Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Lactulose

Gastro-Intestinal System Laxatives BNF 0106040G0
Data updated April 2026 Download CSV

Lactulose was ranked 117th of 1,792 medicines by items in April 2026, with 210,602 items, up 4.9% on a year earlier.

210,602items +4.9%

Dispensed in April 2026

2,302,641items

Rolling 12 months

£1,740,368

Net ingredient cost · April 2026

Figure 1. Lactulose: national items dispensed by month

0 117k 235k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 210,602 Jan 2021: 227k Feb 2021: 213k Mar 2021: 235k Apr 2021: 223k May 2021: 211k Jun 2021: 221k Jul 2021: 218k Aug 2021: 207k Sep 2021: 218k Oct 2021: 207k Nov 2021: 214k Dec 2021: 220k Jan 2022: 213k Feb 2022: 200k Mar 2022: 224k Apr 2022: 207k May 2022: 214k Jun 2022: 207k Jul 2022: 205k Aug 2022: 210k Sep 2022: 210k Oct 2022: 205k Nov 2022: 211k Dec 2022: 205k Jan 2023: 212k Feb 2023: 193k Mar 2023: 218k Apr 2023: 192k May 2023: 206k Jun 2023: 209k Jul 2023: 203k Aug 2023: 208k Sep 2023: 204k Oct 2023: 208k Nov 2023: 211k Dec 2023: 205k Jan 2024: 218k Feb 2024: 203k Mar 2024: 203k Apr 2024: 211k May 2024: 211k Jun 2024: 199k Jul 2024: 217k Aug 2024: 207k Sep 2024: 204k Oct 2024: 217k Nov 2024: 206k Dec 2024: 209k Jan 2025: 217k Feb 2025: 192k Mar 2025: 204k Apr 2025: 201k May 2025: 208k Jun 2025: 202k Jul 2025: 217k Aug 2025: 198k Sep 2025: 212k Oct 2025: 217k Nov 2025: 200k Dec 2025: 219k Jan 2026: 217k Feb 2026: 197k Mar 2026: 214k Apr 2026: 211k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Download CSV
Embed this chart

At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Laxatives
  • Presentations 2 shown
  • Average cost / item £8.26
  • Year on year Up 4.9% 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, April 2026

The individual products dispensed under Lactulose this month.

Presentations of Lactulose, April 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Lactulose 3.1-3.7g/5ml oral solution 0106040G0AAAAAA 208,075 £1,706,559
Lactulose 10g/15ml oral solution 15ml sachets sugar free 0106040G0AAAGAG 2,527 £33,809

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

Where Lactulose is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Lactulose volumes.

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

Compare Lactulose with

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