Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2019 to Question 226647 on Medical Treatments, whether suppliers have confirmed that they have plans in place to air freight short shelf-life medicines, including medical radioisotopes, to avoid any border delays that may arise in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Our number one priority is for patients to continue to have access to medicines, including medical radioisotopes, whatever the European Union exit outcome, and we have robust contingency plans in place.

Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority. However, as a responsible Government we must plan for every possible outcome including ‘no deal’. The Department has published guidance to industry and the health and care system to allow them to make informed plans and preparations. This is available on GOV.UK.

The Department has been working with industry to ensure that air freight is contracted to maintain continuity of supply for certain short shelf-life products, including medical radioisotopes, in the initial period following 29 March 2019 should the United Kingdom leave the EU without a deal.

Throughout enacting our plans, the response from industry has been extremely positive. Industry shares our aims of ensuring continuity of medicines’ supply for patients is maintained and that companies are able to cope with any potential delays at the border that may arise in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

We are confident that if everyone does what they need to do, the supply of medicines and other medical products will be uninterrupted.