Just nine-weeks before the UK will leave the European Union the
House of Lords EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee has yet again called
on the Government to provide clarity on whether access to medicines
and medical products can be guaranteed after Brexit in the event of
no deal.
The Committee had initially written to the Secretary of State
MP following an evidence session
on no-deal preparations for medicine provision in November of last
year, asking for clarity and further detail. While the answers
received are welcomed by the Committee, the minister’s response on
10 January has not alleviated all of the members' concerns.
In particular, the Minister failed in his response to
state what action is being taken to address the uncertainty that
data from clinical trials conducted in the UK will be accepted by
the EMA. The Minister’s response referred to information
published months ago and in its letter the Committee ask for
assurances to drug companies that trials will continue to be open
for UK patients.
The Committee is asking for further
information in other areas including:
-
When will the Government contact suppliers of
medicines and medical products to give them notice and guidance
on rerouting their supplies?
-
Is Public Health England planning to stockpile
vaccines and other products used for urgent public health
use?
-
Is there a list of products other than vaccines
that may need to be stockpiled for urgent public health
use?
-
Can you provide more detail on agreements between
the UK and the EU to continue organ exchange after 29
March?
-
Has the Government assessed the impact on the UK of
the EU’s policy position of clinical trials – namely that
pan-EU trials must be based in the EU?
-
The Committee has also asked, again, for the
minister to provide the cost of flying in medical products for
a six-week period to be disclosed. The Committee has reiterated
that withholding such figures prevents the Committee from
fulfilling its democratic obligation to scrutinise the
Government. The Committee does not consider an estimate of this
figure to have adverse commercial implications, as the
Government has stated.
The Committee expects a response from the Government
within ten working days.
Read the letter in full here.
