Methadone

(asked on 19th March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the continuation of supply of methadone in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.


Answered by
Stephen Hammond Portrait
Stephen Hammond
This question was answered on 22nd March 2019

Leaving the European Union with a deal remains the Government’s top priority. However, as a responsible Government we must plan for every possible outcome including ‘no deal’. The Department has published guidance to industry and the health and care system to allow them to make informed plans and preparations. This is available on GOV.UK.

The Government has been working closely with industry to ensure the supply of medicines, including methadone, can continue uninterrupted in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit. Plans include building stockpiles, providing additional warehousing space and buying freight capacity on alternative ferry routes.

The Department, together with industry and the National Health Service, has analysed the supply chains of 12,300 medicines and we are grateful for excellent engagement from all parties, which means our plans are well advanced.

In August 2018, the Department wrote to all pharmaceutical companies that supply prescription-only and pharmacy medicines, to the United Kingdom that come from or via, the EU/European Economic Area, asking them to ensure a minimum of six weeks’ additional supply in the UK, over and above existing business-as-usual buffer stocks, by 29 March 2019 in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit.

The Department has put in place a multi-layered approach to minimise any supply disruption. We are confident that, if everyone does what they need to do, the supply of medicines and medical products will be uninterrupted.

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