Health secretary tells Brits ‘don’t stockpile medicine’ amid Brexit shortage fears

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has urged the public not to stockpile medication amid fears of shortages in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The politician told PinkNews on Friday (February 1) his Department of Health and Social Care is doing all it can to ensure that there are enough drugs for NHS patients should Britain exit the European Union as planned in March.

“The point is that people, individuals don’t need to stockpile, hospitals don’t need to stockpile, pharmacies don’t need to stockpile—the pharmaceutical companies are doing the stockpiling and they will fulfil their contracts in the normal way,” said Hancock.

“We’re doing everything that we can to make sure that there’s an unhindered flow of medicines in any scenario,” the health secretary continued. “If everyone does what they need to do, then I’m confident that will happen, but there’s a lot of work going on now.”

“The pharmaceutical industry are responsible for delivering the drugs that people need post-Brexit exactly as they are now.

“They are doing a huge amount of work to ensure that there’s adequate stockpiles in case of a disruption at the border.

“And we are prioritising medicines should there be a disruption at the border. But there is a lot of work needed to be done.”

The Tory MP for West Suffolk, however, admitted that there are a “small” number of drugs that have yet to be accounted for in order to ensure there are no supply shortages.

Pharmaceutical companies are stockpiling drugs in preparation for Brexit, says health secretary Matt Hancock

The health secretary’s comments come amid fears that hospitals could run out of vital medicines and supplies if there is a no-deal Brexit.

But Hancock said that the “work we’ve done so far shows that we already have a plan in place for the vast majority of the 12,000 medicines that are used in the UK,” adding: “We will have a plan in place for all of them by exit day.”

“Individuals don’t need to stockpile, hospitals don’t need to stockpile, pharmacies don’t need to stockpile—the pharmaceutical companies are doing the stockpiling and they will fulfil their contracts in the normal way.”

—Health secretary Matt Hancock