Pharmaceutical Leader Warns No-Deal Brexit Will End Checks For Counterfeit Medicines
8 February 2019, 17:09
Pharmaceutical leaders are warning that Britain will drop out of a system to stop fake medicines entering the country if it exits the EU without a deal.
The new Europe-wide system, which goes live this weekend, will see the introduction of new packaging to prevent tampering and new serialisation system as part of a European database to give anybody in the supply chain the ability to check its authenticity and to ensure counterfeit medications are found.
But pharmaceutical leaders are warning that exiting the EU with no deal means Britain will drop out of this system.
Dr Rick Greville, the director of Supply Chain at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), has called for an exit deal and at least a transition period in which the system will be accessible by UK pharmacists.
"Under a no deal Brexit, we understand that the UK government will revoke the legislation that will come into play tomorrow, because when we've left Europe packs of medicines heading for the UK will actually be heading to a third country," he said.
"We are asking for a deal, and at least a movement into a transition or implementation period during which time this system will still be operable.
"It is important in terms of patient safety because it adds that extra layer of protection for patients with regards to counterfeit medicines."
