No deal Brexit: medicine shortage? Sign the petition

[MelonJ]

Hi all,

I hope it’s ok to post this here. This is a petition started by More United for anyone who is worried about supplies of medicines after Brexit.

The Government is preparing to stockpile medicines and blood products in case of a no deal Brexit. But they’re refusing to tell us which medicines are on the list.

We deserve transparency when it comes to the things that affect us. By keeping this information secret, patients are unable to plan their health and medical care.

Will you sign the petition calling for the Department of Health to release this information?

This is not about party politics: it is a question of public safety.

In a worst-case scenario, this could leave people with serious illnesses in the dark about whether their treatment will be put at risk by a no deal Brexit.

Sign the petition calling for the Health Secretary to make this information public.

Through More United we are working to defend the values of openness and democracy that make us proud to be British. Let’s make sure the government stands by them.

moreunited.uk/no_deal_brexi...

[Hypopotamus]

This sounds rather like scare tactics to me. How did we ever survive before joining the EU?

[MelonJ in reply to Hypopotamus]

Hi Hypopotamus, sorry I don’t mean to scare anyone. I just agree with this petition because many people rely on medicines. It’s the government talking of stockpiling in case of problems and we should know which medicines might be affected by possible shortages.

[Aurealis in reply to MelonJ]

Potentially all medicines could be affected - it isn’t enough to know which ones are being stockpiled -there are also the questions

How much of each?

How long will it last?

Who will be prioritised in the event of supplies running low?

[whispers in reply to MelonJ]

But who said the government were stockpiling? I don't think Hypopotamus meant you were scaring anyone but whoever started the, shall we say 'rumor' ( as no way of knowing if it's true or not) are using scare tactics. we may well be leaving the eu but we aren't leaving Europe or the world, and there is no reason to think for one minute trade etc etc would stop... our money is still as good as the next. So let's hope the above is just that, a rumour 😩

[helvella in reply to whispers]

The government said the government were stockpiling!

The government is in talks with drug companies about funding the extra costs of stockpiling and flying in vital medicines in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the health secretary has revealed.

Matt Hancock said the discussions were not a remnant of the so-called project fear campaign against Brexit, but part of “responsible planning for a no-deal”.

theguardian.com/politics/20...

[Kitten44 in reply to whispers]

Agreed. And if the same negotiation tactics that led to a ridiculously overpriced T3 in the NHS are being deployed by the Establishment to negotiate our "deal" for the departure from the EU, I think I'd rather send my cat to agree the terms and conditions, as otherwise we may end up with an exclusivity contract that will forever bind us to buy from the EU at extortionate prices. I'd rather go for the laws of supply and demand, as you say, our money is still as good and I'm sure distributors from around the globe would like our business, including Europe.

[Hypopotamus in reply to MelonJ]

No I didn't mean you Melonj. But there is a lot of propaganda against Brexit. When 'they' gave us a vote, they never thought that it would result in a vote for leaving the EU, and have since been trying to do all they can to convince us to change our minds. There is of course absolutely no reason at all why leaving the EU should result in any disruption to the supply of imported medicines.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Any goods trying to get across the border are possibly going to be effected.

bbc.co.uk/news/health-45958713

Currently businesses run on "just in time" delivery.

Delays at border will cause disruption

Giant Lorry park under construction at Dover

theguardian.com/politics/20...

independent.co.uk/news/uk/p...

Anyone who gets EU Liothyronine needs to think ahead as postal service may be slower

[helvella in reply to SlowDragon]

Over on Pernicious Anaemia Society, at least one German pharmacy will no longer deliver to the UK.

There is no clarity whatsoever on the status of UK (private or NHS) prescriptions acting as EU cross-border prescriptions in the future. Not even when their status would change.

[Hypopotamus in reply to helvella]

But we don't need prescriptions for B12. Business is business, and there will always be one company ready to take the trade from the UK. We are proposing to leave the EU, not declare all-out war on the rest of Europe.

[StitchFairy in reply to Hypopotamus]

I think the problem is transportation. No matter who does or does not want to supply their products, if they cannot get it into or out of a country, then there will be at least temporary shortages whilst everything sits in lorries, ships and aircraft waiting for the nightmare customs paperwork to be sorted.

[Hypopotamus in reply to StitchFairy]

I see, I thought that the date for the actual Brexit would be announced in advance, but from what I am reading here, it will just come about one random morning, and everything will be in chaos.

Seriously, there will be some changes, but for those of unlucky enough to have to buy our own medication from abroad, it should involve no more than being prepared. There is one sure way to make ourselves more ill, and that is to worry.

[helvella in reply to Hypopotamus]

It isn't a random morning. It is 29/03/2019.

Without a deal EU pharmacies will not be able to accept UK prescriptions.

If we want the German pharmacies to continue supplying liothyronine (Thybon Henning) then we need an agreement that Germany will accept UK prescriptions.

[helvella in reply to Hypopotamus]

The B12 ampoules for injection are prescription-only in the UK but are over the counter in Germany.

I'd be interested, as would many others, who will supply Liothyronine, a good make. reliably and fully legally, against a UK prescription at a reasonable price - such as is currently obtainable from Germany?

[Hypopotamus in reply to helvella]

I agree that the supply of Liothyronine could be a concern. Patients should have the right to get the medication that they need from abroad regardless of membership of the EU.

[helvella in reply to Hypopotamus]

We have the right (as in we are allowed to purchase medicines other than controlled drugs for our own or household use) but we can only exercise that right if another country is willing to supply.

Membership of EU has for some years included cross-border prescriptions but that termiantes with EU memberbship, so far as I can see.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Hypopotamus]

Well no one from outside the EU can get a prescription from an EU based pharmacy now.

So that's certainly not going to change.

It's a legal requirement

[endomad in reply to SlowDragon]

Just by looking at those sources bbc, guardian & independent all anti Brexit. Always look at the bias of the organisation reporting. The mail and express are pro brexit. People only believe what agrees with their point of view. It would seem everyone has lost all common sense. I have never cared either way leave, stay makes no difference to me so my mind is not swayed either way. All the worrying is wasted energy it will be what it will be. X

[StitchFairy in reply to endomad]

This isn't about whether we leave or stay. It's about sorting out the mess that's being created along the way.

[helvella in reply to endomad]

My quote from the Guardian was simply reporting what Matt Hancock, Health Secretary, has said.

I am quite sure this has been reported elsewhere.

[milupa in reply to SlowDragon]

I had to source vital medication for a friend’s sick daughter recently. They live in Asia but have a French private prescription. I learned two things whilst talking to a number of real and online pharmacies all over Germany:

1. They only accept private prescriptions from EU countries. This is not their choice, the laws are quite clear and not open to interpretation.

2. If the prescriber can supply a private prescription for, say, one year’s supply you can get this filled without problem (before Brexit).

[endomad]

There have been shortages while in eu. T3 has had shortages, my friend has a certain estrogen and been without several times in recent years. It's not the eu who dictate availability of medicine it's the drug companies. I bet they are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of nhs stockpiling, they can dump loads of old stock, most will be out of date by the time they are used. Everyone has an agenda about Brexit, so many lies and rumours, all this panic about the unknown, we have never known what the buffoons in charge are up to and we have still managed to get by. Honestly this sort of stuff just feeds into people's paranoia, plenty of people self source with no help from nhs or eu. The nhs are inept and prob see this as an ideal excuse for even shoddier service. Those drug companies will not allow their profits to fall, they are bigger and richer than any one country or government, they are international/global corporations they will dictate what happens, it is a massive sales opportunity for them.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Very worrying for all the many people with private or NHS prescription currently getting T3 from Germany or France

EU pharmacies only accept prescriptions from EU registered doctors

[Treepie]

Whilst I agree that the Fear campaign against leaving is never ending there are still consequences and likely disruption if there is no deal.My daughter works for a pharmaceutical company and attended a recent conference in London.She returned telling us to stockpile meds. Not at all sure how one can ,given one can only reorder after a certain date has passed.

[bantam12 in reply to Treepie]

"Telling us to stockpile meds"

There lies the problem, the first snowflake falls, people go into panic mode and the supermarket shelves are emptied causing a problem for others who are more sensible 🙄

[bantam12]

Even if you know which meds "might" be affected how does it help, GP's aren't going to prescribe extra, patients stockpiling will just cause a problem that may never happen.

[MaisieGray in reply to bantam12]

Yes, I noticed the other day (although when it first appeared, I don't know) that my prescription now says that if you re-order more than 5 days before your tablets run out, the Dr won't issue a prescription.

[MiniMum97 in reply to MaisieGray]

That’s ridiculous. What if you are going on holiday or your working/family etc schedule means you can’t get to the pharmacy within the 3 day window you would have to do so (assuming GP requires 2 days to issue)!!!

[RedApple in reply to MiniMum97]

If you're going away, you should contact the surgery before hand and ask for a prescription to cover you for the duration of your holiday/trip.

[MaisieGray]

"By keeping this information secret, patients are unable to plan their health and medical care." So if I know that my med is or isn't going to be stockpiled, what am I going to be able to do about it in any case? Daily, people post here that their private source of T3 has closed down, and/or that their NHS prescribed T3 has been withdrawn. How much worse can it be than that? So what exactly, will be different if I know there's a mountain of T3 sitting somewhere if I can't get it anyway?

[Lovecake]

I agree with some of the posts. There are issues now, whilst we’re still in the EU.

I take Imigran for migraines. It’s by GSK. Turns out it comes from France.

I had terrible trouble getting it last year as the consignment was in France and they didn’t know when it would get over here. I had to ring round more than a dozen pharmacies to find one that had 12 tablets in stock.

I complained directly to GSK, they reconned they couldn’t do anything to speed up the delivery. (More like they didn’t want to).

I’m going to hope I can get a couple of prescriptions early for Imigran (can’t tolerate the generic) as well as T3 from Germany.

I think we’ll still be able to get our meds. But I trust the Germans more than the French, as the French are more known for causing transport issues over the years.

[Quokka]

I’ve lost faith in the government/NHS’ ability to negotiate- they allowed T3 to become so expensive that I wasn’t allowed to have it on the NHS any more. I’ve bought it from Germany at a fraction of the cost for the last 14 months. But now the online German pharmacies have told me they won’t accept UK prescriptions after Brexit. When we no longer have reciprocal healthcare agreements, I’m not convinced that things will be well organised. I’ve gladly signed the petition, as it at least reminds the authorities that we care about what’s happening.

Report from Reuters (news agency used by all press for info) ‘UK calls for extra six weeks of Brexit drug stockpiles’ -

reuters.com/article/us-brit...

[janveron1]

Sounds like problem I have. Look up Carpel syndrome. It is very painful!

janveron1

[Silmarillion]

I’m concerned that no companies in the uk manufacture Insulin! Diabetes uk are concerned that there will be a shortage of insulin . That could be catastrophic!

[Raucous]

I'm wondering how this will affect prescriptions for NDT? I buy my own currently but was considering going to a private GP that will prescribe, but maybe the Canadian & American will not be affected.

Unfortunately, I suspect that if T3 can't be got from EU pharmacies after Brexit, it will just be another excuse for NHS not to prescribe it.