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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Paraffin soft white vs Light liquid paraffin

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

Light liquid paraffin was dispensed 27.3× as often as Paraffin soft white in April 2026 — 15,036 items versus 550 in England.

550items

Paraffin soft white · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

15,036items

Light liquid paraffin · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Paraffin soft white versus Light liquid paraffin: national items dispensed by month

▬ Paraffin soft white   ·   ╌ Light liquid paraffin

0 19k 37k Jan 2021 Oct 2021 Jul 2022 Apr 2023 Feb 2024 Nov 2024 Apr 2026 Light liquid par… 550 Jan 2021: 845 Feb 2021: 855 Mar 2021: 968 Apr 2021: 846 May 2021: 789 Jun 2021: 845 Jul 2021: 810 Aug 2021: 718 Sep 2021: 753 Oct 2021: 678 Nov 2021: 699 Dec 2021: 632 Jan 2022: 693 Feb 2022: 652 Mar 2022: 705 Apr 2022: 690 May 2022: 789 Jun 2022: 618 Jul 2022: 646 Aug 2022: 605 Sep 2022: 628 Oct 2022: 633 Nov 2022: 564 Dec 2022: 593 Jan 2023: 658 Feb 2023: 551 Mar 2023: 528 Apr 2023: 550 May 2023: 652 Jun 2023: 704 Jul 2023: 309 Aug 2023: 281 Sep 2023: 411 Oct 2023: 490 Dec 2023: 625 Jan 2024: 658 Feb 2024: 660 Mar 2024: 1k Apr 2024: 736 May 2024: 675 Jun 2024: 522 Jul 2024: 521 Aug 2024: 644 Sep 2024: 461 Oct 2024: 510 Nov 2024: 529 Dec 2024: 768 Jan 2025: 446 Feb 2025: 534 Mar 2025: 651 Apr 2025: 550 May 2025: 599 Jun 2025: 617 Jul 2025: 474 Aug 2025: 507 Sep 2025: 534 Oct 2025: 488 Nov 2025: 564 Dec 2025: 554 Jan 2026: 648 Feb 2026: 527 Mar 2026: 488 Apr 2026: 550

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Paraffin soft white versus Light liquid paraffin, April 2026
Measure Paraffin soft white Light liquid paraffin
Items, April 2026 550 15,036
Items, last 12 months 6,550 182,035
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £2,433 £143,749

See the full profile for Paraffin soft white or Light liquid paraffin.