International and intergovernmental organisations

Substandard and falsified medicines: global and local efforts to address a growing problem

Substandard and falsified medicines pose a risk to public health all around the world.…

Ferry contracts to ship medicines after no-deal Brexit cancelled

The Department of Transport has cancelled ferry contracts worth a total of £89m put in place to ship imports, including medicines, from the EU to the UK in the case of a no-deal Brexit.…

Appointment availability is behind huge number of missed measles vaccinations, PHE expert says

A senior epidemiologist at Public Health England has said that concerns about vaccinations are unlikely to be behind figures from international children’s charity UNICEF, which show that half a million children in the UK have not received their first vaccination against measles.…

Brexit is not the only reason for medicines shortages

While Brexit may not be the direct cause of worsening medicines shortages, it is distracting Westminster from giving the issue the attention it needs. …

England hits WHO 2020 hepatitis C target three years early

Deaths from liver disease related to serious hepatitis C fell by more than 16% between 2015 and 2017, according to data published by Public Health England.…

Government will ‘review its position’ on no-deal Brexit drug stockpiles

The government has said it will “review its position” on drug stockpiles held in case of a no-deal Brexit after the UK agreed an extension to its date for leaving the EU.…

DHSC passes legislation recognising EU pharmacist qualifications in the UK

Legislation has been passed that allows the qualifications of pharmacists from the EU to be recognised in the UK in the event of a no-deal Brexit.…

Suppliers opt to stockpile 16 weeks’ worth of insulin in UK ahead of Brexit

Insulin suppliers have increased their UK stocks to include 16 weeks’ worth of extra supplies as part of their no-deal Brexit planning.…

‘Obviously pressing’ need for pharmacist drug-switching powers behind short consultation, says DHSC

The government has argued that “there was no statutory obligation” to formally consult on changes to the law allowing pharmacists to switch patients’ drugs during a medicines shortage under a government-issued protocol.…

Government would give freight capacity to medicines over food additives after no-deal Brexit

The government is to prioritise freight capacity for importing medicines and medical devices over “critical food chain dependencies” in the event of a no-deal Brexit.…