 Jan 2025: 811 Feb 2025: 851 Mar 2025: 966 Apr 2025: 1k May 2025: 1k Jun 2025: 1k Jul 2025: 1k Aug 2025: 2k Sep 2025: 2k Oct 2025: 1k Nov 2025: 1k Dec 2025: 2k Jan 2026: 1k Feb 2026: 1k Mar 2026: 1k Apr 2026: 1k May 2026: 2k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Methadone hydrochloride versus Morphine sulfate, May 2026
Measure Methadone hydrochloride Morphine sulfate
Items, May 2026 1,509 404,508
Items, last 12 months 16,819 4,990,364
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £74,816 £2,301,425

See the full profile for Methadone hydrochloride or Morphine sulfate.