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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Methylcellulose vs Lactulose

National NHS prescribing compared (Prescription Cost Analysis)
Data updated December 2025

Lactulose was dispensed 201,445.0× as often as Methylcellulose in December 2025 — 201,445 items versus 1 in England.

1items

Methylcellulose · December 2025

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

201,445items

Lactulose · December 2025

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Methylcellulose versus Lactulose: national items dispensed by month

▬ Methylcellulose   ·   ╌ Lactulose

0 117k 235k Jan 2021 Aug 2021 Mar 2022 Oct 2022 Jul 2023 Feb 2024 Dec 2025 Lactulose 1 Jan 2021: 449 Feb 2021: 306 Mar 2021: 226 Apr 2021: 181 May 2021: 129 Jun 2021: 76 Jul 2021: 53 Aug 2021: 56 Sep 2021: 57 Oct 2021: 38 Nov 2021: 37 Dec 2021: 36 Jan 2022: 33 Feb 2022: 28 Mar 2022: 31 Apr 2022: 30 May 2022: 28 Jun 2022: 32 Jul 2022: 26 Aug 2022: 18 Sep 2022: 21 Oct 2022: 21 Nov 2022: 21 Dec 2022: 25 Jan 2023: 18 Feb 2023: 1 Apr 2023: 1 Jun 2023: 1 Jul 2023: 3 Aug 2023: 1 Sep 2023: 5 Oct 2023: 5 Nov 2023: 5 Dec 2023: 37 Jan 2024: 1 Feb 2024: 3 Apr 2024: 4 May 2024: 5 Jun 2024: 3 Oct 2024: 1 Jul 2025: 2 Sep 2025: 9 Oct 2025: 1 Dec 2025: 1

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to December 2025

Methylcellulose versus Lactulose, December 2025
Measure Methylcellulose Lactulose
Items, December 2025 1 201,445
Items, last 12 months 72 2,504,086
Net ingredient cost, December 2025 £3 £1,667,135

See the full profile for Methylcellulose or Lactulose.