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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Paraldehyde

Central Nervous System Antiepileptic drugs BNF 0408020Q0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Paraldehyde was ranked 1112th of 1,796 medicines by items in May 2026, with 216 items, down 2.3% on a year earlier.

216items -2.3%

Dispensed in May 2026

2,252items

Rolling 12 months

£7,945

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Paraldehyde: national items dispensed by month

0 134.5 269 Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Jul 2026 224 Jan 2021: 124 Feb 2021: 132 Mar 2021: 162 Apr 2021: 134 May 2021: 163 Jun 2021: 155 Jul 2021: 166 Aug 2021: 149 Sep 2021: 174 Oct 2021: 148 Nov 2021: 171 Dec 2021: 211 Jan 2022: 187 Feb 2022: 157 Mar 2022: 198 Apr 2022: 156 May 2022: 193 Jun 2022: 188 Jul 2022: 194 Aug 2022: 184 Sep 2022: 239 Oct 2022: 212 Nov 2022: 183 Dec 2022: 171 Jan 2023: 202 Feb 2023: 139 Mar 2023: 203 Apr 2023: 171 May 2023: 184 Jun 2023: 172 Jul 2023: 207 Aug 2023: 143 Sep 2023: 186 Oct 2023: 215 Nov 2023: 173 Dec 2023: 170 Jan 2024: 197 Feb 2024: 177 Mar 2024: 227 Apr 2024: 198 May 2024: 193 Jun 2024: 205 Jul 2024: 204 Aug 2024: 184 Sep 2024: 218 Oct 2024: 188 Nov 2024: 204 Dec 2024: 201 Jan 2025: 220 Feb 2025: 208 Mar 2025: 188 Apr 2025: 209 May 2025: 221 Jun 2025: 202 Jul 2025: 246 Aug 2025: 193 Sep 2025: 269 Oct 2025: 219 Nov 2025: 231 Dec 2025: 225 Jan 2026: 247 Feb 2026: 214 Mar 2026: 213 Apr 2026: 225 May 2026: 216 Jun 2026: 235 Jul 2026: 224

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Antiepileptic drugs
  • Presentations 1 shown
  • Average cost / item £36.78
  • Year on year Down 2.3% 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 Paraldehyde this month.

Presentations of Paraldehyde, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Paraldehyde 50% in Olive oil rectal solution 0408020Q0AAAJAJ 216 £7,945

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

Where Paraldehyde is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Paraldehyde volumes.

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

Compare Paraldehyde with

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

Download this data

The monthly series for Paraldehyde 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.