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<p>Leaving the European Union with a ‘deal’ remains the Government’s top priority
and would give businesses stability and certainty to prepare for our new relationship
with the EU after EU exit. 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.</p><p> </p><p>On 26 March, we wrote to all other organisations
in the health and care system to ask them to continue to prepare for leaving the EU
without a ‘deal’.</p><p> </p><p>My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health
and Social Care discusses ‘no deal’ contingency plans, including those for the availability
of medicines, with a number of stakeholders, including the National Health Service
and other Government Departments.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has been working closely
with trade bodies, product suppliers, the NHS in England, and the devolved administrations
and the Crown Dependencies, to ensure the continuation of the supply of medicines
to the whole of the United Kingdom in the event of a ‘no deal’ EU exit. This includes
the NHS, social care and the independent sector, and covers licensed medicines (prescription
only, pharmacy and general sales list medicines) and unlicensed medicines (specials,
investigational medicinal products and UK imports).</p><p> </p><p>We understand that
medicines to treat conditions such as epilepsy, bi-polar disorder and neuropathic
pain are vitally important to many people in this country. Our contingency plans include
sensible mitigations for medicines that come to the UK from or via the EU/European
Economic Area, such as precautionary stockpiling by suppliers, to ensure that the
supply of essential medicines to patients is not disrupted.</p>
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