European Union

One-year route to registration for overseas qualified pharmacists proposed by regulator

The registration route would initially apply to non-European Economic Area and non-European Free Trade Association qualified pharmacists.…

Medicines shortages and slow approvals put ‘significant burden’ on pharmacists, says report

A report by The Nuffield Trust has concluded that medicines shortages have been exacerbated in the UK following Brexit and that approvals are typically slower in Great Britain compared with the EU.…

European regulator launches ‘solidarity mechanism’ to tackle critical medicines shortages

The voluntary mechanism will allow EU member states to support each other in the event of a critical medicines shortage.…

European regulator finds at least 20 medicines with significant nitrosamine contamination

Exclusive: The European Medicines Agency has said products identified as containing nitrosamine above acceptable levels will likely require a variation in their marketing authorisation.…

Government to consult on national falsified medicines detection system

The government has said it plans to consult the public on a national scheme to detect falsified medicines in the supply chain within a year after laws enabling the potential new scheme are enacted.…

Wholesalers’ trade body says medicines supply will be ‘fine’ on the first day after Brexit transition period

The representative for wholesalers that provide 92% of the UK’s medicines has said he is confident that “everything will be fine” in terms of drugs supplies on day one after the end of the Brexit transition period.…

Martin Sawer: ‘On day one of Brexit, everything is going to be fine’

The executive director of the Healthcare Distribution Association is not concerned about immediate issues as soon as the Brexit transition period ends, but says there could be unforeseen knock-on effects on the availability of certain medicines.…

Falsified Medicines Directive will close in Great Britain at the end of 2020

Pharmacies in Great Britain should ensure that their systems are no longer connected to the UK Medicines Verification System at the end of 2020, the UK FMD Working Group for Community Pharmacy has said.…

UK could see ‘influx of counterfeit medicines’ without FMD after Brexit, warns RPS

The UK could see “an influx of counterfeit medicines” after the Falsified Medicines Directive ceases to apply at the end of the Brexit transition period on 1 January 2021, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has warned.…

Five things pharmacists should look out for in the government’s Brexit deal

The prime minister has said that he will put a “tiger in the tank” of Brexit talks, but what should the pharmacy profession look out for in any deal that is eventually agreed?…