Britain’s National Audit Office on Friday warned that significant work has to be done to ensure the country does not face a medication shortage in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
“There is a risk of delays to supplies for health and social care if the UK leave the EU without a deal on Oct. 31 with reasonable worst case predictions forecasting a 40 to 60 per-cent decrease in the flow of goods across the English Channel, between southern England and France.
The office expressed worry that the Department of Health and Social Care was lacking information on its stockpiles levels.
The office also called for the department to ensure sufficient freight capacity for priority goods and to make sure the social care sector, including nursing homes has contingency plans in place.
The office estimates that of the 12,300 medicines used in Britain, roughly 7,000 come from or via the European Union.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants to leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal.
Although the prime minister is legally required to submit a request to extend Brexit on Oct. 19 should no deal be ratified by then, it is unclear what Johnson will do.
dpa/NAN
