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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Vancomycin hydrochloride vs Nitrofurantoin

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

Nitrofurantoin was dispensed 424.1× as often as Vancomycin hydrochloride in May 2026 — 333,741 items versus 787 in England.

787items

Vancomycin hydrochloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

333,741items

Nitrofurantoin · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Vancomycin hydrochloride versus Nitrofurantoin: national items dispensed by month

▬ Vancomycin hydrochloride   ·   ╌ Nitrofurantoin

0 204k 408k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Nitrofurantoin 787 Jan 2021: 458 Feb 2021: 402 Mar 2021: 467 Apr 2021: 452 May 2021: 373 Jun 2021: 517 Jul 2021: 530 Aug 2021: 591 Sep 2021: 579 Oct 2021: 592 Nov 2021: 599 Dec 2021: 553 Jan 2022: 527 Feb 2022: 521 Mar 2022: 589 Apr 2022: 529 May 2022: 634 Jun 2022: 602 Jul 2022: 702 Aug 2022: 748 Sep 2022: 686 Oct 2022: 667 Nov 2022: 720 Dec 2022: 627 Jan 2023: 610 Feb 2023: 613 Mar 2023: 706 Apr 2023: 583 May 2023: 685 Jun 2023: 758 Jul 2023: 795 Aug 2023: 828 Sep 2023: 790 Oct 2023: 786 Nov 2023: 774 Dec 2023: 689 Jan 2024: 685 Feb 2024: 727 Mar 2024: 758 Apr 2024: 815 May 2024: 865 Jun 2024: 887 Jul 2024: 974 Aug 2024: 973 Sep 2024: 908 Oct 2024: 957 Nov 2024: 845 Dec 2024: 701 Jan 2025: 738 Feb 2025: 710 Mar 2025: 729 Apr 2025: 722 May 2025: 795 Jun 2025: 737 Jul 2025: 854 Aug 2025: 858 Sep 2025: 917 Oct 2025: 895 Nov 2025: 821 Dec 2025: 734 Jan 2026: 731 Feb 2026: 698 Mar 2026: 739 Apr 2026: 732 May 2026: 787

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Vancomycin hydrochloride versus Nitrofurantoin, May 2026
Measure Vancomycin hydrochloride Nitrofurantoin
Items, May 2026 787 333,741
Items, last 12 months 9,503 4,416,505
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £115,676 £2,268,636

See the full profile for Vancomycin hydrochloride or Nitrofurantoin.