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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Sennosides vs Lactulose

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

Lactulose was dispensed 8.5× as often as Sennosides in May 2026 — 201,445 items versus 23,738 in England.

23,738items

Sennosides · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

201,445items

Lactulose · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Sennosides versus Lactulose: national items dispensed by month

▬ Sennosides   ·   ╌ Lactulose

0 117k 235k Apr 2023 Oct 2023 Apr 2024 Oct 2024 Apr 2025 Oct 2025 May 2026 Lactulose 23,738 Apr 2023: 12 May 2023: 12 Jun 2023: 14 Jul 2023: 37 Aug 2023: 131 Sep 2023: 192 Oct 2023: 315 Nov 2023: 348 Dec 2023: 404 Jan 2024: 9k Feb 2024: 9k Mar 2024: 11k Apr 2024: 12k May 2024: 14k Jun 2024: 13k Jul 2024: 15k Aug 2024: 15k Sep 2024: 15k Oct 2024: 17k Nov 2024: 16k Dec 2024: 17k Jan 2025: 18k Feb 2025: 17k Mar 2025: 19k Apr 2025: 19k May 2025: 20k Jun 2025: 20k Jul 2025: 22k Aug 2025: 20k Sep 2025: 22k Oct 2025: 23k Nov 2025: 22k Dec 2025: 24k Jan 2026: 24k Feb 2026: 22k Mar 2026: 24k Apr 2026: 25k May 2026: 24k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Sennosides versus Lactulose, May 2026
Measure Sennosides Lactulose
Items, May 2026 23,738 201,445
Items, last 12 months 271,276 2,504,086
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £229,023 £1,667,135

See the full profile for Sennosides or Lactulose.