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<p>Subject to the Withdrawal Agreement being agreed by Parliament, the two-year Implementation
Period will begin on exit day. During the Implementation Period, the United Kingdom
would the UK would no longer be a Member State of the European Union, but market access
for goods, including medicines, would continue on current terms.</p><p> </p><p>During
the Implementation Period, it will be the Government’s top priority to negotiate a
future economic partnership between the UK and the EU. In the Government’s White Paper
we committed to securing the freest and most frictionless trade possible in goods
between the UK and the EU and to agree on healthcare arrangements.</p><p> </p><p>Whilst
a negotiated deal remains the preferred outcome, it is appropriate that preparations
are made for all scenarios. The Government has been accelerating preparations that
assure the continuity of supply of National Health Service medicines in the event
of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.</p><p> </p><p>In August 2018, the Department
wrote to all pharmaceutical companies that supply prescription-only and pharmacy medicines
to the UK that come from, or via, the EU/European Economic Area (EEA) 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. We recognise, however, that certain
medicines cannot be reasonably stockpiled. Where these medicines are imported from
the EU or EEA, we have asked that suppliers ensure in advance plans to air freight
these medicines from the EU in the event of a ‘no deal’ exit.</p><p> </p><p>We are
working to ensure we have sufficient roll-on, roll-off freight capacity on alternative
routes to enable these vital products to continue to move freely in to the UK. Medicines
and other medical products will be prioritised on these routes to ensure that the
flow of all these products will continue unimpeded after 29 March 2019.</p><p> </p><p>Throughout
enacting our plans, we have received very good engagement from industry who share
our aims of ensuring that the continuity of supply of medicines and medical products
for patients is maintained and able to cope with any potential delays at the border
that may arise in the short term in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit.</p>
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