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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Rifampicin vs Nitrofurantoin

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

Nitrofurantoin was dispensed 412.0× as often as Rifampicin in May 2026 — 333,741 items versus 810 in England.

810items

Rifampicin · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

333,741items

Nitrofurantoin · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Rifampicin versus Nitrofurantoin: national items dispensed by month

▬ Rifampicin   ·   ╌ Nitrofurantoin

0 204k 408k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Nitrofurantoin 810 Jan 2021: 1k Feb 2021: 1k Mar 2021: 1k Apr 2021: 1k May 2021: 1k Jun 2021: 1k Jul 2021: 1k Aug 2021: 1k Sep 2021: 1k Oct 2021: 1k Nov 2021: 1k Dec 2021: 1k Jan 2022: 1k Feb 2022: 1k Mar 2022: 1k Apr 2022: 1k May 2022: 1k Jun 2022: 1k Jul 2022: 1k Aug 2022: 1k Sep 2022: 1k Oct 2022: 1k Nov 2022: 1k Dec 2022: 1k Jan 2023: 1k Feb 2023: 1k Mar 2023: 1k Apr 2023: 1k May 2023: 1k Jun 2023: 1k Jul 2023: 1k Aug 2023: 1k Sep 2023: 1k Oct 2023: 1k Nov 2023: 1k Dec 2023: 1k Jan 2024: 1k Feb 2024: 1k Mar 2024: 1k Apr 2024: 1k May 2024: 1k Jun 2024: 1k Jul 2024: 1k Aug 2024: 1k Sep 2024: 1k Oct 2024: 1k Nov 2024: 1k Dec 2024: 1k Jan 2025: 1k Feb 2025: 1k Mar 2025: 981 Apr 2025: 1k May 2025: 1k Jun 2025: 1k Jul 2025: 975 Aug 2025: 798 Sep 2025: 821 Oct 2025: 939 Nov 2025: 852 Dec 2025: 908 Jan 2026: 856 Feb 2026: 806 Mar 2026: 898 Apr 2026: 902 May 2026: 810

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Rifampicin versus Nitrofurantoin, May 2026
Measure Rifampicin Nitrofurantoin
Items, May 2026 810 333,741
Items, last 12 months 10,695 4,416,505
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £62,513 £2,268,636

See the full profile for Rifampicin or Nitrofurantoin.