Concerns about risk to security of medicines supply post-Brexit raised by HDA UK

The Healthcare Distribution Association (HDA UK) has raised concerns about the security of the supply of medicines in the UK following Brexit in response to the Health Select Committee’s inquiry.

According to the association, any disruption to the cross-border flow of medicines as a result of the UK leaving the EU could place patients’ safety at risk. As such, the HDA UK has urged the government to consider three key issues when negotiating the country’s exit:

• Greater awareness of potential risks associated with leaving the block.
• Importance of ensuring medicines supply chain resilience.
• Necessity to consider the likely impact of Brexit on the cost of NHS medicines.

Additionally, the association provided insight on areas it believes will impact the medicines supply chain after Brexit, including customs arrangements and tariffs, medicines licensing, access to labour and global regulatory co-operation.

If border controls and tariffs are introduced, the HDA UK warned that medicines make become more expensive to import and increase the administrative burden, which in turn could have an impact on the security of the supply of medicines in the country.

Additionally, losing equivalence with the pan-European legislation for drug approval could have hinder the ability of pharmaceutical manufacturers to bring their products to the UK as quickly as is currently possible. Furthermore, if parallel imports are not possible after the UK’s exit from the EU there could be consequences on the ability to cover gaps at times of unforeseen demand.

The HDA UK stressed that it is supportive of a transitional agreement with the EU on the issues highlighted above, so that in time a long-term and sustainable solution can be developed. The full submission to the Health Select Committee’s inquiry by the HDA is available to read here.