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Health Secretary Matt Hancock says government may charter flights to deliver medicines in case of no-deal Brexit

pharmafile | December 7, 2018 | News story | Medical Communications Matt Hancock, NHS, UK, brexit, no-deal 

British health secretary Matt Hancock has said the government is working out ways through which they could charter flights in order to deliver medicines, as preparations are made for a potential ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

Talking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, when asked about chartering planes, Hancock said, “We are working on exactly how we are going to do that, but that is part of the work we are doing.”

The health secretary added that there had been work done to fast track lorries containing medical supplies through ports, such as Dover, in the case of disruption at borders.

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“If there is serious disruption at the border we will have prioritisation, and prioritisation will include medicines and medical devices,” he said.

The government is also “buying a large collection of refrigeration units so that those drugs that can be stockpiled, we will have a stockpile of.”

Hancock added that plans could be introduced in which pharmacists would dispense a “reduced quantity,” “alternative dosage form,” “therapeutic equivalent” or “generic equivalent” of medicines to customers.

The comments come as parliament are set to vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal, thus determining the future relationship between Britain and the EU.

Louis Goss

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