Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021
820. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health if concerns have been relayed to his Department by pharmaceutical companies regarding shortages of ingredients or medicines due to the new post-Brexit trading arrangements. [5709/21]
View answerThe Department of Health, along with the HSE and HPRA, have had extensive and detailed engagement with the pharmaceutical industry over the past number of years to ensure the resilience of the medicines supply chain beyond Brexit. This open engagement continues and we will continue to work with all key stakeholders to ensure that patients in Ireland have access to the medicines they need.
It is important to note that irrespective of Brexit, medicines can continue to be sourced from the UK where needed for individual Irish patients. The Department of Health, HPRA and the HSE have been carefully monitoring the supply of medicines from the UK since the end of the Brexit transition period. Although a limited number of individual suppliers and logistics companies have required some initial assistance in understanding and complying with the customs requirements that arose as a result of Brexit, such issues have been resolved in a timely manner, with the assistance of Revenue Customs, and have not reoccurred with subsequent deliveries.
Medicine shortages are, unfortunately, a feature of both the global and the Irish market, regardless of Brexit. However, Ireland has an existing multi-stakeholder medicine shortages framework in place, co-ordinated by the HPRA, to help prevent shortages from occurring and to reduce the impact on patients and healthcare professionals by co-ordinating the management of potential or actual shortages as they arise.
More generally, because of all stakeholders' preparatory work, general medicine supply issues are not anticipated as a result of Brexit. The Department of Health, the HSE, and the HPRA together with the manufacturers of medicines, wholesalers and pharmacists continue to monitor the situation closely. The processes and systems to mitigate against any Brexit related issues are functioning well and are kept under constant review by each agency. As part of this coordinated response, all stakeholders continue to develop approaches and implement contingencies to address any identified concerns should they arise.
