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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Trifarotene vs Adapalene

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

Adapalene was dispensed 12.7× as often as Trifarotene in April 2026 — 12,386 items versus 975 in England.

975items

Trifarotene · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

12,386items

Adapalene · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Trifarotene versus Adapalene: national items dispensed by month

▬ Trifarotene   ·   ╌ Adapalene

0 9k 18k Sep 2022 Apr 2023 Nov 2023 Jun 2024 Jan 2025 Aug 2025 Apr 2026 Adapalene 975 Sep 2022: 9 Oct 2022: 17 Nov 2022: 23 Dec 2022: 34 Jan 2023: 47 Feb 2023: 36 Mar 2023: 78 Apr 2023: 68 May 2023: 110 Jun 2023: 127 Jul 2023: 147 Aug 2023: 171 Sep 2023: 189 Oct 2023: 185 Nov 2023: 283 Dec 2023: 206 Jan 2024: 258 Feb 2024: 236 Mar 2024: 259 Apr 2024: 309 May 2024: 344 Jun 2024: 389 Jul 2024: 401 Aug 2024: 452 Sep 2024: 449 Oct 2024: 508 Nov 2024: 523 Dec 2024: 477 Jan 2025: 609 Feb 2025: 557 Mar 2025: 677 Apr 2025: 615 May 2025: 681 Jun 2025: 712 Jul 2025: 773 Aug 2025: 723 Sep 2025: 793 Oct 2025: 856 Nov 2025: 869 Dec 2025: 887 Jan 2026: 973 Feb 2026: 954 Mar 2026: 1k Apr 2026: 975

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Trifarotene versus Adapalene, April 2026
Measure Trifarotene Adapalene
Items, April 2026 975 12,386
Items, last 12 months 10,303 145,542
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £29,693 £249,141

See the full profile for Trifarotene or Adapalene.