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A total of 16,900,477 items classified as antihistamines were prescribed and dispensed in the community in England during 2025/2026 — an 18.2% increase from the 14,296,821 items dispensed in 2021/2022 — according to analysis by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA).
The analysis, which was based on the NHSBSA’s annual prescription cost data, also revealed that fexofenadine has been the most prescribed and dispensed antihistamine since 2021/2022, with a 50.7% increase in items dispensed in the last five years, bringing it to 7,058,089 items dispensed in 2025/2026.
Fexofenadine is commonly used to treat hay fever, while some formulations and indications are available as general sales list (GSL) or pharmacy (P) medicines.
The majority of prescriptions dispensed in the community for fexofenadine in 2025/2026 were 180mg tablets with 4,757,442 items, which is available as a prescription-only medicine for the relief of long-term allergic skin reactions and as a P medicine for hives, the analysis showed.
It also revealed that 2,171,341 items of fexofenadine 120mg tablets were prescribed and dispensed in the community in 2025/2026. This drug is also available as a GSL item under brand names Allevia (Opella Healthcare UK), Histallay (Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories), Treathay (CIPLA (EU) Limited) and Pirilieve (Chanelle Medical Unlimited Company) for the relief of symptoms associated with seasonal allergic rhinitis in adults and children aged 12 years and older.
Cetirizine was the second most dispensed antihistamine substance in the community in 2025/2026, at 3,571,835 items, which is a slight decrease from 2024/2025 when 3,738,573 items were prescribed and dispensed, the data highlighted.
The majority of these items (n=3,016,850) were for cetirizine 10mg tablets, which have been available as a GSL item since 2021, followed by cetirizine 1mg/ml oral solution sugar free (n=495,554), which is also available as a GSL item, including the brand name Piriteze (Haleon).
The third most commonly prescribed antihistamine in the community in 2025/2026 was promethazine with 2,895,697 items, which can also be used as a sedative or antiemetic. The drug is available as a P medicine for travel sickness and short-term insomnia as well as for allergies.
Commenting on the figures, Holly Shaw, clinical nurse adviser at Allergy UK, said the charity’s helpline “takes hundreds of calls every month including many from people who think they might have symptoms of an allergy”.
“Antihistamines are a first-line treatment for many different allergic conditions and symptoms of mild-to-moderate allergy. An increase in the prescribing trends for this type of medication is in line with what we would expect as the number of people living with allergies rises,” she added.
“Considering that 25% of the population suffer with hay fever (the most common allergic condition), the fact the pollen season has been found to be longer each year is going to increase the length and possibly severity of someone’s symptoms and possible medication needs.”
The Met Office has said that a changing climate will mean that changes in temperature and rainfall may lengthen the UK pollen season and potentially make pollen concentrations higher.
Shaw also noted: “Poor management of allergic conditions, such as eczema, can lead to an increased risk of developing food allergies which would lead to an increase in prescriptions.
“Lack of access to specialists’ services to manage allergic conditions, especially those not responding to the initial treatment may also contribute to this increased risk.”
