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Atorvastatin was the most dispensed medicine in England in 2025-26 with 78 million items, according to the latest prescription cost analysis by the NHS Business Services Authority.

The report, published today, revealed the statin is the most dispensed medicine since 2016-17. The 78 million items dispensed was a seven per cent increase on 2024-25.

The report also showed the number of prescription items in total dispensed in the community increased by three per cent to 1.3 billion from 1.26 billion in 2024-25, the fifth year in a row it has risen.

The number of prescription items dispensed has increased by 17 per cent since 2016-17, rising by 190 million items during that time.

The cost of prescription items dispensed in the community increased for the seventh year in a row, rising by £2.4 billion since 2016-17. In 2025-26, it stood at £11.6 billion compared with £11.2 billion in 2024-25.