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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Pholcodine vs Guaifenesin

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

Guaifenesin was dispensed 99.0× as often as Pholcodine in April 2026 — 99 items versus 1 in England.

1items

Pholcodine · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

99items

Guaifenesin · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Pholcodine versus Guaifenesin: national items dispensed by month

▬ Pholcodine   ·   ╌ Guaifenesin

0 2k 4k Jan 2021 Oct 2021 Jul 2022 Apr 2023 Jan 2024 Nov 2024 Apr 2026 Guaifenesin 1 Jan 2021: 3k Feb 2021: 2k Mar 2021: 2k Apr 2021: 2k May 2021: 2k Jun 2021: 2k Jul 2021: 2k Aug 2021: 2k Sep 2021: 2k Oct 2021: 3k Nov 2021: 3k Dec 2021: 4k Jan 2022: 3k Feb 2022: 2k Mar 2022: 3k Apr 2022: 3k May 2022: 2k Jun 2022: 2k Jul 2022: 2k Aug 2022: 2k Sep 2022: 2k Oct 2022: 3k Nov 2022: 3k Dec 2022: 4k Jan 2023: 3k Feb 2023: 2k Mar 2023: 1k Apr 2023: 91 May 2023: 66 Jun 2023: 56 Jul 2023: 52 Aug 2023: 43 Sep 2023: 39 Oct 2023: 46 Nov 2023: 31 Dec 2023: 33 Jan 2024: 30 Feb 2024: 21 Mar 2024: 11 Apr 2024: 17 May 2024: 6 Jun 2024: 6 Jul 2024: 6 Aug 2024: 5 Sep 2024: 4 Nov 2024: 3 Dec 2024: 4 Jan 2025: 1 Feb 2025: 3 Mar 2025: 1 Apr 2025: 1 May 2025: 1 Jul 2025: 1 Aug 2025: 1 Sep 2025: 2 Oct 2025: 2 Nov 2025: 1 Dec 2025: 1 Mar 2026: 1 Apr 2026: 1

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Pholcodine versus Guaifenesin, April 2026
Measure Pholcodine Guaifenesin
Items, April 2026 1 99
Items, last 12 months 16 1,416
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £11 £535

See the full profile for Pholcodine or Guaifenesin.