Supply issues

For patients’ sake, no-deal Brexit must be avoided

Despite much preparation, crashing out of the EU without a deal throws up too much uncertainty for patients for it to be a viable option.…

No-deal Brexit: pharmacy bodies question the UK government’s readiness

Not all pharmacists are convinced by the government’s claims that it is ready to leave the EU without a deal in place.…

Pharmacies may need to share medicines when shortages arise after Brexit, says government

The Department of Health and Social Care has suggested pharmacists share their medicine supply with other pharmacies to mitigate the impact of shortages on patients.…

Medicines face six months of delays at the border in ‘worst-case’ no-deal Brexit scenario

Medicine and medical product supply chains could experience “severe extended delays” for up to six months in the “worst case” scenario after the UK leaves the EU, according to a government report.…

Jersey government could temporarily close pharmacies in no-deal Brexit scenario

Pharmacies on Jersey could be temporarily closed if a no-deal Brexit leads to severe medicines shortages, under an amendment to emergency powers passed on 10 September 2019.…

UK ‘not fully prepared’ for medicines importation in a no-deal Brexit, says hospital pharmacist body

The UK is “not fully prepared for the implications of a no-deal Brexit” despite ongoing government contingency plans, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists has said.…

HRT stock update shows that supply problems are set to continue into 2020

The Department of Health and Social Care has said that six hormone replacement therapy products will be out of stock for the foreseeable future, with others facing ongoing problems well into 2020.…

India and China spark concerns for UK drug supplies

Recent regulatory breaches at drug manufacturing sites in India and China have raised questions about whether the UK needs to repatriate production of critical medicines. …

Half of all safety warnings issued to drug manufacturers in India and China

The majority of warnings from European and US drug regulators are to drug manufacturing sites in India and China, raising concerns about the fragility of the global supply chain.…

Shortage of epilepsy medicine to continue until end of October, manufacturer says

All strengths of the epilepsy medicine Gabitril will be out of stock in the UK until the end of October 2019, the drug’s manufacturer has said.…