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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Dexamethasone

Ear, Nose and Oropharynx Drugs acting on the ear BNF 120101050
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Dexamethasone was ranked 210th of 1,792 medicines by items in May 2026, with 68,949 items, down 25.8% on a year earlier.

68,949items -25.8%

Dispensed in May 2026

1,038,095items

Rolling 12 months

£627,196

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Dexamethasone: national items dispensed by month

0 66k 132k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 68,949 Jan 2021: 100k Feb 2021: 95k Mar 2021: 105k Apr 2021: 87k May 2021: 87k Jun 2021: 102k Jul 2021: 117k Aug 2021: 113k Sep 2021: 122k Oct 2021: 118k Nov 2021: 121k Dec 2021: 112k Jan 2022: 111k Feb 2022: 101k Mar 2022: 111k Apr 2022: 94k May 2022: 105k Jun 2022: 103k Jul 2022: 113k Aug 2022: 128k Sep 2022: 118k Oct 2022: 117k Nov 2022: 127k Dec 2022: 117k Jan 2023: 128k Feb 2023: 117k Mar 2023: 126k Apr 2023: 101k May 2023: 111k Jun 2023: 114k Jul 2023: 116k Aug 2023: 132k Sep 2023: 130k Oct 2023: 125k Nov 2023: 122k Dec 2023: 115k Jan 2024: 120k Feb 2024: 112k Mar 2024: 110k Apr 2024: 107k May 2024: 108k Jun 2024: 100k Jul 2024: 115k Aug 2024: 117k Sep 2024: 114k Oct 2024: 115k Nov 2024: 111k Dec 2024: 107k Jan 2025: 111k Feb 2025: 101k Mar 2025: 100k Apr 2025: 91k May 2025: 93k Jun 2025: 99k Jul 2025: 109k Aug 2025: 92k Sep 2025: 88k Oct 2025: 91k Nov 2025: 91k Dec 2025: 89k Jan 2026: 83k Feb 2026: 76k Mar 2026: 80k Apr 2026: 71k May 2026: 69k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Drugs acting on the ear
  • Presentations 2 shown
  • Average cost / item £9.10
  • Year on year Down 25.8% 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 0.1%/Neomycin 0.5%/Acetic acid (glacial) 2% 120101050AAABAB 67,416 £621,641
Otomize ear spray 120101050BCAAAB 1,533 £5,556

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.