Withdrawal agreement 'important step' for UK, ABPI says

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has responded to the Withdrawal Agreement, marking it as an "important step" towards securing a Brexit deal.

The ABPI has welcomed the agreement of a transition period which will enable companies to get medicines to patients from March 2019. The organisation also welcomed the approach taken in the declaration on the future UK/EU relationship.

In regard to medicines, the Withdrawal Agreement aims to ensure that products on the UK market and EU Single Market will still be available after the end of the transition period, when it concludes in December 2020. 

Pharmaceutical companies have put in place contingency plans to ensure patients will continue to get medicines in any Brexit scenario. The ABPI has maintained that achieving a frictionless supply of medicines would be difficult in a 'no deal' scenario. In particular, members of the ABPI have been asked to build an extra six weeks' stock to help ensure the delivery of medicines to patients. 

Mike Thompson, CEO at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), said: "We welcome this important step towards securing a Brexit deal.

“Agreeing a transition period will mean that our members can continue to supply medicines to patients without delay or disruption come March 2019.

“There’s much to build on.  But there’s more work to be done. We are committed to working with the UK and the EU so that close cooperation on scientific research and medicines regulation are central to a future partnership agreement for the benefit of all."