A no-deal Brexit could leave hospitals across Europe without tens of thousands of essential drugs and other medical supplies, Germany’s health minister has warned. Jens Spahn warned on Thursday if Britain crashes out of the EU vital medical products produced and certified in the UK would overnight lose their legal access to the European market.
A no-deal Brexit could leave hospitals across Europe without tens of thousands of essential drugs and other medical supplies, Germany’s health minister has warned.
Jens Spahn warned on Thursday if Britain crashes out of the EU vital medical products produced and certified in the UK would overnight lose their legal access to the European market.
Currently UK experts validate and approve thousands of medical products on behalf of the whole EU.
Items especially vulnerable in a no-deal scenario include pacemakers, medical implants, and blood products used to test for HIV and other viruses.
Much of the fear surrounding a disorderly Brexit has focused on the NHS, which imports 37 million packages of drugs each month from the continent.
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A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament
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Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament
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A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square
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Anti-Brexit protesters wave EU flags as they ride a bus through Parliament Square
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A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament
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Brexit supporters march outside parliament
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Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London
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Brexit supporters protest outside parliament
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A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament
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A man holds satirical paintings of politicians
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An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London
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Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament
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A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
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A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament
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A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament
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A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
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A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty Images
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Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
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A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square
Getty
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Anti-Brexit protesters wave EU flags as they ride a bus through Parliament Square
AP
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A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament
EPA
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A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament
EPA
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Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy
AFP/Getty
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Brexit supporters march outside parliament
AFP/Getty
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Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London
PA
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Brexit supporters protest outside parliament
AFP/Getty
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A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament
Getty
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A man holds satirical paintings of politicians
Reuters
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An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London
Reuters
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Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
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A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
Reuters
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A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament
Getty
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A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament
AFP/Getty
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A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock has ordered the stockpiling of large quantities of drugs in case supplies are temporarily cut off following a no-deal exit.
In October, England’s most senior health civil servant warned MPs it would be “extremely difficult” to guarantee the NHS would get the supplies it needs, despite ordering pharmaceutical firms to stockpile last summer.
But Mr Spahn cautioned the danger worked the other way as well. The EU imports 45 million packages of drugs from Britain each month and some of these would be difficult to replace in the short term.
“In the event of a disorderly Brexit, it is reasonable to assume that tens of thousands of medical products would lose their formal market access in the EU-27, and would therefore no longer be available on the European market,” Mr Spahn said.
“I fear that the provision of blood products to patients in Germany could be at risk from the middle of April 2019.”
According to German newspaper Handelsblatt, Mr Spahn also called for Brussels to co-ordinate a “crisis plan” to deal with the emergency.
This could include a year-long relaxation of the rules which would treat a no-deal Britain as a third country, to allow UK-certified items to continue being distributed across the EU.
After MPs rejected Theresa May’s withdrawal deal at the third time of asking on Friday, the European Commission warned that a no-deal exit was ‘likely’ in two weeks’ time.
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