Drugs

(asked on 3rd September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the public have uninterrupted access to over the counter medicines in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.


Answered by
Edward Argar Portrait
Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This question was answered on 10th September 2020

The Department, in consultation with the devolved administrations and Crown Dependencies, is working with trade bodies, product suppliers, and the health and care system in England to make detailed plans to help ensure continued supply of medicines and medical products, including medical radioisotopes and over-the-counter medicines, to the whole of the United Kingdom at the end of the transition period in all scenarios.

The Department understands that a flexible approach to preparedness may be required for medicines that cannot be stockpiled, such as some medical radioisotopes. We have asked suppliers of those products to use airfreight, which some suppliers are already doing now.

Further detail on the plans to help ensure continuity of medical supplies has been communicated to suppliers, and can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-to-medicines-and-medical-products-suppliers-3-august-2020/letter-to-medicine-suppliers-3-august-2020

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