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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Paraffin soft yellow vs Zinc oxide

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

Zinc oxide was dispensed 429.9× as often as Paraffin soft yellow in May 2026 — 8,597 items versus 20 in England.

20items

Paraffin soft yellow · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

8,597items

Zinc oxide · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Paraffin soft yellow versus Zinc oxide: national items dispensed by month

▬ Paraffin soft yellow   ·   ╌ Zinc oxide

0 7k 13k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Zinc oxide 20 Jan 2021: 158 Feb 2021: 132 Mar 2021: 158 Apr 2021: 156 May 2021: 165 Jun 2021: 164 Jul 2021: 166 Aug 2021: 155 Sep 2021: 132 Oct 2021: 139 Nov 2021: 167 Dec 2021: 130 Jan 2022: 164 Feb 2022: 166 Mar 2022: 166 Apr 2022: 137 May 2022: 167 Jun 2022: 142 Jul 2022: 138 Aug 2022: 122 Sep 2022: 163 Oct 2022: 141 Nov 2022: 157 Dec 2022: 132 Jan 2023: 140 Feb 2023: 142 Mar 2023: 150 Apr 2023: 125 May 2023: 85 Jun 2023: 94 Jul 2023: 103 Aug 2023: 107 Sep 2023: 118 Oct 2023: 116 Nov 2023: 125 Dec 2023: 122 Feb 2024: 136 Mar 2024: 170 Apr 2024: 158 May 2024: 149 Jun 2024: 155 Jul 2024: 128 Aug 2024: 133 Sep 2024: 146 Oct 2024: 139 Nov 2024: 123 Dec 2024: 142 Jan 2025: 105 Feb 2025: 95 Mar 2025: 81 Apr 2025: 75 May 2025: 66 Jun 2025: 50 Jul 2025: 77 Aug 2025: 70 Sep 2025: 61 Oct 2025: 44 Nov 2025: 44 Dec 2025: 25 Jan 2026: 48 Feb 2026: 29 Mar 2026: 30 Apr 2026: 23 May 2026: 20

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Paraffin soft yellow versus Zinc oxide, May 2026
Measure Paraffin soft yellow Zinc oxide
Items, May 2026 20 8,597
Items, last 12 months 521 108,426
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £245 £80,763

See the full profile for Paraffin soft yellow or Zinc oxide.