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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Dexamethasone

Endocrine System Corticosteroids (endocrine) BNF 0603020G0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Dexamethasone was ranked 417th of 1,792 medicines by items in May 2026, with 17,433 items, down 1.8% on a year earlier.

17,433items -1.8%

Dispensed in May 2026

228,773items

Rolling 12 months

£100,163

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Dexamethasone: national items dispensed by month

0 12k 24k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 17,433 Jan 2021: 18k Feb 2021: 16k Mar 2021: 19k Apr 2021: 18k May 2021: 20k Jun 2021: 21k Jul 2021: 20k Aug 2021: 18k Sep 2021: 19k Oct 2021: 20k Nov 2021: 20k Dec 2021: 20k Jan 2022: 18k Feb 2022: 17k Mar 2022: 20k Apr 2022: 18k May 2022: 20k Jun 2022: 20k Jul 2022: 21k Aug 2022: 18k Sep 2022: 19k Oct 2022: 22k Nov 2022: 22k Dec 2022: 23k Jan 2023: 19k Feb 2023: 18k Mar 2023: 20k Apr 2023: 16k May 2023: 18k Jun 2023: 17k Jul 2023: 17k Aug 2023: 17k Sep 2023: 17k Oct 2023: 19k Nov 2023: 21k Dec 2023: 20k Jan 2024: 20k Feb 2024: 19k Mar 2024: 19k Apr 2024: 18k May 2024: 19k Jun 2024: 17k Jul 2024: 19k Aug 2024: 17k Sep 2024: 18k Oct 2024: 22k Nov 2024: 22k Dec 2024: 22k Jan 2025: 20k Feb 2025: 17k Mar 2025: 19k Apr 2025: 17k May 2025: 18k Jun 2025: 17k Jul 2025: 17k Aug 2025: 15k Sep 2025: 18k Oct 2025: 21k Nov 2025: 21k Dec 2025: 24k Jan 2026: 21k Feb 2026: 19k Mar 2026: 20k Apr 2026: 18k May 2026: 17k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Corticosteroids (endocrine)
  • Presentations 15 shown
  • Average cost / item £5.75
  • Year on year Down 1.8% on a year earlier
What this is
Net ingredient cost is the list price before discounts and dispensing fees, not what the NHS finally pays.

Top presentations, May 2026

The individual products dispensed under Dexamethasone this month.

Presentations of Dexamethasone, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Dexamethasone 2mg tablets 0603020G0AAADAD 7,583 £19,812
Dexamethasone 500microgram tablets 0603020G0AAABAB 4,128 £9,150
Dexamethasone 2mg/5ml oral solution sugar free 0603020G0AABXBX 2,647 £19,793
Dexamethasone 2mg soluble tablets sugar free 0603020G0AACFCF 1,284 £24,592
Dexamethasone 1mg tablets 0603020G0AACNCN 971 £3,059
Dexamethasone 4mg tablets 0603020G0AACICI 586 £12,623
Dexamethasone 4mg soluble tablets sugar free 0603020G0AACHCH 91 £2,492
Dexamethasone 10mg/5ml oral solution sugar free 0603020G0AABZBZ 60 £5,919
Dexamethasone 8mg soluble tablets sugar free 0603020G0AACGCG 26 £1,044
Dexsol 2mg/5ml oral solution 0603020G0BEAABX 21 £383
Dexamethasone 2mg/5ml oral liquid 0603020G0AAA6A6 19 £283
Dexamethasone 10mg soluble tablets sugar free 0603020G0AACLCL 8 £46
Dexamethasone 500micrograms/5ml oral liquid 0603020G0AAA7A7 4 £840
Dexamethasone 10mg/5ml oral liquid 0603020G0AABHBH 2 £27
Dexamethasone 5mg/5ml oral liquid 0603020G0AAA5A5 1 £40

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis · to May 2026 OGL v3.0

Where Dexamethasone is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Dexamethasone volumes.

Regional volumes from NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis; practice volumes from NHS dispensing data.

In NHS hospitals

Dexamethasone is also used in NHS secondary care. See the indicative hospital cost, monthly trend and the trusts using it most on the hospital medicines page.

Compare Dexamethasone with

Other medicines in the same BNF section, by prescribing volume.