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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Rivaroxaban vs Apixaban

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

Apixaban was dispensed 2.5× as often as Rivaroxaban in May 2026 — 969,676 items versus 393,214 in England.

393,214items

Rivaroxaban · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

969,676items

Apixaban · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Rivaroxaban versus Apixaban: national items dispensed by month

▬ Rivaroxaban   ·   ╌ Apixaban

0 501k 1m Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Apixaban 393,214 Jan 2021: 375k Feb 2021: 355k Mar 2021: 398k Apr 2021: 387k May 2021: 370k Jun 2021: 395k Jul 2021: 395k Aug 2021: 379k Sep 2021: 394k Oct 2021: 377k Nov 2021: 393k Dec 2021: 413k Jan 2022: 385k Feb 2022: 363k Mar 2022: 408k Apr 2022: 384k May 2022: 399k Jun 2022: 384k Jul 2022: 382k Aug 2022: 394k Sep 2022: 385k Oct 2022: 376k Nov 2022: 382k Dec 2022: 381k Jan 2023: 374k Feb 2023: 340k Mar 2023: 384k Apr 2023: 341k May 2023: 362k Jun 2023: 366k Jul 2023: 355k Aug 2023: 364k Sep 2023: 355k Oct 2023: 357k Nov 2023: 361k Dec 2023: 359k Jan 2024: 365k Feb 2024: 343k Mar 2024: 349k Apr 2024: 357k May 2024: 368k Jun 2024: 342k Jul 2024: 373k Aug 2024: 365k Sep 2024: 346k Oct 2024: 368k Nov 2024: 353k Dec 2024: 365k Jan 2025: 370k Feb 2025: 333k Mar 2025: 356k Apr 2025: 364k May 2025: 380k Jun 2025: 372k Jul 2025: 403k Aug 2025: 374k Sep 2025: 394k Oct 2025: 408k Nov 2025: 379k Dec 2025: 422k Jan 2026: 402k Feb 2026: 372k Mar 2026: 408k Apr 2026: 402k May 2026: 393k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Rivaroxaban versus Apixaban, May 2026
Measure Rivaroxaban Apixaban
Items, May 2026 393,214 969,676
Items, last 12 months 4,729,105 11,229,504
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £756,277 £4,331,190

See the full profile for Rivaroxaban or Apixaban.