UK faces 'new normal' of medicine supply shortage post-Brexit: Report

A recent research by the Nuffield Trust health think tank revealsthat medicine shortages havebecome "new normal" in the United Kingdom. The impact of these shortages has been amplified by the aftermath of Brexit, posing serious problems for medical personnel, pharmacists, the NHS, and patients across the country.

Shortagewarnings issued by drug companies doubled

According to the report, there has been a significant rise in the number of warnings issued by drug companies regarding impending supply problems. These warnings have more than doubled, from 648 in 2020 to 1,634 the previous year.

“The rise in shortages of vital medicines from rare to commonplace has been a shocking development that few would have expected a decade ago,” said Mark Dayan, the report’s lead author, and the Nuffield Trust’s Brexit programme lead.

Medication shortages have mainly impacted ADHD, type 2 diabetes, and epilepsy. Despite guarantees, several medications, particularly those for ADHD, remain difficult to get even after the predicted deadlines for their reintroduction into normal circulation.

Patients with chronic illnesses are facing serious consequences due to these shortages. Nicola Swanborough from the Epilepsy Society told The Guardian, “Our helpline has been inundated with calls from desperate people who are having to travel miles, often visiting multiple pharmacies to try and access their medication.”

Paul Rees, the chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association said “Supply shortages are a real and present danger to those patients who rely on life-saving medicines for their wellbeing. Pharmacy teams have seen the problems get worse in this country over recent years, putting more patients at risk."

“Pharmacists … are spending hours a day hunting down stock, yet too often have to turn patients away. It’s distressing when pharmacy teams find themselves unable to provide prompt medicines services, through no fault of their own,” he added.

What are the reasons formedicineshortage in UK?

While global factors like the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and the war in Ukraine have contributed to the drug shortages, Brexit has significantly worsened the situation. The UK's departure from the EU has disrupted the smooth flow of medicines, leading to delays and uncertainties in drug supply chains.

“A clear picture emerged of underlying fragilities at a global and UK level, not fundamentally rooted in Brexit but exacerbated by it in some specific ways, especially through some companies removing the UK from their supply chains,” the study read.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society recommended legislative reforms that would allow community pharmacists to issue alternate prescriptions when certain pharmaceuticals are unavailable.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that the majority of pharmaceuticals are still available and that concessionary pricing are not always connected to shortages.