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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Dexamethasone

Eye Corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory preparations BNF 1104010I0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Dexamethasone was ranked 298th of 1,796 medicines by items in May 2026, with 37,849 items, down 3.4% on a year earlier.

37,849items -3.4%

Dispensed in May 2026

381,188items

Rolling 12 months

£468,093

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Dexamethasone: national items dispensed by month

0 21k 42k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Jul 2026 25,758 Jan 2021: 34k Feb 2021: 32k Mar 2021: 37k Apr 2021: 36k May 2021: 36k Jun 2021: 37k Jul 2021: 35k Aug 2021: 37k Sep 2021: 37k Oct 2021: 36k Nov 2021: 37k Dec 2021: 38k Jan 2022: 34k Feb 2022: 34k Mar 2022: 38k Apr 2022: 34k May 2022: 37k Jun 2022: 37k Jul 2022: 37k Aug 2022: 38k Sep 2022: 37k Oct 2022: 38k Nov 2022: 38k Dec 2022: 37k Jan 2023: 37k Feb 2023: 36k Mar 2023: 40k Apr 2023: 36k May 2023: 38k Jun 2023: 40k Jul 2023: 40k Aug 2023: 39k Sep 2023: 38k Oct 2023: 39k Nov 2023: 39k Dec 2023: 38k Jan 2024: 38k Feb 2024: 37k Mar 2024: 38k Apr 2024: 39k May 2024: 40k Jun 2024: 38k Jul 2024: 42k Aug 2024: 40k Sep 2024: 38k Oct 2024: 42k Nov 2024: 39k Dec 2024: 39k Jan 2025: 39k Feb 2025: 36k Mar 2025: 38k Apr 2025: 38k May 2025: 39k Jun 2025: 38k Jul 2025: 41k Aug 2025: 37k Sep 2025: 39k Oct 2025: 41k Nov 2025: 37k Dec 2025: 39k Jan 2026: 37k Feb 2026: 36k Mar 2026: 39k Apr 2026: 38k May 2026: 38k Jun 2026: 40k Jul 2026: 26k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory preparations
  • Presentations 14 shown
  • Average cost / item £12.37
  • Year on year Down 3.4% 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
Maxidex 0.1% eye drops 1104010I0BBAAAD 16,028 £33,238
Dexafree 1mg/1ml eye drops 0.4ml unit dose 1104010I0BHAAAT 5,604 £124,693
Dexamethasone 0.1% eye dps 0.4ml unit dose preservative free 1104010I0AAATAT 4,800 £166,820
Maxitrol eye drops 1104010I0BCAAAE 2,548 £5,396
Maxitrol eye ointment 1104010I0BCABAF 2,518 £4,692
Minims dexamethasone 0.1% eye drops 0.5ml unit dose 1104010I0BEAAAL 1,850 £61,374
Dexamethasone 0.1% eye drops preservative free 1104010I0AAAUAU 1,597 £20,641
Dexamethasone 0.1% eye dps 0.3ml unit dose preservative free 1104010I0AAAVAV 1,304 £23,181
Dropodex 0.1% eye drops 0.4ml unit dose 1104010I0BGAAAT 590 £20,607
Tobradex 3mg/ml / 1mg/ml eye drops 1104010I0BFAAAP 517 £3,152
Dexamethasone 0.1% / Tobramycin 0.3% eye drops 1104010I0AAAPAP 318 £1,982
Eythalm 1mg/ml eye drops 1104010I0BIAAAU 118 £1,560
Puradex 1mg/ml eye drops 1104010I0BKAAAU 55 £741
Ducressa 1mg/ml / 5mg/ml eye drops 1104010I0BJAAAW 2 £17

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.

Compare Dexamethasone with

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

Download this data

The monthly series for Dexamethasone is in this page's CSV. For the ranked national series across every medicine, with the method and caveats documented, see the most-prescribed medicines dataset in our open data catalogue.