Yellowhammer document outlines potential 'severe' delays to medicine supply chain

The government has published documentation outlining preparations for a no deal Brexit, which includes how it could affect the supply chain for medicines and medical products.

Operation Yellowhammer, marked ‘Official Sensitive’ and dated 2 August, was published after a vote in the House of Commons on Monday which forced publication of what the government’s plans and expectations were in the event the UK leaves the European Union without a deal on 31 October.

The document says that the reliance medicines and medical products’ supply chains have on the short straits crossings makes them particularly vulnerable to ‘severe’ extended delays with three quarters of medicines reliant on such routes.

It goes on to say: “Supply chains are also highly regulated and require transportation that meets strict Good Distribution Practices. This can include limits on time of transit, or mean product must be transported under temperature controlled conditions. Whilst some products can be stockpiled, others cannot due to short shelf lives – it will also not be practical to stockpile products to cover expected delays of up to six months.”    

The document outlined that the Department for Health and Social Care is developing a ‘multi-layered approach’ to mitigate risks.

In response, Dr Sheuli Porkess, executive director of research, medical and innovation at ABPI said: “Companies have been planning for the scenarios in this report for many months, including increasing stocks and planning alternative supply routes where possible - stockpiling is just part of this detailed planning. 

“Government measures have supported these preparations. Companies now need the practical detail on how some of these measures, like additional freight capacity, will work in practice.” 

In his letter to Dominic Grieve following the tabling of the motion that led to the publication of the document, the duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove said Yellowhammer details a reasonable worst case scenario, that assumptions are regularly updated and a review is currently underway.

Gove also described Grieve’s call for communications between named individuals such as Dominic Cummings, and advisor to prime minister Boris Johnson, as an “unprecedented use of Humble Address procedure.”