Health bosses issue fresh warning over drugs shortages under No Deal Brexit

Pharmaceutical chiefs today issued fresh warnings over the danger of medicines running short if there is a “no deal” Brexit and called for emergency powers to limit the impact on patients.

The Healthcare Distribution Association, which represents private companies supplying more than 90 per cent of the medicines used in the NHS, wants pharmacists to be able to share medicines between each other, as well as greater discretion for pharmacists to change prescriptions if necessary.

It is also advocating the revocation of the 2,500-plus dealers’ licences so new ones can be issued only to those companies which concentrate on distribution.

Martin Sawer, HDA director, said the market, particularly in generic drugs, is currently “very competitive”, producing very low prices for the NHS and swiftly filling gaps in supply.

“We believe, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, there would be shortages and effects to that commodity system that we can’t foresee,” he warned before giving evidence to the Commons health committee this afternoon.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the UK Bioindustry Association told the MPs that there could be medicine shortages after just six weeks of disruption at ports in a “no deal” scenario.

Mike Thompson, chief executive of the BPI, said: “Our members are doing everything in their power to make sure that patients will continue to get medicines without delay or disruption whatever the Brexit outcome, but it is a highly complex logistical challenge and there are some things which are out of the control of individual companies.”

Separately, one of Britain’s top law and order chiefs warned that catching organised crime bosses will become more difficult if there if a “no deal” Brexit.

Lynne Owens, director general of the National Crime Agency, stressed that joint operations risk being hampered by the UK crashing out of the European Union.

“We are deeply concerned about the consequences of a ‘no deal” Brexit,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“We have been clear from the very beginning that our ability to share intelligence...to jointly investigate in this world where there are no borders because of technology could be significantly impacted.”