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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Sulfasalazine vs Budesonide

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

Sulfasalazine was dispensed 7.9× as often as Budesonide in May 2026 — 67,208 items versus 8,527 in England.

67,208items

Sulfasalazine · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

8,527items

Budesonide · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Sulfasalazine versus Budesonide: national items dispensed by month

▬ Sulfasalazine   ·   ╌ Budesonide

0 38k 76k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Budesonide 67,208 Jan 2021: 72k Feb 2021: 65k Mar 2021: 76k Apr 2021: 75k May 2021: 69k Jun 2021: 73k Jul 2021: 73k Aug 2021: 70k Sep 2021: 72k Oct 2021: 69k Nov 2021: 70k Dec 2021: 75k Jan 2022: 70k Feb 2022: 67k Mar 2022: 73k Apr 2022: 70k May 2022: 72k Jun 2022: 70k Jul 2022: 69k Aug 2022: 73k Sep 2022: 71k Oct 2022: 70k Nov 2022: 71k Dec 2022: 72k Jan 2023: 70k Feb 2023: 65k Mar 2023: 73k Apr 2023: 66k May 2023: 71k Jun 2023: 72k Jul 2023: 70k Aug 2023: 71k Sep 2023: 70k Oct 2023: 70k Nov 2023: 70k Dec 2023: 71k Jan 2024: 71k Feb 2024: 67k Mar 2024: 68k Apr 2024: 71k May 2024: 72k Jun 2024: 67k Jul 2024: 73k Aug 2024: 70k Sep 2024: 66k Oct 2024: 73k Nov 2024: 71k Dec 2024: 72k Jan 2025: 73k Feb 2025: 65k Mar 2025: 69k Apr 2025: 69k May 2025: 71k Jun 2025: 69k Jul 2025: 73k Aug 2025: 67k Sep 2025: 70k Oct 2025: 72k Nov 2025: 66k Dec 2025: 73k Jan 2026: 70k Feb 2026: 64k Mar 2026: 70k Apr 2026: 69k May 2026: 67k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Sulfasalazine versus Budesonide, May 2026
Measure Sulfasalazine Budesonide
Items, May 2026 67,208 8,527
Items, last 12 months 830,830 102,260
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £690,132 £836,433

See the full profile for Sulfasalazine or Budesonide.