UK calls for additional six weeks of drug stockpiles to prepare for no-deal Brexit

The UK government called on Thursday for an additional six weeks of drug stockpiles in order to be prepared in case of a 'no-deal' Brexit.

The government sent a letter to pharmaceutical companies asking them to ensure they have a minimum of six weeks' additional supply in the UK by 29 March 2019, with some firms having already responded that it might be a difficult target to reach.

There are still doubts around how exactly the pharmaceutical sector will function after the divorce amid a recent rise in concerns over potential drug shortages.

Westminster is looking into possible solutions, including by using products that have been licensed and tested in the EU.

Although the UK is still part of the European Medicine Agency, the drug regulator is already making preparations for life after Brexit and is in the process of moving its headquarters from London to Amsterdam.

The call from lawmakers followed the release of the first batch of technical discussion notes on Thursday covering what preparations businesses and consumers needed to make for a no-deal Brexit, with officials having gone as far as telling businesses to consider setting up warehouses to store the products which they might otherwise export to the EU.