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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Varenicline tartrate vs Nicotine bitartrate

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

Varenicline tartrate was dispensed 44.8× as often as Nicotine bitartrate in May 2026 — 7,714 items versus 172 in England.

7,714items

Varenicline tartrate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

172items

Nicotine bitartrate · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Varenicline tartrate versus Nicotine bitartrate: national items dispensed by month

▬ Varenicline tartrate   ·   ╌ Nicotine bitartrate

0 11k 23k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Aug 2022 May 2023 Mar 2024 Jan 2025 May 2026 Nicotine bitartr… 7,714 Jan 2021: 19k Feb 2021: 20k Mar 2021: 23k Apr 2021: 21k May 2021: 20k Jun 2021: 16k Jul 2021: 5k Aug 2021: 3k Sep 2021: 2k Nov 2021: 778 Dec 2021: 491 Jan 2022: 456 Feb 2022: 327 Mar 2022: 283 Apr 2022: 184 May 2022: 177 Jun 2022: 187 Jul 2022: 168 Aug 2022: 137 Sep 2022: 107 Oct 2022: 78 Nov 2022: 72 Dec 2022: 35 Jan 2023: 29 Feb 2023: 18 Mar 2023: 16 Apr 2023: 9 May 2023: 17 Jun 2023: 3 Jul 2023: 5 Aug 2023: 5 Sep 2023: 2 Oct 2023: 7 Nov 2023: 9 Jan 2024: 5 Feb 2024: 6 Mar 2024: 5 Apr 2024: 3 Jun 2024: 1 Jul 2024: 5 Aug 2024: 4 Sep 2024: 28 Oct 2024: 110 Nov 2024: 1k Dec 2024: 3k Jan 2025: 4k Feb 2025: 6k Mar 2025: 8k Apr 2025: 9k May 2025: 10k Jun 2025: 10k Jul 2025: 8k Aug 2025: 8k Sep 2025: 10k Oct 2025: 10k Nov 2025: 9k Dec 2025: 8k Jan 2026: 8k Feb 2026: 8k Mar 2026: 9k Apr 2026: 8k May 2026: 8k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Varenicline tartrate versus Nicotine bitartrate, May 2026
Measure Varenicline tartrate Nicotine bitartrate
Items, May 2026 7,714 172
Items, last 12 months 104,412 2,287
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £260,293 £3,654

See the full profile for Varenicline tartrate or Nicotine bitartrate.