Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Salbutamol vs Salmeterol

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

Salbutamol was dispensed 177.0× as often as Salmeterol in May 2026 — 1,160,557 items versus 6,556 in England.

1,160,557items

Salbutamol · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

6,556items

Salmeterol · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Salbutamol versus Salmeterol: national items dispensed by month

▬ Salbutamol   ·   ╌ Salmeterol

0 1m 2m Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Salmeterol 1,160,557 Jan 2021: 1.7m Feb 2021: 1.5m Mar 2021: 1.7m Apr 2021: 1.7m May 2021: 1.6m Jun 2021: 1.8m Jul 2021: 1.8m Aug 2021: 1.6m Sep 2021: 1.8m Oct 2021: 1.8m Nov 2021: 1.9m Dec 2021: 2m Jan 2022: 1.8m Feb 2022: 1.6m Mar 2022: 1.9m Apr 2022: 1.7m May 2022: 1.8m Jun 2022: 1.8m Jul 2022: 1.8m Aug 2022: 1.7m Sep 2022: 1.8m Oct 2022: 1.8m Nov 2022: 1.9m Dec 2022: 2m Jan 2023: 1.9m Feb 2023: 1.7m Mar 2023: 1.9m Apr 2023: 1.6m May 2023: 1.7m Jun 2023: 1.8m Jul 2023: 1.7m Aug 2023: 1.7m Sep 2023: 1.7m Oct 2023: 1.8m Nov 2023: 1.8m Dec 2023: 1.9m Jan 2024: 1.9m Feb 2024: 1.7m Mar 2024: 1.7m Apr 2024: 1.7m May 2024: 1.8m Jun 2024: 1.6m Jul 2024: 1.7m Aug 2024: 1.6m Sep 2024: 1.6m Oct 2024: 1.8m Nov 2024: 1.7m Dec 2024: 1.7m Jan 2025: 1.7m Feb 2025: 1.5m Mar 2025: 1.5m Apr 2025: 1.5m May 2025: 1.5m Jun 2025: 1.4m Jul 2025: 1.4m Aug 2025: 1.3m Sep 2025: 1.4m Oct 2025: 1.4m Nov 2025: 1.3m Dec 2025: 1.5m Jan 2026: 1.4m Feb 2026: 1.2m Mar 2026: 1.3m Apr 2026: 1.2m May 2026: 1.2m

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Salbutamol versus Salmeterol, May 2026
Measure Salbutamol Salmeterol
Items, May 2026 1,160,557 6,556
Items, last 12 months 15,922,911 91,975
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £3,895,420 £251,312

See the full profile for Salbutamol or Salmeterol.