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#3Blokes In A Pub... Talk MEDICINE (Ep 17)
12/11/2018
In this rather fiery and impassioned episode of #3Blokes In A Pub, we talk to scientist Dr Mike Galsworthy about #Brexit's impact on medicine and the NHS.
'Absolutely disgusting': Jacob Rees-Mogg condemned for likening doctor to disgraced anti-vaxxer for warning of deaths after no-deal Brexit
05/09/2019
Under-fire Tory minister told he would be sued if allegation against government-hired expert had been made outside Commons.
Another year should give enough time to amend Northern Ireland's medicines supply chain after Brexit, an industry expert said.
Deal or no deal, British companies will have to confront a wall of bureaucracy that threatens chaos at the border if they want to sell into the world’s biggest trading bloc when life after Brexit begins on January 1.
Concern has been expressed about a potential risk to the supply of pharmaceutical drugs to Northern Ireland following Brexit.
'There May Be Deaths' – No-Deal Brexit Warning From Former Chief Medical Officer Is Starkest Yet
10/10/2019
Professor Dame Sally Davies said shortages of medical supplies will put lives at risk.
'There may be deaths': No-deal Brexit medical shortages could put lives at risk, top doctor warns
10/10/2019
People could die as a result of shortages of vital medical supplies in the event of no-deal Brexit, England's chief medical officer has warned.
Exclusive: pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson fears border delays could disrupt flow of vital medical supplies
Pharmacists say minor delays at ports could have knock-on effects in lean supply chain.
10,000 riot police ready to tackle disorder over potential protests, and food and medicine shortages
04/04/2019
Police chief appeals to politicians and activists to ‘think about the consequences’ of their rhetoric in ‘febrile’ atmosphere. / More than 10,000 riot police officers are being readied to tackle disorder on the streets of Britain sparked by Brexit.
100 Days Until Brexit, And GPs Like Me Have Started Stockpiling Medicines – How Has It Come To This?
19/12/2018
The Health Secretary, announced he has become the world’s leading buyer of fridges, so he can stockpile medicines in the event of no deal – no one wrote that on the side of a bus.
Deal or no deal, here are the issues that need fixing by March 29.
The sector fears shortages: of medicine, of staff, and of answers.
A majority of MLAs in the Stormont Assembly have signed a joint letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson stating their opposition to proposed legislation to amend the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Leaked No-deal Brexit planning documents from Operation Yellowhammer warn of the likely impact on the UK - not the worst case scenario, and have been likened to 'wartime' in peacetime by the Lib Dems
A transatlantic network of conservative think tanks accidentally published its secret plans to influence US-UK ... Documents outline plans to form an “unprecedented” coalition of hard-Brexit and libertarian think tanks, which will call for Britain to ditch strict EU safety standards – including rules on food and pharmaceuticals – in order to secure a sweeping US-UK trade deal.
The BMA has repeatedly warned that a 'no deal' Brexit will have damaging consequences for patients, the health workforce and health services across the UK and Europe. From the supply of medicines and patient access to care, to Northern Ireland and the impact on the health workforce: no part of the health service will be left unscathed.
Without free trade with the EU, British health services are set to face grave challenges throughout the second wave of coronavirus and beyond.
The shortages have left 70 per cent of patients surveyed by charity ADHD UK rationing their supplies.
The African Medicines Agency (AMA) is a proposed specialised agency of the African Union (AU) intended to facilitate the harmonisation of medical regulation throughout the African Union. Following a similar model to that of the European Medicines Agency, it is intended to have a wide scope covering medicines, traditional medicine, and medical devices.
The mother of a boy with severe epilepsy has welcomed news that medical cannabis imports from the Netherlands can continue for a while longer.
Amazon halts alcohol sales in Northern Ireland and prepares to de-list more products due to new Brexit customs rules
26/01/2021
Amazon has stopped selling wines, beers and spirits to its customers in Northern Ireland as it wrestles with new customs rules post-Brexit.
The government has announced the plans – but hasn't decided what form of transport will be used.
Sue Ellison, joint MD of OPM (labels and packaging) Group looks at how counterfeiting measures for pharmaceuticals packaging are being affected in a post-Brexit world.
Criminals selling counterfeit drugs prey on the vulnerable. The threat of no deal may make anxious patients turn to them.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul tells i a no deal Brexit would be disastrous, leading to potentially thousands of EU doctors leaving the service.
Boris Johnson accused of eyeing post-Brexit US trade deal by ripping out food safeguards imposed by parliament
26/10/2019
‘This is clearly an attempt to make it harder for the public and parliament to ensure protections are not traded away’
Demands for prime minister to reveal if dangers listed in ‘no-deal readiness report’ last autumn are still real – and whether they have grown because of pandemic.
Dr Philippa Whitford, MP and eminent breast cancer surgeon, shares her concerns for the future of our NHS following Brexit. Recorded in front of a live audience at Arran High School Theatre on Friday 13th September 2019.
Three NHS trust chief executives tell Sky News the government's no-deal Brexit planning is like "navigating through treacle".
Experts warn that European Medicines Agency membership would have had advantages.
THE turning point was the Brexit referendum. Before voting to leave the EU in June 2016, medicine shortages were not something the UK often had to worry about.
With the NHS under such exceptional pressure during the coronavirus crisis, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the UK’s Brexit transition period ends on December 31. Mark Dayan takes a closer look at how these two challenges for the health service might collide, and says there is a case to err on the side of caution.
As the uncertainty around the UK's withdrawal from the EU continues, Talha Burki reports on the potential implications for supplies of drugs.
Brexit and the red tape explosion
16/08/2023
Helmuth Porschen ponders the fate of UKCA and wonders why the government can’t persuade the rest of the world to adopt British standards.
Brexit Border Friction Led to "Two Or Three Hundred Consignments" Of Cancer Drugs Being Destroyed
04/02/2021
A senior Conservative MP has told PoliticsHome that he will be "seeking urgent clarification from the government" over reports time-sensitive cancer drugs were destroyed due to post-Brexit border delays.
The BMA has published a series of briefings, which outline our policy positions on a range of key issues relating to the impact of Brexit on the UK healthcare system.
BREXIT Costs Principal Investigator €2.5m Research Grant—142 Others Will Lose Medical Research Grants?
19/08/2022
Was the United Kingdom’s move to exit the European Union (EU) via BREXIT a bad move for biomedical research? According to a prominent academic investigator from the Imperial College of London, the move cost 2.5 million Euros ($2.52m USD) in research grants.
UK drug distributors and those involved in the parallel importing of drugs have told the parliamentary Health Select Committee that they want to see the UK remain in the customs union and the single market.
Brexit disruption to medicine supply lines would be unacceptable, Health Minister Robin Swann says
22/04/2021
Health Minister Robin Swann has voiced concern about the supply line of medicines to Northern Ireland as a result of a looming Brexit regulatory barrier.
As of December 2022, UK companies importing medicines from the EU may need to set up new batch testing facilities. What will this mean for the industry and how did the situation come about?
Brexit has delayed Northern Ireland’s right to use a life-saving cancer drug in the same way as the UK.
Brexit Has Left Malta Without Its Main Medical Supplier, Abela Warns EU In Leaked Letter Calling For New Procurement Policy
22/02/2021
Prime Minister Robert Abela has revealed that the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU has left Malta without its main legal vehicle to supply medical products to its residents, a leaked letter sent to the President of the European Council has revealed.
Brexit shut off the “relief valve” of immigration from the European Union, worsening workforce shortages in health and social care in the UK, a report from the Nuffield Trust think tank has concluded. / Brexit’s effect has been felt particularly in specialties such as cardiothoracic surgery and anaesthesia, and in dentistry and the care sector.
A report is warning the UK's medicine supply chain is "broken" with drug shortages becoming the "new normal" in Britain.
Brexit comes with uncertainty regarding the approval of medicines and medical devices, including software and technology. Regulatory hurdles could disrupt the approval of existing and new devices and technology.
Brexit is causing medicine shortages
07/11/2023
The supply of drugs, including of antibiotics, is being squeezed.
A report from the Nuffield Trust has concluded that the UK is facing “constantly elevated medicine shortages,” including some antibiotics and epilepsy drugs, which are being fuelled by Brexit.
Brexit letter threatens to leave epileptic children without access to life-saving medicine
21/12/2020
Medical cannabis prescriptions can help reduce seizures in youngsters.
Brexit has increased drug prices and worsened staff shortages in the U.K., increasing the impact of other serious issues facing the country’s health care system, a report has found.
THE SEISMIC CHANGES to the relationship with our nearest neighbours and the impact of Brexit have only added fuel to the fire of severe challenges facing health and social care in the UK today, making people less healthy and widening health inequalities.
Generic makers have started to withdraw because they cannot afford to meet the costs of new post-Brexit red tape.
About 40 severely epileptic children are affected because supply of medical cannabis is terminated
Britain faces expulsion from a medical network that helps to identify and treat conditions that affect tens of thousands.
Three years ago, on 31 January 2020, the British flags that had flown outside European Union buildings for over 40 years were lowered. The then prime minister Boris Johnson had “got Brexit done.” Except he hadn’t.
Brexit to hit supplies of cancer, epilepsy and diabetes medicines to Northern Ireland, government warned
19/04/2021
Firms already starting to withdraw vital drugs because of costly new red tape, says industry group.
Concession-priced medicine list is longest it has been since system was introduced.
The paper, commissioned by the Scottish Government, identified 137 potential impacts.
Britain imports radioactive isotopes to detect and cure cancer. Border chaos at Dover would make them useless in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Brexit, One Month After
10/02/2021
The UK’s official departure from the EU took place on January 1, 2021. The Brexit roll-out, not unexpectedly, has been awash with problems.
Brexit: despatches from the downside – No 19
27/01/2024
This week's Brexit downsides: half a billion in extra costs to import food, the collapse of trade talks with Canada and more.
Brexit: despatches from the downside – No 9
17/11/2023
Your weekly update from the Brexit ‘downside bunker’, chronicling the downsides, and occasional upsides, of Brexit.
There are growing post-Brexit differences between which medicines are approved for use in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, research from a health think tank indicates.
Brexit could have major implications for health and social care in England. Here we look at some of the latest developments that could have an impact.
The United Kingdom will delay the introduction of border checks on imports from the European Union by as much as six months in a bid to avoid piling on the pain for British business and choking off vital food supplies.
Head of Welsh CBI tells committee pharmaceutical firm has had to move production to Dublin.
England's Chief Medical Officer has told LBC she is concerned that a no-deal Brexit could mean the NHS cannot get the medicine it needs to save lives.
US, European, Japanese and Chinese patients could get novel medicines ahead of patients in the UK after Brexit, the CEO of French pharma Ipsen has said in an interview.
The United Kingdom has passed the point of no return. It has less than six months to reach a new trade deal with the European Union or risk heaping more pressure on companies that are already laying off tens of thousands of workers because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Health Secretary insists government has ‘plan for all eventualities’.
Pharmaceutical industry says restocking before December looking impossible.
As the possibility of a no-deal Brexit scenario increases, and the government publishes its “no-deal preparedness” notices, it is worth taking stock of the sheer variety of problems that would arise with a no-deal Brexit – and the devastating consequences that would arise from such a legal limbo. Here’s what we know so far.
our out of five drugs used by the NHS will not be allowed into Northern Ireland by January 2022 due to the Protocol, the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) has warned.
The UK left the EU on January 31, 2020, and this began the complex process of de-coupling the UK regulatory regime from that of the EU. This has not been straightforward, particularly where goods move into and out of Northern Ireland (NI), where the EU rules continue to apply, from Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland (GB)), where they do not.
A complete shortage of a blood thinner drug dose is recorded in Cyprus due to Brexit, with health officials urging patients to show solidarity and buy only what they need. / Almost two years after the UK ceased being a member of the European Union, the island is still experiencing the consequences in its pharmaceutical sector.
Dispatches discovers how Donald Trump’s allies and US drug giants want to force the NHS to pay more for US medicines [1 min]
28/10/2019
Tahir Amin is a British lawyer based in America who is an expert on drug pricing and on previous trade negotiations.
David Nicholl, who drew up a risk register of epilepsy and neurology drugs for the government’s Operation Yellowhammer plans for no deal, said he was not going to take lessons from a “muppet” who had no medical qualifications.
DONALD Trump is threatening to use post-Brexit trade talks to lower the price of prescription drugs for US patients by forcing the NHS to pay more, in a move which could cost the UK billions.
Traders fear that flow of food and vital medicines will be disrupted after 1 January – even as UK may be hit by second spike of Covid-19.
Makers and suppliers of life-saving drugs and medical devices say they have still not been told by British authorities how their goods will be handled if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal at the end of October.
The UK government has announced a ban on some drug exports to protect NHS patients' access to medicines.
The Swiss pharmaceuticals company Novartis has said it is stockpiling drugs in the UK before a possible no-deal Brexit, which it warned would be “hugely impactful” for patients.
More than 60 non-disclosure agreements in force across Whitehall as part of planning. / Pharmaceutical organisations working with Whitehall to maintain medicine supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit have signed 26 “gagging orders” that bar them from revealing information to the public.
More than half of Ireland’s medicines come from or are transited via the UK.
Health union leaders have issued an urgent warning that a no-deal Brexit could "devastate" the NHS and cause potentially "fatal" shortages and delays.
EMA cuts services amid Brexit staff exodus
06/08/2018
Europe’s medicines regulator has said it is temporarily cutting services as it will lose at least 30% of its staff as it relocates to Amsterdam during Brexit.
England's Chief Medical Officer Professor Dame Sally Davies warned that a no-deal Brexit could lead to "deaths", amid suggestions the Government could adopt leaving the EU without a deal as an official position in an election.
March figures show 93 medications on ‘concessions list’ subsidised by government, the highest number since scheme was launched in 2014. / Medicines vital for managing epilepsy, cancer and life-threatening asthma attacks are among a record number of products which are currently facing shortages made worse by Brexit uncertainty.
The issue stems from the outworkings of the NI Protocol, which means Northern Ireland remains covered by the EU’s pharmaceutical regulations.
Several large-scale smuggling incidents show that EU concerns over the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol are not theoretical, it added.
UK foreign secretary has said EU invite for Covid-19 scheme was sent to old email address.
The European Commission vice president has suggested the EU could act unilaterally to guarantee the supply of medicines from GB to Northern Ireland.
Iain Duncan Smith says the financial liabilities signed up to by Boris Johnson in the withdrawal agreement were too great.
EU Doctors Quit Britain as Brexit Looms
03/12/2018
An exodus of medical specialists is putting new strains on the U.K.’s National Health Service. / Pioneering transplant surgeon Paolo Muiesan is returning to Italy after about 1,000 operations and 26 years in the U.K. The reason, he says, is Brexit.
Bloc plans to bulk-buy key drugs for all 27 countries, potentially leaving Britain ‘behind in the queue’. / “Europe is securing access to key drugs and vaccines as a single region, with huge influence and buying power. As a result of Brexit the UK is now isolated from this system, so our drug supplies could be at risk in the future,” said Dr Andrew Hill, an expert on the pharmaceutical trade.
European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic is expected to announce proposed new legislation on Friday.
Brussels ready to slap tariffs and quotas on UK exports – and even to ‘suspend cooperation in certain sectors’
A top European Union official said Wednesday that Britain could face retaliatory tariffs or other sanctions after talks failed to resolve an increasingly heated dispute over implementation of their post-Brexit trade deal in Northern Ireland.
European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic urged London on Friday to conclude a deal to allow medicines to flow easily from Britain to Northern Ireland as well as other issues concerning trade to the British province.
EU, America and China will all get new medicines ahead of Britain after Brexit, drug company boss warns
14/02/2019
David Meek, the CEO of Ipsen, warns Britain leaving the European Union has seen the country fall down the list of priorities.
EU-UK relations: European Union ensures continued supply of medicines to Northern Ireland, as well as Cyprus, Ireland and Malta
12/04/2022
The European Commission welcomes the swift adoption by the Council of the proposals to ensure the continued long-term supply of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and to address outstanding supply concerns in Cyprus, Ireland and Malta – markets that have been historically supplied through or by Great Britain.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is a European Union agency for the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products.
Explosive leaked trade papers show NHS, chlorinated chicken already on table in US trade talks
27/11/2019
'Trade campaigners have welcomed the release of leaked papers detailing trade talks between the Trump administration and British government officials, which show the US government pushing Britain into as hard a Brexit as possible because they see this as the best way of benefitting the US economy. This comes at the expense of standards, protections and livelihoods in Britain.'
Operation Yellowhammer documents predict public disorder, rising prices and disruptions to food and medicines.
Four ferry firms have landed government contracts worth a total of £77.6m to provide post-Brexit freight capacity.
He was booed in Scotland. In Wales, a chicken submitted to his embrace, but politicians held him at arm’s length. And in Northern Ireland, there were rumblings of Irish unity — which could only come at the expense of its ties to the rest of the United Kingdom.
Flu vaccine 'could be airlifted into the UK' in event of no-deal, warns French drugs firm
26/03/2019
Flu vaccine could be airlifted into the UK after Brexit if routes such as the Channel Tunnel and ferries are disrupted, the boss of a leading drugs company has said.
Four Brexit red tape horror stories
27/02/2021
Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll distils a few of the post-exit bumps facing individual British firms that she has investigated for the Guardian
Gemma Lee handed hefty tax bill for lifesaving 'miracle' drugs because of post-Brexit rules
13/04/2022
A terminal cancer patient has been handed a hefty tax bill for her "miracle" lifesaving drugs, because of changes to how VAT is charged post-Brexit.
The Good Law Project has today threatened to issue judicial review proceedings on Tuesday 26 February unless Government cancels powers to allow pharmacists to alter prescriptions for people with serious medical conditions in the event of medicines shortages.
Ministers accused of ‘disgraceful’ failure to assess potential risks, including shortage of medical supplies and health workers.
Government announces plans to bring medicine from Europe in case of no-deal after Grayling's ferry fiasco
26/06/2019
The Government has announced new plans to secure freight capacity to bring medicines and medical equipment from continental Europe in the case of a no-deal Brexit in October.
Government dismisses calls for no-deal Brexit assessments to be released in full immediately
19/08/2019
Corbyn says claims that leaked dossier warning of no-deal chaos is outdated ‘can’t be trusted’.
The government is facing an unprecedented backlash from five key industries over Boris Johnson's plans for post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Government says medicines must be stockpiled for no-deal Brexit on top of Covid-19 pressures
04/08/2020
But pharmaceutical industry has warned that sufficient buffer stocks may not be possible by December.
Four companies agree contracts that will help ensure supply of vital medicines.
New services provided to ease expected congestion at Kent ports
Government to offer reprieve after Brexit halts medical drug supply for epileptic children
26/01/2021
Supplies of life-saving Bedrolite oil, which is manufactured in the Netherlands, were set to run out in weeks.
Government urges post-Brexit drug stockpiles
03/08/2020
The government has urged pharmaceutical firms to have six weeks' worth of drugs stockpiled, in readiness for the end of the Brexit transition period.
Government working to ‘find a solution’ after Brexit halts medical drug supply for epileptic children
07/01/2021
Supplies of prescribed medical cannabis set to run out in a matter of weeks, affecting up to 40 children.
Travellers caught up in extension of ‘hostile environment’ policy tell of being made to feel like criminals.
Health leaders issue new no-deal warning
21/08/2019
Health leaders have written to Boris Johnson issuing new warnings on the impact of a no-deal Brexit.
The decision to establish an African Medicines Agency is hailed as a turning point in efforts to advance regulatory oversight but also draws calls for caution. John Zarocostas reports.
Big firms want Donald Trump to play hard ball over the NHS, food quality and consumer rights.
From antibiotics to cancer drugs, The London Economic can reveal the full extent of the medicine supply crisis gripping Britain.
How a post-Brexit trade deal with the US could make life-saving drugs unaffordable for the NHS
10/03/2019
The UK is going to be at a distinct disadvantage in this negotiation – desperate for a deal the US could happily live without.
A US-UK trade deal is being negotiated, and drug prices are a key issue. Several US officials are demanding that foreign countries pay higher prices to US drug companies.
DAN WHITE gives a personal account of how Brexit is already impacting the disabled.
How will NICE fare in a post-Brexit world?
17/05/2021
NICE has a global reputation as a pioneering HTA – but is that influence at risk now that the UK has left the EU? Experts from ICON give us their views on the past, present and future of NICE’s standing on the world stage.
Drugs and other medical supplies to be shipped over on seven new ferry routes.
I'm a doctor standing as an MP because when I raised concerns over no-deal medical supplies, the Government dismissed me
21/11/2019
I spoke up on the dangers of medicine supply plans for No-Deal Brexit, but was ignored by my MP Sajid Javid. So now I'm running against him.
Huge warehouse in secret location holds £5m-worth of medical products and food.
Jacob Rees-Mogg apologises for likening doctor who warned of no-deal Brexit deaths to disgraced anti-vaxxer amid widespread condemnation
06/09/2019
Jacob Rees-Mogg has apologised to a doctor after likening him to a disgraced anti-vaxxer who was widely blamed for the scare over the MMR jab.
Jacob Rees-Mogg attacks doctor who advised government on no-deal Brexit, dismissing his warnings people will die as 'fear-mongering'
02/09/2019
Neurologist David Nicholl helped draft Operation Yellowhammer document on medicine shortages - but Commons leader accuses him of incompetence.
Labour leader says documents leave Boris Johnson’s denials on post-Brexit US trade deal ‘in tatters’.
No hint of contrition or constructiveness in article by Lord Frost and Brandon Lewis... just menace.
Leaked cabinet note admits UK not ready for no-deal exit on October 31, blowing hole in Boris Johnson leadership pledge
12/06/2019
It will take “six to eight months” to build up supplies of medicines for a no-deal Brexit, a leaked cabinet note says – undermining Boris Johnson’s threat to crash out of the EU on 31 October.
Medicines will also be subject to shortages, according to ‘realistic assessment’. / The UK will face a three-month meltdown at its ports, a hard Irish border and shortages of food and medicine if it leaves the EU without a deal, according to government documents on Operation Yellowhammer.
A review of evidence about opportunities, challenges and risks to the North East economy and its key sectors with recommendations for action.
Lord Empey slams 'headlong emotional rush' into Brexit 'without any thought to the detail'
24/01/2023
Sir Reg Empey says he expects a hearing into how the NI Protocol is affecting medicine supplies on Wednesday to bring “more bad news”.
Lords committee to take evidence on impact of Northern Ireland protocol on medicine provision
25/01/2023
A House of Lords committee will discuss the impact of the Northern Ireland protocol on medicine supplies in Northern Ireland.
A no-deal Brexit later this year during winter and amid coronavirus would be ‘a vicious, and avoidable, combination of risks’ says Health Foundation.
Maria Manley Discusses the Consequences of Brexit for the Pharmaceutical Industry [20 mins]
06/05/2021
Maria Manley, LLM, a life sciences expert and London-based partner with Sidley Austin, provides a deep-dive look at the complexities of Brexit and how it is likely to challenge the biologics industry.
It comes after serious warning about food supply from supermarkets.
Medical products are ‘particularly vulnerable to severe extended delays’ ... - confirming our concerns (British Medical Association)
11/09/2019
The Operation Yellowhammer document states that medicines and medical products are ‘particularly vulnerable to severe extended delays’ in the event of a no deal Brexit - confirming our concerns as outlined in our briefing document last week
Medical supplies needed to fight second wave to be hit by no-deal Brexit, think tank warns
14/10/2020
Medical supplies crucial to fight a second wave of coronavirus face being disrupted by a no-deal Brexit, a leading health think tank has warned.
Delays caused by added bureaucracy following Brexit and other international situations such as the war in Ukraine are leading to shortage of medicines, with pharmacies scrambling to offer replacements so as not to keep their clients without the items they need.
The shortage of medicines is set to only get worse in Ireland because stockpiles created to lessen the impact of Brexit are running out, the chair of Medicines for Ireland has warned.
The chief pharmaceutical officer has warned that without mitigation, the supply of medicines and medical devices into Northern Ireland would be considered a "very high risk area".
Ministers will relax rules around clinical trials and streamline the approval of new medicines in a bid to maintain Britain’s competitiveness following Brexit.
Ministers will not know whether there are enough medicines, medical supplies or freight capacity to support the NHS if the UK leaves the EU without a deal next month, Whitehall’s spending watchdog has found.
‘Invitation to tender’ issued in a beefed-up version of Chris Grayling’s failed contracts with ferry companies, which ended in humiliation. / Ministers are preparing to spend £300m to bring in emergency food and medicine supplies after a no-deal Brexit – including through airlifts.
Pharmacists will overrule GPs to ration drugs under a no-deal Brexit, The Times has learnt. / Ministers will order them to alter prescriptions without first contacting the patient’s GP in order to mitigate any extreme shortages, according to a leaked document.
Brian Toohey, of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America trade group, spearheads PhRMA and recently told of the US drugs industry's predatory intentions.
Those on the frontline are caught between political uncertainty and a scared and sometimes angry public.
Government gives two weeks notice that access to epilepsy treatment for nine-year-old Alfie Dingley will end
Navy may need to intervene in clashes between UK and European fishing vessels, leaked plans warn
23/08/2020
Contingencies drawn up for ‘no deal’ Brexit.
Mother of son with severe epilepsy says ‘fight is not over’ as Brexit bans EU states fulfilling UK prescriptions
SCOTLAND'S two chief medical officers has issued a new warning of shortages to the supply of medicines in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit.
Informa Pharma Intelligence (IPI) has found that some drug firms may withdraw up to 90% of their products from Northern Ireland, once the Brexit grace period has passed.
George Hollingbery, then trade minister, and John Saville, Her Majesty’s Consul General in Chicago met a pharmaceutical company's senior director in August last year to discuss a post-Brexit pact.
NHS costs, food standards and intellectual property rights must be protected in any deal by the UK to join a major international trade agreement, a Lords committee has told ministers in a new report.
India supplies the NHS with a quarter of its medicines and changes to pharma monopoly rights and patent laws under leaked plans could see costs spiral.
Medicine shortages in the NHS are 'as bad as they've ever been' as a new report blames Brexit for the supply issues. / Antibiotics, hormone replacement therapy drugs, and ADHD medication are all in short supply this winter with NHS chiefs forced to pay gouged prices in order to fulfil demand.
Price of X-ray machines, medicines and bedding all expected to rise, says Nuffield Trust.
Pharmaceutical industry leaders want a temporary ban on drugs exports to prevent the NHS being hit by shortages in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
Patients put at risk as crisis hits supplies of vital antibiotics, HRT and anti-depressants. / Vital antibiotics, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs are among those in desperately short supply this winter – with the NHS forced to pay over the odds to get drugs into Britain.
Hospital chiefs have been asked to prepare health service for potential disruption from end of 2020.
Specialisms such as dentistry have shortages and EU exit still causes issues with medicines in Northern Ireland, thinktank finds.
NI Brexit: Supply of medicines to NI fears as end of grace period looms - Health Minister Robin Swann admits he is concerned
22/04/2021
Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Robin Swann has voiced concern about the supply of medicines to the region as a result of a looming Brexit regulatory barrier to securing stock from the rest of the UK.
An organisation which represents medicines wholesalers says supplying Northern Ireland remains "challenging, problematic and inefficient".
There are still unresolved issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol despite changes made by the EU, says a major pharmaceutical firm.
Goods lorries entering Northern Ireland (NI) from Great Britain would have to complete a three-page certificate under EU plans to simplify post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Government figures seek to play down predictions of food, medicine and fuel shortages in leaked document.
NO to Death by Brexit
24/06/2019
We are protesting against the fact that due to Brexit people with life threatening diseases are not guaranteed their vital medicines. The clock is ticking without any assurances that the UK is prepared for the crash out of the EU whch has a terrible effect on people’s lives.
Scotland's public health minister, Joe Fitzpatrick, also described the lack of guarantees over medical supplies in the event of a no-deal as "completely unacceptable".
A Mirror probe reveals fears medicine shortages will put thousands of lives at risk if Britain crashes out of the EU.
No-deal Brexit could cause six months of drug shortages and traffic chaos, government warns
07/12/2018
Emergency plans to fly in medical supplies have been laid to ensure hospitals remain stocked amid six months of expected chaos at Britain’s channel ports after a no-deal Brexit. Critical supplies could also be diverted away from channel routes and some drugs may even be rationed to ensure stocks do not run out.
A major voice in the pharma sector echoes warnings that Brexit risks delaying crucial supplies as winter hits its height.
Leaving the EU without a deal could have a devastating effect on the NHS, a union warned.
A no-deal Brexit could jeopardise the UK’s access to medicine just as a second wave of coronavirus could hit.
Stockpiling of popular prescriptions has already started.
No-deal Brexit fears over medicine supply prompt Dutch scramble for 50 'critical' UK-supplied drugs
08/02/2019
Names of at risk medicines kept secret by Netherlands' Bruno Bruins to prevent other EU states stockpiling and driving up costs.
No-deal Brexit planning may have 'crowded out' work on the UK's resilience preparedness for a pandemic
13/06/2023
The independent Covid inquiry has heard that Brexit may have interfered with and ‘crowded out’ the UK’s capacity to prepare for a pandemic.
No-deal Brexit: 10 ways it could affect you
01/08/2019
How could you be affected if the UK does leave the EU without an agreement?
No-deal Brexit: Almost half of Brits are stockpiling food, medicine and clothes as UK heads for the cliff edge
07/07/2019
Four out of ten Brits are stockpiling items including food, medicine and clothes in preparation for the growing prospect of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union without a Brexit deal later this year.
Medical and pharmaceutical industry leaders are warning some of the contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit is not as well advanced as it was earlier this year.
From cross-Channel transport disruption to public disorder – the predictions in the leaked document.
Importing fresh food through the port of Dover would only be the Government’s third highest priority in the event of a no-deal Brexit later this year, it has emerged.
A leaked cross-government study warning of the impact of a no-deal Brexit outlines a "worst-case scenario", cabinet minister Michael Gove has said.
'Disorderly Brexit would create such a complex situation that it is impossible for companies to prepare for all eventualities,' said Utz Tillmann, managing director of VCI
Northern Ireland could face medicine shortages after Brexit grace period ends next year, report claims
27/09/2021
Leading pharmaceutical research firm finds some drug firms will withdraw up to 90 per cent of their products from Northern Ireland as protocol hits exports.
Northern Ireland could lose half of its veterinary medicines in a new Brexit row threatening to prolong the political stalemate in the region, it has emerged.
Northern Ireland medicine supply under threat because of Brexit.
Nothing to see here - Chris Grey
19/06/2020
'The Brexiters have no more idea in private than they do in public about what they are doing. Predictions based upon their concealed intent project on to them a competence they simply don’t possess.'
The Nuffield Trust think tank has published a new report on the impact of Brexit on the UK’s health and care services. The ongoing monitoring work, funded by the Health Foundation, covers the impact on the NHS and social care workforce, medicine and medical devices supply and the economic cost, and reveals negative effects across these areas.
Nuffield Trust: Slow decisions and vague trade slogans leave NHS uncertain of post-Brexit future
20/12/2021
Our report published today looks at six key areas of health and social care that are being impacted by Brexit.
Crisis has led to 500% increase in Britons taking up citizenship in an EU state
Operation Yellowhammer: diabetics and child cancer patients ‘to be hit hardest’ by no-deal Brexit
18/08/2019
Government concedes that it 'will not be practical to stockpile products to cover expected delays of up to six months'.
Operation Yellowhammer: Government no-deal Brexit documents warn of food shortages and riots
11/09/2019
Ministers have been forced to publish details of concerns about public disorder and disruption to medicine and fuel supplies.
Operation Yellowhammer: Government’s no-deal Brexit plans like preparing for ‘war or natural disaster’
12/09/2019
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said the Government's documents on no deal 'reveal an absolute catastrophe for our country'
An inability to stockpile drugs for many serious illnesses mean shortages will hit patients hard, according to doctors. / Senior doctors have warned the NHS to brace itself for the “biggest threat it has ever faced” if the UK crashes out of the EU on October 31, as a leaked internal document reveals the risks to patients from expected drug shortages.
Operation Yellowhammer: No-deal Brexit could cause food and medicine shortages and spark civil unrest, ministers admit
11/09/2019
Operation Yellowhammer documents were released by Michael Gove after an order from Parliament.
Parliament recall urged after Operation Yellowhammer documents warn UK may face food shortages and medicine delays
11/09/2019
Boris Johnson is facing renewed pressure to recall Parliament after the Prime Minister was forced to reveal that a no-deal Brexit could trigger medical shortages, food price rises and major cross-channel trade delays.
People have put a black dot on their Twitter handle to highlight how they say the government is putting their lives ‘at risk’ with Brexit.
Peers warn of 'serious concerns' about supply of prescription medicines to Northern Ireland
28/10/2020
Peers have told ministers they have "serious concerns" about the supply of prescription drugs to Northern Ireland after the Brexit transition period ends in just two months.
Pensioner battling aggressive cancer tells of his fears about living in France after Brexit
06/05/2019
A British pensioner battling an aggressive form of cancer has told of his fears for the future over health coverage for Britons in France.
'Uncertainty over Brexit appears to be a significant factor,' Gareth Jones, from the National Pharmacy Association. / Common medicines are in increasingly short supply according to reports from pharmacists who warn they are being forced to pay over the odds to secure drugs for their patients.
Patients are complaining of delays in getting access to drugs.
Planes Could Fly In Emergency Medicine Supplies In Event Of No-Deal Brexit, Says Health Secretary Matt Hancock
07/12/2018
A no-deal Brexit could lead to planes flying in drugs and medicines being given priority at the UK’s gridlocked ports, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said. / Chemists could also be asked to ration drugs to guarantee sick people can access vital medicines...
The [Yellowhammer] documents themselves outline that there are risks to the supply of medicines - but do not set out the detail of how those risks have been mitigated, and what doctors and patients should do to plan for the possibility.
Firms face “crippling uncertainly” and there is a “real threat “of food and medicine shortages in the new year, Ian Blackford has said. / The SNP Westminster leader called for an economic impact assessment to be released on the costs of the PM's “extreme Tory Brexit plans”.
Importers of laboratory reagents and materials used in the manufacture of medicines in the UK’s life sciences sector have been given a six-month extension to make the necessary changes to their supply chains for new post-Brexit border paperwork and border inspections.
San Francisco-based clinical-stage life science company Recardio is halting clinical trials in the U.K. of a new heart drug due to concerns about Brexit and how new drugs will be approved.
The UK's split with the EU has worsened recruitment shortages while pushing up the price of some medicines.
Hundreds of researchers and organisations across Europe have called for the rapid association of the UK and Switzerland to Horizon Europe.
The hot rhetoric of ‘taking back control’ of our borders is being replaced by cold reality.
EXPORTS to the EU from Scotland have slumped by over £2.2bn since Brexit.
Secret government report warning of food and medicine shortages must not be ‘watered down’, Liberal Democrats demand
01/09/2019
Whitehall officials who compiled Operation Yellowhammer report should give evidence to MPs, say Lib Dems.
More than half (54%) of the surveyed healthcare industry professionals indicated that their sentiment towards Brexit had become more negative. The largest proportion of them were based in the UK and the EU, with 71% and 70% recorded respectively in GlobalData’s report Thematic Intelligence: Brexit and the Healthcare Industry 2023.
Shionogi planning HQ move from UK
11/03/2019
Japanese drugmaker Shionogi will transfer its European headquarters from the UK to the Netherlands as a consequence of the Brexit, according to the Financial Times.
‘The medicines supply chain is broken at every level,’ warns Dr Leyla Hannbeck.
The UK's government is "shifting the playing field" in discussions on the Northern Protocol, the Foreign Affairs Minister has said.
Single Market access essential to protect North East economy after Brexit - North East Local Enterprise Partnership
04/06/2018
The UK must ensure that it retains access to the Single Market, has an open trading regime and maintains a stable regulatory framework with the European Union to minimise the impact of Brexit on the North East economy. This is the key conclusion of ‘Leaving the European Union’, a report by a powerful regional economic group says today.
The parents of a six year old girl from Suffolk, with severe epilepsy, have run out of her medication, because of Brexit.
Police fear the fallout from a "no-deal" Brexit could lead to "wide-scale disruption and dangers for the general public" and have warned they may not have the resources to cope.
SNP MEP Alan Smyth and party MSP Bob Doris have urged the EU to allow Scotland to remain within a Europe-wide network of medical expertise on rare diseases after being told it will be expelled.
Vaccines and blood products could be stockpiled ahead of a possible ‘no-deal’ Brexit, the health and social care secretary has confirmed.
A Sussex company has had to let dozens of employees go after losing almost all of its business to Brexit.
UK assembly line at standstill as pharmaceutical company sets up in Amsterdam and plans EU expansion.
In rejecting EU funding programmes, Britain has jeopardised research and made itself far less attractive to overseas scientists.
The odds of crashing out of the EU with No-Deal are rising - and here's why that's a bit of a worry.
The Brexit Benefit Myths
29/10/2021
The government and its supporters are beginning to claim 'benefits' of being outside the European Union some of which were always available to EU member states or, in other cases, are not benefits at all.
But a closer inspection of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) renders these statements largely illusory for the pharma sector. While pharma companies grapple with the effects of Brexit, there are undoubtedly a number of ways that the TCA benefits the sector, while leaving significant issues unanswered.
The Brexit debate takes shape
05/12/2018
... the most hard-core Brexiters cannot articulate a deal that they prefer and has the slightest prospect of winning EU approval. Supporters of Brexit made incredible promises that had no basis in reality. / This matters greatly to Japan. Britain is the gateway to Europe for many Japanese companies. / Failure to reach a deal with the EU, for whatever reason, would be a disaster for the U.K.
The Brexit predictions that came true, those that didn’t—and what we didn’t see coming - BMJ
03/08/2022
Six years after the referendum we can disentangle the evidence and judge the effects on health and care, says Richard Vize.
The Brexit Referendum 5 Years on – Summary of Impacts to Date (Information note from the Scottish Government) [pdf]
24/06/2021
This note summarises the evidence so far of the impacts on Brexit on Scotland. It sets out early evidence related to areas such as trade, the workforce and EU programmes.
The impact of Brexit has only added fuel to the fire of severe challenges facing health and social care in the UK, warns the Nuffield Trust.
For almost 50 years, the NHS benefited from easy access to a large market, meaning it’s been first in the queue for the latest innovations. But what impact might Brexit have on medicines, medical devices and life sciences in the UK? Mark Dayan explains, in a blog that was first published in the BMJ on 26 February.
An island nation must trade with its nearest mainland, whatever our new Brexit opportunities minister claims.
The NHS and Brexit: What We Now Know
05/01/2023
Sam Bright examines the contribution of Brexit to our current healthcare crisis.
The government’s ‘serious shortage protocols’ are a real danger to the British public’s health – and may be illegal.
UK-US trade agreement was always going to be a tough sell. American Ambassador Woody Johnson’s comment to Andrew Marr on Sunday that healthcare would need to be on the table in any future trade talks only served to make agreeing a fully-fledged deal all the more difficult.
IN news which will surprise absolutely nobody, the Brexit talks are going terribly and pharmaceutical companies have been told to stockpile six week’s worth of drugs in case of disruption at the end of the transition period.
Brexit has been “a horrendous experience for Maltese businesses,” according to the CEO of the Malta Chamber of SMEs.
Officials admit the Conservative leadership contest set back plans to secure enough medicines in the event of a no-deal outcome.
Tory leadership paralysis risks shortages of essential drugs in a no-deal Brexit, warn medical firms
22/06/2019
‘No guidance’ has been issued since Chris Grayling’s notorious ferry contracts were axed – despite risk UK will crash out of EU in October. / Medical firms fear the political paralysis created by the Tory leadership race will leave the NHS short of essential drugs after a no-deal Brexit, because no proper planning is taking place.
Asked if Washington would be free to ‘jack up prices’, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab replies ‘The Americans will take their decisions’.
Sam Bright reports on the disruption, time and cost suffered by one mid-sized company before and after the UK’s formal departure from the European Union
US pharmaceutical firms, known as Big Pharma, want 'full market access for US products' in the NHS which spends £140bn a year.
Trade will be ‘day-to day struggle’ after Brexit is completed, MPs told in grim industry forecast
30/09/2020
Inquiry hears of massive extra costs, a mountain of red tape, shrinking investment and chemicals ‘disappearing’ from UK market.
Donald Trump is ready to use trade talks to force the National Health Service to pay more for its drugs as part of his scheme to "put American patients first”.
President will put US firms first in UK trade talks, says Kim Darroch
Two in three British pharmacies are struggling daily to source painkillers, cancer drugs and other vital medicines, research shows, as the availability of pharmaceuticals becomes increasingly uncertain.
Britain must work with other countries to prevent friction on medicine rules post-Brexit to avoid being sidelined by the global drug industry, according to a report from the U.K.’s biggest pharmaceutical lobby group.
British pharmacists are struggling to get their hands on certain medicines for cancer, epilepsy, diabetes and menopause as drug supply issues intensify in the country.
The U.K. government urged pharmaceutical companies to stockpile a six-week supply of medicines before the country finally leaves the European Union’s customs regime at the end of the year, in an effort to avoid shortages of drugs.
UK 'has to resist' opening up NHS to US in post-Brexit trade deal, warns former Tory health secretary
05/06/2019
'What they will actually target is the process by which we control pharmaceutical pricing. That is where they will be pushing - we have to resist them'
The UK and EU have reached agreement on how rules in the withdrawal agreement will be implemented, particularly in relation to Northern Ireland.
Fears extra expense and paperwork caused by Brexit will make Britain unattractive to global drugmakers.
The UK’s medicines and devices regulator will stop work that “does not add value” and lose over 100 full time equivalent staff posts as part of its post-Brexit cost cutting drive, a leaked consultation document seen by The BMJ shows. / But experts warned that plans to streamline regulation to speed up the development and approval of new drugs for patients’ benefit carried potential safety risks.
UK Facing Higher Medicine Costs And Increased Risk Of Fakes Post-Brexit, European Suppliers Warn
09/02/2019
New EU rules come into force today, which could leave British patients exposed after March 29.
The UK has given the EU a new deadline of two weeks to agree to axe trade checks introduced by the Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, or risk unilateral action by London.
The well known logistics company, chaired by German billionaire Klaus-Michael Kühne, has been tasked with delivering “medicines and medical goods which are at risk of shortage” into the UK “within days”.
UK officials discussed NHS at ‘secret’ meetings with US drug companies as part of trade talks
28/10/2019
Envoys sidestep ban on discussing drug prices by referring to controversial subject ‘valuing innovation’.
Doctors call for more transparency amid fears of shortages, especially of insulin.
The government has set out a plan to overhaul EU laws copied over after Brexit - a move it says will cut unnecessary "red tape" for businesses.
UK plans £3m no-deal medicine transport
07/07/2019
But experts have warned that the deadline of 1 September set for the deal is a "tight" timeframe.
The UK has been warned by the pharmaceutical industry that some stockpiles of medical supplies have been "used up entirely" by the virus.
The UK has been warned by the pharmaceutical industry that some stockpiles of medical supplies have been "used up entirely" by the virus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he doesn’t want border ‘restrictions’ for medicines, but that’s what his government is doing.
The UK’s MHRA may have to lay off about 300 of its 1,200 employees, thanks to a decline in income due to reduced medical product submissions following Brexit, spurring anger among unions across the island.
The British government has urged medicine suppliers to prepare for the country’s exit from the EU single market and customs union on Dec. 31 by building up six weeks’ worth of stocks in case of disruption to imports.
A fast-track visa route for Nobel prize laureates and other award-winners in science, engineering, the humanities and medicine has failed to attract any applicants.
Companies should ensure six weeks’ worth of drugs for end of transition period, DHSC says.
Irish foreign minister hits out at Brexit minister over provocative article on Northern Ireland protocol
When President Donald Trump arrived in the United Kingdom this week, he landed bang in the middle of a huge political fight about the country's National Health Service.
US Pharma industry lobby telling US trade negotiators that US-UK trade deal is “an important opportunity” to deal with “artificially depressed prices” in UK [1 min]
03/12/2019
This video from January is US Pharma industry lobby telling US trade negotiators that US-UK trade deal is “an important opportunity” to deal with “artificially depressed prices” in UK - “dictated” via our “primary payer” system
THE UK GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE to Brexit and its failure to iron out key agreements after nearly a year outside the Single Market and Customs Union, are fuelling constant uncertainty over many aspects of health and social care in the UK, says a new report from the Nuffield Trust.
Shortages could occur within weeks of no-deal Brexit, pharmaceutical industry says. / Crashing out of the EU on 31 October would have serious implications for hospitals, patients and pharmacies, with shortages of some medicines within weeks, MPs have been told by the pharmaceutical industry.
A Wales-based drugs manufacturer has been forced to move to Ireland because of Brexit, it has been claimed.
EU moves to guarantee supply of medicines to Northern Ireland have so far worked but there are looming issues, peers have heard.
Warning that Brexit red tape could led to vital drugs for epilepsy and cancer being withdrawn in Northern Ireland
20/04/2021
BREXIT red tape is leading to the withdrawal of vital drugs from Northern Ireland due to the high costs for manufacturers, an industry chief has warned.
Ministers still have a “significant amount” of work to do to ensure the continued supply of vital medicines to the NHS in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the Whitehall spending watchdog has warned.
We’re running out of time. If post-Brexit negotiations don’t prioritise health, we won’t get through a second wave
30/06/2020
Everyone is fishing in the same pond. Stocks built up in readiness for Brexit are having to be replenished. If another pandemic strikes, we’ll hardly be in the best position to get through it.
With fears over manufacturing costs and future investment, here’s what firms are doing.
A no-deal Brexit will be grim for patients. Yet gagging orders are being used to keep the truth from coming out.
What happens if we have no deal?
15/10/2020
Mr Johnson told his cabinet this week that leaving the EU without a deal should hold “no fear” for Britain, but was he right?
What has Brexit meant for the NHS?
10/02/2023
Mark Dayan assesses the impact of Brexit on the health service, looking at the effect on funding, the workforce and medicine supplies.
A comprehensive guide to the massive impact likely if the UK crashes out of the EU.
The Yellowhammer report suggests medical supplies could be disrupted by a no-deal but a fragile system means it’s more complicated than that.
Global issues are factor but experts say there are problems peculiar to Britain such as rising costs post-Brexit.
Post-Brexit, the cost of medicines they rely on could skyrocket.
Why would anyone trust Brexit Britain again?
24/07/2021
Just seven months after singing its praises, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is attempting to rewrite the Brexit deal he signed with the European Union.
The European Medicines Agency or EMA ensures that the medicines in the European Union are effective and safe. Find out what EMA is in a nutshell and how it protects patients.
£2.1bn extra for no-deal planning
01/08/2019
The government has announced an extra £2.1bn of funding to prepare for a no-deal Brexit - doubling the amount of money it has set aside this year.
Supplies of half of all veterinary drugs at risk due to restrictions on importing medicines from Britain.
Collapsed trade talks, new border checks, 14-hour queues at the border and medicine shortages... it's just another day in Brexit land.
DISRUPTION to medical supplies and potential coronavirus vaccines as a result of Brexit cannot be ruled out, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister has said.
‘No-deal’ Brexit: what the Government’s plans could mean for cancer treatment, care and research
30/08/2018
So how would a no-deal Brexit affect cancer patients and research?
We need to forge alliances to continue our global health leadership, writes the director of the Independent Commission on UK-EU Relations.
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