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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Pravastatin sodium vs Simvastatin

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

Simvastatin was dispensed 4.7× as often as Pravastatin sodium in May 2026 — 760,287 items versus 160,402 in England.

160,402items

Pravastatin sodium · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

760,287items

Simvastatin · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Pravastatin sodium versus Simvastatin: national items dispensed by month

▬ Pravastatin sodium   ·   ╌ Simvastatin

0 795k 1.6m Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Simvastatin 160,402 Jan 2021: 199k Feb 2021: 187k Mar 2021: 209k Apr 2021: 202k May 2021: 191k Jun 2021: 204k Jul 2021: 203k Aug 2021: 194k Sep 2021: 202k Oct 2021: 192k Nov 2021: 199k Dec 2021: 209k Jan 2022: 194k Feb 2022: 182k Mar 2022: 205k Apr 2022: 192k May 2022: 199k Jun 2022: 192k Jul 2022: 192k Aug 2022: 198k Sep 2022: 194k Oct 2022: 191k Nov 2022: 194k Dec 2022: 196k Jan 2023: 192k Feb 2023: 176k Mar 2023: 201k Apr 2023: 179k May 2023: 191k Jun 2023: 193k Jul 2023: 187k Aug 2023: 192k Sep 2023: 186k Oct 2023: 187k Nov 2023: 187k Dec 2023: 187k Jan 2024: 189k Feb 2024: 176k Mar 2024: 178k Apr 2024: 184k May 2024: 187k Jun 2024: 173k Jul 2024: 187k Aug 2024: 181k Sep 2024: 174k Oct 2024: 184k Nov 2024: 175k Dec 2024: 180k Jan 2025: 181k Feb 2025: 161k Mar 2025: 170k Apr 2025: 171k May 2025: 176k Jun 2025: 168k Jul 2025: 180k Aug 2025: 165k Sep 2025: 171k Oct 2025: 176k Nov 2025: 161k Dec 2025: 177k Jan 2026: 169k Feb 2026: 155k Mar 2026: 169k Apr 2026: 166k May 2026: 160k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Pravastatin sodium versus Simvastatin, May 2026
Measure Pravastatin sodium Simvastatin
Items, May 2026 160,402 760,287
Items, last 12 months 2,016,496 10,001,384
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £206,592 £742,412

See the full profile for Pravastatin sodium or Simvastatin.