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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Sodium valproate vs Paraldehyde

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

Sodium valproate was dispensed 755.1× as often as Paraldehyde in May 2026 — 163,094 items versus 216 in England.

163,094items

Sodium valproate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

216items

Paraldehyde · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Sodium valproate versus Paraldehyde: national items dispensed by month

▬ Sodium valproate   ·   ╌ Paraldehyde

0 103k 206k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Paraldehyde 163,094 Jan 2021: 197k Feb 2021: 186k Mar 2021: 206k Apr 2021: 200k May 2021: 190k Jun 2021: 202k Jul 2021: 202k Aug 2021: 193k Sep 2021: 199k Oct 2021: 193k Nov 2021: 198k Dec 2021: 205k Jan 2022: 195k Feb 2022: 184k Mar 2022: 203k Apr 2022: 192k May 2022: 200k Jun 2022: 195k Jul 2022: 193k Aug 2022: 198k Sep 2022: 194k Oct 2022: 195k Nov 2022: 198k Dec 2022: 199k Jan 2023: 197k Feb 2023: 181k Mar 2023: 204k Apr 2023: 184k May 2023: 195k Jun 2023: 198k Jul 2023: 193k Aug 2023: 195k Sep 2023: 190k Oct 2023: 191k Nov 2023: 193k Dec 2023: 190k Jan 2024: 194k Feb 2024: 182k Mar 2024: 182k Apr 2024: 187k May 2024: 190k Jun 2024: 178k Jul 2024: 192k Aug 2024: 185k Sep 2024: 178k Oct 2024: 186k Nov 2024: 179k Dec 2024: 183k Jan 2025: 185k Feb 2025: 164k Mar 2025: 173k Apr 2025: 173k May 2025: 179k Jun 2025: 173k Jul 2025: 183k Aug 2025: 167k Sep 2025: 176k Oct 2025: 179k Nov 2025: 165k Dec 2025: 182k Jan 2026: 172k Feb 2026: 159k Mar 2026: 171k Apr 2026: 169k May 2026: 163k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Sodium valproate versus Paraldehyde, May 2026
Measure Sodium valproate Paraldehyde
Items, May 2026 163,094 216
Items, last 12 months 2,058,845 2,700
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £2,585,679 £7,945

See the full profile for Sodium valproate or Paraldehyde.