Pharma calls for ‘no deal’ preparation after Brexit deal rejected

Pharma has called for politicians to take action to ensure patient safety in the event of a ‘no deal’ situation, after the UK parliament’s historic decision to reject prime minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal last night. May now faces a confidence vote in the House of Commons that could lead to a general election if she loses out. But amid the political chaos European pharma is calling for action to ensure patients across the EU and UK receive their medications in the case of the increasingly likely ‘no deal’ situation when Brexit happens in March. The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) said there is a “very real, tangible, and immediate” threat to patient safety and public health in the UK and Europe because of a “disorderly” Brexit.
Director general Nathalie Moll said: “Now is the time for policymakers in the UK and the EU to put politics aside and put measures in place to prevent patients from being harmed by the consequences of Brexit.
“In particular from disruption to the supply of medicines including from transport delays at the border and where the development, manufacture, packaging, safety testing and regulation of the medicine no longer benefit from mutual recognition.” EFPIA is calling negotiators to take a series of actions that need to be taken to protect patients.