logo

Oxytocin and Autism Ranking: Insufficient/Mixed evidence

Cost and Time

Cost

The cost of using oxytocin will depend on a number of factors including the supplier, the brand, the way it is administered, the dosage, and the length and frequency of treatment.

According to the British National Formulary (BNF) website accessed on 29 September 2017, the NHS indicative price for two of the commonly used injectable forms was as follows

  • Oxytocin (generic, non-branded)  £3.64 for 5 units/1ml solution for injection ampoules
  • Syntocinon, £4.01 for 5 units/1ml solution for injection ampoules (hospital use only)

Time

The amount of time it takes to use oxytocin will depend on a number of factors including the overall length of treatment, the frequency of treatments and the time taken to administer a single dose.

There is currently no agreement on the correct length of treatment or frequency of treatment dosage of oxytocin to use for autistic people.

In the studies we identified, administration via a nasal inhaler took a few moments whereas administration via an intravenous infusion took up to four hours.  In the case of the intravenous infusion, more time would have been required for travel to and from the hospital. In some studies, the oxytocin was only administered once, in some studies it was administered daily for up to three months.

Updated
17 Jun 2022
Last Review
01 Nov 2017
Next Review
01 May 2024