Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to prioritise patients with (a) terminal cancer and (b) cancer for the receipt of drugs in the event of medicine shortages due to the UK leaving the EU (i) without an agreement and (ii) with an agreement under which the medicine supply is restricted.

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 those for cancer patients, can continue uninterrupted in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit, including building stockpiles, providing additional warehousing space and buying freight capacity on alternative ferry routes.

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, which includes securing, via the Department for Transport, additional roll on roll off freight capacity away from the short straits crossings to Dover and Folkestone for goods to continue to come into the UK from 29 March. In addition to asking industry to build up stockpiles in the UK ahead of 29 March we have bought extra warehouse space for the additional stock to be held in. We are supporting companies in booking space on aircraft for products which require an immediate shipment due to short shelf-life or specific storage conditions. We have also made changes to, or clarifications of, certain regulatory requirements so that companies can continue to sell their products in the UK even if we have no deal. Finally, we are strengthening the processes and resources used to deal with shortages in the event that they do occur.

We are confident that, if everyone does what they need to do, the supply of medicines and medical products will be uninterrupted.