UK and pharma industry call for transition period for medicines supply

By Sarantis Michalopoulos | EURACTIV.com

29-11-2017

With Brexit barely 15 months away, the UK government, as well as the European and British life science industry, is calling for a transition period on the regulation and supply of medicines in order to avoid potential disruptions in the market that will negatively affect patients.

The Commission has stated that discussions on a transition should not absolve us from the necessity of making “sufficient progress”.
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The European Council guidelines clearly provide such transition arrangements, which should be in the interest of the EU. But according to the European Commission, it is still “too early” for this discussion.

A UK spokesperson told EURACTIV.com, “We have been clear about our desire to retain a close working partnership on medicines regulation after the UK leaves the EU.”

“As we move to our future partnership, we are proposing a time-limited implementation period where we continue to have access to one another’s markets on current terms,” the UK official emphasised.

Previously, the associations representing the European and British life science industry, such as the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), EuropaBio and Medicines for Europe, issued a joint statement noting it was important to secure cooperation between the UK and EU on medicines regulation.

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