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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Methotrexate

Musculoskeletal and Joint Diseases Drugs used in rheumatic diseases and gout BNF 1001030U0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Methotrexate was ranked 122nd of 1,796 medicines by items in May 2026, with 182,888 items, down 3.2% on a year earlier.

182,888items -3.2%

Dispensed in May 2026

1,858,732items

Rolling 12 months

£2,247,752

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Methotrexate: national items dispensed by month

0 135k 270k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Jul 2026 269,847 Jan 2021: 174k Feb 2021: 163k Mar 2021: 184k Apr 2021: 179k May 2021: 170k Jun 2021: 181k Jul 2021: 182k Aug 2021: 173k Sep 2021: 181k Oct 2021: 172k Nov 2021: 179k Dec 2021: 188k Jan 2022: 175k Feb 2022: 164k Mar 2022: 184k Apr 2022: 175k May 2022: 181k Jun 2022: 177k Jul 2022: 176k Aug 2022: 182k Sep 2022: 179k Oct 2022: 177k Nov 2022: 180k Dec 2022: 182k Jan 2023: 178k Feb 2023: 165k Mar 2023: 188k Apr 2023: 170k May 2023: 180k Jun 2023: 185k Jul 2023: 180k Aug 2023: 185k Sep 2023: 180k Oct 2023: 181k Nov 2023: 182k Dec 2023: 184k Jan 2024: 185k Feb 2024: 174k Mar 2024: 178k Apr 2024: 184k May 2024: 188k Jun 2024: 176k Jul 2024: 190k Aug 2024: 185k Sep 2024: 179k Oct 2024: 190k Nov 2024: 180k Dec 2024: 187k Jan 2025: 188k Feb 2025: 169k Mar 2025: 181k Apr 2025: 182k May 2025: 189k Jun 2025: 183k Jul 2025: 195k Aug 2025: 180k Sep 2025: 188k Oct 2025: 193k Nov 2025: 178k Dec 2025: 198k Jan 2026: 188k Feb 2026: 173k Mar 2026: 190k Apr 2026: 188k May 2026: 183k Jun 2026: 191k Jul 2026: 270k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Drugs used in rheumatic diseases and gout
  • Presentations 15 shown
  • Average cost / item £12.29
  • Year on year Down 3.2% 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 Methotrexate this month.

Presentations of Methotrexate, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Methotrexate 2.5mg tablets 1001030U0AAABAB 151,805 £230,463
Metoject PEN 20mg/0.4ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEARBW 8,966 £601,596
Metoject PEN 15mg/0.3ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEAXCC 6,160 £392,990
Metoject PEN 25mg/0.5ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEAWCB 5,966 £412,525
Metoject PEN 10mg/0.2ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEAZCE 2,624 £152,556
Metoject PEN 17.5mg/0.35ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEAQBV 1,693 £116,815
Metoject PEN 12.5mg/0.25ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEAYCD 1,339 £88,769
Metoject PEN 22.5mg/0.45ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEASBX 926 £65,632
Metoject PEN 7.5mg/0.15ml inj pre-filled pens 1001030U0BEATBY 840 £47,825
Methofill 20mg/0.4ml inj pre-filled syringes 1001030U0BGAPBH 374 £21,314
Methotrexate 10mg tablets 1001030U0AAACAC 362 £1,839
Methofill 15mg/0.3ml inj pre-filled syringes 1001030U0BGAMBG 296 £16,083
Methofill 20mg/0.4ml inj pre-filled injector 1001030U0BGAFBW 289 £18,287
Methofill 25mg/0.5ml inj pre-filled syringes 1001030U0BGARBI 206 £12,987
Methofill 15mg/0.3ml inj pre-filled injector 1001030U0BGADCC 179 £10,570

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

Where Methotrexate is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Methotrexate volumes.

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

Compare Methotrexate with

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

Download this data

The monthly series for Methotrexate 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.