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<p>The Department understand that diabetes medicines and medical radiopharmaceuticals
are vitally important to many people in this country. Our ‘no deal’ contingency plans
include mitigations for medicines that come to the United Kingdom from or via the
European Union or European Economic Area (EEA), including precautionary stockpiling
by suppliers and securing alternative shipping routes to ensure the flow of medicines,
to ensure that the supply of diabetes medicines, medical radioisotopes and other essential
medicines to patients is not disrupted.</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/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.</p><p>We recognise that certain medicines with short shelf
lives, including medical radiopharmaceuticals or medical radioisotopes, cannot be
reasonably stockpiled. Where these medicines are imported from the EU or EEA, we have
asked that suppliers ensure that they have plans in place in advance plans to air
freight these medicines from the EU in the event of a ‘no deal’ exit.</p><p> </p><p>While
the stockpiling medicines and alternative air freight remains a critical part of our
‘no deal’ medicine supply contingency plans, we are also supplementing these with
additional actions.</p><p>We are working towards ensuring 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 medical products, including diabetes
medicines, will be prioritised on these routes to ensure that the flow of all these
products will continue unimpeded after 29 March 2019.</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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