UK urges medicine suppliers to stockpile before Brexit transition ends

 

FILE PHOTO: Illustration photo shows various medicine pills in their original packaging in Brussels, Belgium August 9, 2019. REUTERS/Yves Herman/Illustration

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government has urged medicine suppliers to prepare for the country's exit from the EU single market and customs union on Dec. 31 by building up six weeks' worth of stocks in case of disruption to imports.

 

Under the terms of an ongoing transition period, customs and border arrangements have remained unchanged since Britain left the European Union on Jan. 31, but new checks are expected to come into force when the transition ends on Dec. 31.

 

"We recognise that global supply chains are under significant pressure, exacerbated by recent events with COVID-19," the health ministry said in a letter to medicine suppliers which it published on Monday.

 

"However, we encourage companies to make stockpiling a key part of contingency plans, and ask industry, where possible, to stockpile to a target level of six weeks' total stock on UK soil."

 

Britain and the EU are negotiating the terms of a new free trade agreement, but it is not clear whether a deal will be agreed and implemented before the Dec. 31 deadline, reviving fears of a disruptive "hard Brexit".

 

The government letter outlined the multiple pressures that the National Health Service (NHS) would be facing by winter.

 

"The ongoing pandemic, gradual resumption of NHS activity, and seasonal pressures, mean we must prepare thoroughly for the end of the transition period," it said.

 

To ensure continuity of patient care, medicine suppliers should prepare to reroute freight away from potential disruption points, especially the crossings between Dover and Folkestone on the English side and Calais, Coquelles and Dunkirk in France.

 

"Companies are encouraged to review their own logistics arrangements and consider making plans for avoiding the short straits as a matter of priority," the letter said.

 

The health ministry stood ready to support companies with their plans if needed.

 

The ministry said it had built up a centralised stock of fast-moving medical devices and clinical consumables in the run-up to the exit from the EU on Jan. 31.

 

"Some of this stock remains and accounting for likely demand trends for the time of year, we plan to build these levels back up to a target level of six weeks' total stock," it said.

 

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Susan Fenton)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-04

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

“The ongoing pandemic, gradual resumption of NHS activity, and seasonal pressures, mean we must prepare thoroughly for the end of the transition period," it said.

 

Well that and the vandalizing self harm that is Brexit.

 

As for private businesses being asked to build up supplies, where’s the profit in that?

This is unworkable for many companies. Storages are limited in size. Bulk chemicals need to be delivered on a regular basis. You will literally need hundreds of tankers and thousands of drums of chemicals sitting somewhere in order to have a 6 week stock. Thats a massive financial burden.

Add to that your own warehouses filling at an alarming rate because you cant get your finished products out the gate. 

More pathetic scaremongering!  The UK is a big producer of pharmecuticals, especially cancer drugs, which are exported to the EU. The EU is at more risk than we are!

I wonder what the plan is for mid-February, when the 6 week stockpile then runs out. Probably not concerned as everything is so easy, like having all the trade deals signed up before July 2020. And the EU deal being the "easiest in human history" as Liam Fox said.

Who believes that the nation's drugs supply will be all used up because no drugs will be able to enter the country for six weeks? Probably the same people who believed it was a good idea to Remain in the failing EU project. They're a gullible bunch.

22 minutes ago, Lormak said:

More pathetic scaremongering!  The UK is a big producer of pharmecuticals, especially cancer drugs, which are exported to the EU. The EU is at more risk than we are!

That's the attitude. No need to take precautions, the other party will be in trouble, not us.

I wonder whether HM Government are anticipating disruption because of the introduction of customs checks and so forth, or punitive sanctions preventing the movement of certain commodities - in this case medical supplies. 

10 minutes ago, Loiner said:

Who believes that the nation's drugs supply will be all used up because no drugs will be able to enter the country for six weeks? Probably the same people who believed it was a good idea to Remain in the failing EU project. They're a gullible bunch.

So explain why the British Government are making this announcement?!

I suspect the British Government are making these demands on the Pharma Industry before they move to the post Brexit arrangement in which Big Pharma will dictate who gets to supply pharmaceuticals and at what prices to the British Government.

4 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

So explain why the British Government are making this announcement?!

The announcement is from the Health Ministry, which is full of hard-core Remain civil servants. Its nothing more than scaremongering.

7 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

As for private businesses being asked to build up supplies, where’s the profit in that?

It's simple, in a situation where everyone else runs out and you have 6 months of supplies remaining, you're the number one supplier.

 

6 weeks, lol

I am epileptic and dependent on medicines which come from Switzerland, which is not part of the EU but is part of the single market.

 

Many others are in a similar position to me as they are also dependent on medicines made in EU/EEA countries.

 

These concerns have been around for some time, and regularly passed onto the government by bodies such as the Epilepsy Society. For some time they were ignored or dismissed, only now are they being addressed.

 

Of course, Brexiteers who wrap themselves in the flag and spout 'Freedom!' like some latter day Mel Gibson don't care about yet another consequence of a no deal Brexit to the ordinary British citizen. 

it like the scaremongering over the windows year 2000 bug ..in the end it never happened

 

brexiteers can afford to be smug when it all goes off without a hitch            in december

1 hour ago, 7by7 said:

I am epileptic and dependent on medicines which come from Switzerland, which is not part of the EU but is part of the single market.

 

Many others are in a similar position to me as they are also dependent on medicines made in EU/EEA countries.

 

These concerns have been around for some time, and regularly passed onto the government by bodies such as the Epilepsy Society. For some time they were ignored or dismissed, only now are they being addressed.

 

Of course, Brexiteers who wrap themselves in the flag and spout 'Freedom!' like some latter day Mel Gibson don't care about yet another consequence of a no deal Brexit to the ordinary British citizen. 

Do it as many Brits do. 

Move into EU. Year by year more than 75.000 Brits are leaving that little Island and have access to whatever you want. 

If in trouble with medicine you're better off in EU, even avoiding chlorinated chicken. 

1 hour ago, 3NUMBAS said:

it like the scaremongering over the windows year 2000 bug ..in the end it never happened

 

brexiteers can afford to be smug when it all goes off without a hitch            in december

Y2K never had a significant impact because of the hundreds of thousands of manhours spent preparing for it. It proved itself invaluable. If there had been a significant impact, then you would have had cause for complaint. 

1 hour ago, 7by7 said:

I am epileptic and dependent on medicines which come from Switzerland, which is not part of the EU but is part of the single market.

 

Many others are in a similar position to me as they are also dependent on medicines made in EU/EEA countries.

 

These concerns have been around for some time, and regularly passed onto the government by bodies such as the Epilepsy Society. For some time they were ignored or dismissed, only now are they being addressed.

 

Of course, Brexiteers who wrap themselves in the flag and spout 'Freedom!' like some latter day Mel Gibson don't care about yet another consequence of a no deal Brexit to the ordinary British citizen. 

no deal is better than a bad deal ,anyway whats it to you ,your not British ,we voted leave ,live with it whingers.

ps sorry about the epilepsi

 

not a piece of stupid advice to have some spare aspirins

 

this goes for importers and resellers and consumers

(wiser to protect before rather than becoming father after)

 

there is a financial burden here, has the government offered any help with that?

 

Good grief. Johnsons government tells companies and the NHS to stockpile and Brexiteers dismiss it as scaremongering. 

Get a clue guys. Its your own hard line right wing Brexit government thats saying this.

Still you knew what you were voting for right?

39 minutes ago, sawadee1947 said:

Do it as many Brits do. 

Move into EU. Year by year more than 75.000 Brits are leaving that little Island and have access to whatever you want. 

If in trouble with medicine you're better off in EU, even avoiding chlorinated chicken. 

I'm sorry, but your post shows how little you know about the FoM and how it will effect British citizens post Brexit.

 

Approximately 1.8 million British citizens are currently exercising a treaty right and living in one of the EU or EEA countries or Switzerland. 

 

During the transition period, any British citizen can move to any one of those to exercise a treaty right.

 

Under the withdrawal agreement, after 31/12/20 any British citizen exercising a treaty right in one of those countries will have until 30/6/21 to apply for and obtain permanent residence status in the country where they live.

 

I could not move to one of those countries unless I were able to exercise a treaty right; which I am not able to do. Even if I were able to do so, after 31/12/2020 I would not be eligible for state health care there under the EHIC scheme and so would need to take out private health insurance. 

 

Do you know any health insurers who cover existing conditions? I don't.

41 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

no deal is better than a bad deal ,anyway whats it to you ,your not British ,we voted leave ,live with it whingers.

ps sorry about the epilepsi

Even Johnson and Cummings know that no deal is the worst possible outcome for the UK. That is why they are so desperate for their deal to be accepted.

 

Problem is, apart from selling out Northern Ireland, their deal is virtually identical to May's, and the EU are saying that they rejected that and so need to negotiate a new one.

 

Damn EU, not doing what Cummings tells them!

 

I am British and I live in the UK. 

9 hours ago, Lormak said:

More pathetic scaremongering! 

By the UK Ministry of Health! I saw your later reply. Yes, that Matt Hancock was a remainder and is a bit of a Red.

9 hours ago, Lormak said:

 

The UK is a big producer of pharmecuticals, especially cancer drugs, which are exported to the EU. The EU is at more risk than we are!

But not as big a producer as many EU countries, so I doubt that the EU is more at risk

 http://www.worldstopexports.com/drugs-medicine-exports-country/

16 hours ago, Lormak said:

More pathetic scaremongering!  The UK is a big producer of pharmecuticals, especially cancer drugs, which are exported to the EU. The EU is at more risk than we are!

Absolutely right. Ignore <deleted>. Most if them are in the same mode as Diane Abbot who famously said 'I am always happy when England loses'.

17 hours ago, 7by7 said:

I am epileptic and dependent on medicines which come from Switzerland, which is not part of the EU but is part of the single market.

 

Many others are in a similar position to me as they are also dependent on medicines made in EU/EEA countries.

 

These concerns have been around for some time, and regularly passed onto the government by bodies such as the Epilepsy Society. For some time they were ignored or dismissed, only now are they being addressed.

 

Of course, Brexiteers who wrap themselves in the flag and spout 'Freedom!' like some latter day Mel Gibson don't care about yet another consequence of a no deal Brexit to the ordinary British citizen. 

'A latter day Mel Gibson' ? What on earth is that supposed to mean ?

15 hours ago, 7by7 said:

I'm sorry, but your post shows how little you know about the FoM and how it will effect British citizens post Brexit.

 

Approximately 1.8 million British citizens are currently exercising a treaty right and living in one of the EU or EEA countries or Switzerland. 

 

During the transition period, any British citizen can move to any one of those to exercise a treaty right.

 

Under the withdrawal agreement, after 31/12/20 any British citizen exercising a treaty right in one of those countries will have until 30/6/21 to apply for and obtain permanent residence status in the country where they live.

 

I could not move to one of those countries unless I were able to exercise a treaty right; which I am not able to do. Even if I were able to do so, after 31/12/2020 I would not be eligible for state health care there under the EHIC scheme and so would need to take out private health insurance. 

 

Do you know any health insurers who cover existing conditions? I don't.

Look, this situation is well known since many years. 

When the child has fallen into the fountain it's too late anyway. 

You should not complain now. 

You got many years to change your personal situation. ????

Covid19 has come at the perfect time for all the little Englanders.............all the problems that WILL arise from the totally self-destructive vote to leave the EU will now be conveniently blamed on the virus.

 

Having said that it will be a stretch to blame covid19 for the necessity to build a lorry park in Kent for 2000 lorries, which isn't a lorry park?? and isn't needed??

Edited August 5, 20205 yr by Surelynot

4 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

'A latter day Mel Gibson' ? What on earth is that supposed to mean ?

 Watch Braveheart.

 

A film with about as much truth as Vote.Leave's promises.

4 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Look, this situation is well known since many years. 

When the child has fallen into the fountain it's too late anyway. 

You should not complain now. 

You got many years to change your personal situation. ????

Many years, no. This situation only arose last year due to Johnson putting his own political ambition ahead of the country.

 

After scuppering May's deal he and his Svengali, Cummings, believed they could tweak it, sell out Northern Ireland and present it as their own.

 

Problem is, the EU wouldn't do what Cummings told them and basically said "You could have had that deal but you rejected it. Go away and come back with something new."

 

How do you suggest that I change my personal situation? I've already told you that I can't move to an EU/EEA country or Switzerland to exercise a treaty right.

 

But as you obviously haven't a clue what those are, I'll list them.

1. Student. I'd have to find an approved educational establishment which would accept me as a mature (I'm 64) student. I'd also have to be able to support myself and my wife; unless you suggest I leave her behind in the UK!
2. Job seeker. I'd only have 3 months to find a job, after which I'd have to return to the UK. Know any employers in the EU/EEA or Switzerland who'll employ a 64 year old? Especially in the current, high unemployment climate caused by the pandemic.
3. Worker. So I'd have to find the job before moving, unless I started a business. Care to put up the capital for that, cos I don't have it!
4. Person of independent means. Don't have those; and wont until my pension kicks in. By which time it will be too late.

But as I said, even were I able to move, after 31/12/20 I would not be eligible for state health care there under the EHIC scheme and so would need to take out private health insurance. 

 

Do you know any health insurers who cover existing conditions? I don't.

 

 

On 8/4/2020 at 4:45 PM, stevenl said:

That's the attitude. No need to take precautions, the other party will be in trouble, not us.

Rather like sawing off the branch of the tree you're sitting on, while sniggering away at how much the people in the rest of the tree are going to be affected by it.

Don't worry it's all part of Boris's better deal out than in pre brexit plan. if you run out of meds you will only die once don't be alarmed ????