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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Oxycodone hydrochloride vs Morphine sulfate

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

Morphine sulfate was dispensed 2.7× as often as Oxycodone hydrochloride in May 2026 — 404,508 items versus 151,866 in England.

151,866items

Oxycodone hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

404,508items

Morphine sulfate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

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

▬ Oxycodone hydrochloride   ·   ╌ Morphine sulfate

0 227k 454k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Morphine sulfate 151,866 Jan 2021: 148k Feb 2021: 139k Mar 2021: 156k Apr 2021: 152k May 2021: 145k Jun 2021: 156k Jul 2021: 157k Aug 2021: 151k Sep 2021: 156k Oct 2021: 151k Nov 2021: 155k Dec 2021: 162k Jan 2022: 150k Feb 2022: 142k Mar 2022: 161k Apr 2022: 150k May 2022: 155k Jun 2022: 152k Jul 2022: 152k Aug 2022: 156k Sep 2022: 153k Oct 2022: 153k Nov 2022: 155k Dec 2022: 158k Jan 2023: 153k Feb 2023: 142k Mar 2023: 157k Apr 2023: 142k May 2023: 153k Jun 2023: 155k Jul 2023: 150k Aug 2023: 156k Sep 2023: 150k Oct 2023: 153k Nov 2023: 153k Dec 2023: 155k Jan 2024: 155k Feb 2024: 147k Mar 2024: 149k Apr 2024: 154k May 2024: 158k Jun 2024: 146k Jul 2024: 160k Aug 2024: 155k Sep 2024: 149k Oct 2024: 160k Nov 2024: 152k Dec 2024: 158k Jan 2025: 159k Feb 2025: 142k Mar 2025: 150k Apr 2025: 153k May 2025: 157k Jun 2025: 150k Jul 2025: 162k Aug 2025: 150k Sep 2025: 157k Oct 2025: 162k Nov 2025: 147k Dec 2025: 165k Jan 2026: 156k Feb 2026: 144k Mar 2026: 157k Apr 2026: 156k May 2026: 152k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Oxycodone hydrochloride versus Morphine sulfate, May 2026
Measure Oxycodone hydrochloride Morphine sulfate
Items, May 2026 151,866 404,508
Items, last 12 months 1,857,292 4,990,364
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £2,391,379 £2,301,425

See the full profile for Oxycodone hydrochloride or Morphine sulfate.