(Title Image: Independent)
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry told the External Affairs Committee in a letter (dated 15th August 2018) that some form of regulatory alignment on medicines with the EU after Brexit was necessary to secure the medicines supply chain (pdf).
The letter says that the UK is a net-importer of medicines from the EU, with 45million packages imported and 37million exported every month.
The body says it was “essential” that the UK and EU maintain mutual working on medicines regulation to ensure UK patients receive access to medicines and clinical research. At present, the UK will be sidelined in the EU Medicines Agency and will only be able to take part upon invitation and when “a number of conditions are fulfilled”.
The letter confirms that discussions have taken place with the Welsh Government’s Health Department, but it was mutually agreed that the solution lies at a pan-UK level.
