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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Methotrexate vs Colchicine

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

Methotrexate was dispensed 3.5× as often as Colchicine in May 2026 — 182,888 items versus 52,055 in England.

182,888items

Methotrexate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

52,055items

Colchicine · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Methotrexate versus Colchicine: national items dispensed by month

▬ Methotrexate   ·   ╌ Colchicine

0 99k 198k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Colchicine 182,888 Jan 2021: 174k Feb 2021: 163k Mar 2021: 184k Apr 2021: 179k May 2021: 170k Jun 2021: 181k Jul 2021: 182k Aug 2021: 173k Sep 2021: 181k Oct 2021: 172k Nov 2021: 179k Dec 2021: 188k Jan 2022: 175k Feb 2022: 164k Mar 2022: 184k Apr 2022: 175k May 2022: 181k Jun 2022: 177k Jul 2022: 176k Aug 2022: 182k Sep 2022: 179k Oct 2022: 177k Nov 2022: 180k Dec 2022: 182k Jan 2023: 178k Feb 2023: 165k Mar 2023: 188k Apr 2023: 170k May 2023: 180k Jun 2023: 185k Jul 2023: 180k Aug 2023: 185k Sep 2023: 180k Oct 2023: 181k Nov 2023: 182k Dec 2023: 184k Jan 2024: 185k Feb 2024: 174k Mar 2024: 178k Apr 2024: 184k May 2024: 188k Jun 2024: 176k Jul 2024: 190k Aug 2024: 185k Sep 2024: 179k Oct 2024: 190k Nov 2024: 180k Dec 2024: 187k Jan 2025: 188k Feb 2025: 169k Mar 2025: 181k Apr 2025: 182k May 2025: 189k Jun 2025: 183k Jul 2025: 195k Aug 2025: 180k Sep 2025: 188k Oct 2025: 193k Nov 2025: 178k Dec 2025: 198k Jan 2026: 188k Feb 2026: 173k Mar 2026: 190k Apr 2026: 188k May 2026: 183k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Methotrexate versus Colchicine, May 2026
Measure Methotrexate Colchicine
Items, May 2026 182,888 52,055
Items, last 12 months 2,236,227 599,757
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £2,247,752 £28,705

See the full profile for Methotrexate or Colchicine.