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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Sodium bicarbonate vs Sodium chloride

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

Sodium bicarbonate was dispensed 20.0× as often as Sodium chloride in May 2026 — 54,107 items versus 2,708 in England.

54,107items

Sodium bicarbonate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

2,708items

Sodium chloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Sodium bicarbonate versus Sodium chloride: national items dispensed by month

▬ Sodium bicarbonate   ·   ╌ Sodium chloride

0 29k 58k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Sodium chloride 54,107 Jan 2021: 38k Feb 2021: 36k Mar 2021: 40k Apr 2021: 39k May 2021: 37k Jun 2021: 40k Jul 2021: 40k Aug 2021: 39k Sep 2021: 40k Oct 2021: 39k Nov 2021: 40k Dec 2021: 42k Jan 2022: 40k Feb 2022: 37k Mar 2022: 41k Apr 2022: 40k May 2022: 41k Jun 2022: 41k Jul 2022: 41k Aug 2022: 42k Sep 2022: 42k Oct 2022: 42k Nov 2022: 43k Dec 2022: 43k Jan 2023: 43k Feb 2023: 40k Mar 2023: 45k Apr 2023: 41k May 2023: 44k Jun 2023: 44k Jul 2023: 44k Aug 2023: 46k Sep 2023: 45k Oct 2023: 45k Nov 2023: 46k Dec 2023: 46k Jan 2024: 47k Feb 2024: 45k Mar 2024: 45k Apr 2024: 47k May 2024: 48k Jun 2024: 45k Jul 2024: 50k Aug 2024: 49k Sep 2024: 47k Oct 2024: 50k Nov 2024: 49k Dec 2024: 50k Jan 2025: 51k Feb 2025: 46k Mar 2025: 49k Apr 2025: 50k May 2025: 52k Jun 2025: 51k Jul 2025: 56k Aug 2025: 52k Sep 2025: 55k Oct 2025: 56k Nov 2025: 53k Dec 2025: 58k Jan 2026: 56k Feb 2026: 52k Mar 2026: 56k Apr 2026: 55k May 2026: 54k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Sodium bicarbonate versus Sodium chloride, May 2026
Measure Sodium bicarbonate Sodium chloride
Items, May 2026 54,107 2,708
Items, last 12 months 654,059 34,374
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £488,777 £55,913

See the full profile for Sodium bicarbonate or Sodium chloride.