Radioisotopes
(asked on 25th September 2019) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is rationing the supply of medical isotopes in advance of the UK potentially leaving the EU without a deal; and what steps he is taking to ensure an adequate supply of medical isotopes in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
The Department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. Our plans should ensure the supply of medicines and medical products, including medical radioisotopes, when we leave the EU on 31 October.
The Department, in consultation with the devolved administrations, has been working with trade bodies, product suppliers, and the health and care system in England to make detailed plans that should ensure continuation of the supply of medical products, including medical radioisotopes, to the whole of the UK and its Crown Dependencies.
On 26 June, we wrote to suppliers of medicines to the UK from or via the EU or European Economic Area setting out our continuing multi-layered approach to support continuity of supply of medicines and medical products from 31 October.
Further details can be found at the following link:
As with our plans leading up to 29 March, for those medicines that cannot be stockpiled because, for example, they have short shelf-lives, such as medical radioisotopes for use in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, we have asked suppliers to make alternative arrangements, using airfreight, which some suppliers are already doing. We have offered support to companies to arrange this and are actively working with suppliers to ensure detailed plans are in place ahead of the 31 October.