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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Warfarin sodium vs Apixaban

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

Apixaban was dispensed 4.4× as often as Warfarin sodium in May 2026 — 969,676 items versus 219,347 in England.

219,347items

Warfarin sodium · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

969,676items

Apixaban · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Warfarin sodium versus Apixaban: national items dispensed by month

▬ Warfarin sodium   ·   ╌ Apixaban

0 501k 1m Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Apixaban 219,347 Jan 2021: 416k Feb 2021: 384k Mar 2021: 424k Apr 2021: 411k May 2021: 386k Jun 2021: 412k Jul 2021: 408k Aug 2021: 383k Sep 2021: 398k Oct 2021: 375k Nov 2021: 385k Dec 2021: 410k Jan 2022: 366k Feb 2022: 338k Mar 2022: 378k Apr 2022: 354k May 2022: 361k Jun 2022: 349k Jul 2022: 345k Aug 2022: 351k Sep 2022: 341k Oct 2022: 333k Nov 2022: 336k Dec 2022: 342k Jan 2023: 323k Feb 2023: 292k Mar 2023: 326k Apr 2023: 291k May 2023: 311k Jun 2023: 311k Jul 2023: 293k Aug 2023: 301k Sep 2023: 295k Oct 2023: 292k Nov 2023: 291k Dec 2023: 294k Jan 2024: 288k Feb 2024: 268k Mar 2024: 268k Apr 2024: 275k May 2024: 278k Jun 2024: 256k Jul 2024: 277k Aug 2024: 265k Sep 2024: 254k Oct 2024: 267k Nov 2024: 254k Dec 2024: 265k Jan 2025: 260k Feb 2025: 229k Mar 2025: 242k Apr 2025: 243k May 2025: 249k Jun 2025: 237k Jul 2025: 253k Aug 2025: 232k Sep 2025: 240k Oct 2025: 245k Nov 2025: 224k Dec 2025: 251k Jan 2026: 232k Feb 2026: 212k Mar 2026: 231k Apr 2026: 227k May 2026: 219k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Warfarin sodium versus Apixaban, May 2026
Measure Warfarin sodium Apixaban
Items, May 2026 219,347 969,676
Items, last 12 months 2,803,017 11,229,504
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £646,507 £4,331,190

See the full profile for Warfarin sodium or Apixaban.