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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Methylphenidate hydrochloride vs Modafinil

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

Methylphenidate hydrochloride was dispensed 32.4× as often as Modafinil in May 2026 — 225,349 items versus 6,964 in England.

225,349items

Methylphenidate hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

6,964items

Modafinil · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Methylphenidate hydrochloride versus Modafinil: national items dispensed by month

▬ Methylphenidate hydrochloride   ·   ╌ Modafinil

0 113k 225k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Modafinil 225,349 Jan 2021: 106k Feb 2021: 100k Mar 2021: 117k Apr 2021: 113k May 2021: 112k Jun 2021: 118k Jul 2021: 115k Aug 2021: 105k Sep 2021: 118k Oct 2021: 116k Nov 2021: 123k Dec 2021: 125k Jan 2022: 123k Feb 2022: 114k Mar 2022: 134k Apr 2022: 124k May 2022: 133k Jun 2022: 134k Jul 2022: 129k Aug 2022: 123k Sep 2022: 134k Oct 2022: 133k Nov 2022: 141k Dec 2022: 134k Jan 2023: 138k Feb 2023: 136k Mar 2023: 158k Apr 2023: 136k May 2023: 150k Jun 2023: 154k Jul 2023: 148k Aug 2023: 141k Sep 2023: 151k Oct 2023: 160k Nov 2023: 163k Dec 2023: 158k Jan 2024: 167k Feb 2024: 156k Mar 2024: 162k Apr 2024: 163k May 2024: 169k Jun 2024: 159k Jul 2024: 164k Aug 2024: 147k Sep 2024: 161k Oct 2024: 168k Nov 2024: 164k Dec 2024: 168k Jan 2025: 177k Feb 2025: 161k Mar 2025: 179k Apr 2025: 167k May 2025: 181k Jun 2025: 183k Jul 2025: 185k Aug 2025: 165k Sep 2025: 189k Oct 2025: 197k Nov 2025: 187k Dec 2025: 204k Jan 2026: 207k Feb 2026: 195k Mar 2026: 220k Apr 2026: 218k May 2026: 225k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Methylphenidate hydrochloride versus Modafinil, May 2026
Measure Methylphenidate hydrochloride Modafinil
Items, May 2026 225,349 6,964
Items, last 12 months 2,375,856 85,704
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £6,829,094 £57,170

See the full profile for Methylphenidate hydrochloride or Modafinil.