Brexit and prescription drugs

[rscott]

Dr Jekyll said:

rscott said:

Dr Jekyll said:

RobM77 said:

I'm not sure that people will vanish if we have a hard Brexit We're talking about trade. If a trade route for a drug involves the EU SM, then yes, that will be disrupted. If it doesn't, it won't. It's quite simple.

The SM is simply a set of rules that mean EU products are approved for sale throughout the EU, since the drugs will be exactly the same after Brexit as before there is no reason they won't be approved. It's a paper exercise.

Yep, and if we have a no-deal Brexit, then there will be a period of time while replacement procedures are put into place and drugs can't be imported. Given how bad a job they've made so far of anything to do with Brexit, I can't see that happening particularly quickly...

A piece of paper needs to be signed, that's it, no procedures involved.

And where does that piece of paper come from? A government department will need to draw that up. Along with several thousand other ones.. All of which are pretty straightforward, but it'll take time to draft and approve them.

[227bhp]

rscott said:

The NHS is already having supply problems with some common medications (even the likes of Naproxen have been hard for the local pharmacy to get). So if there were a temporary disruption in supply as is likely for a no deal Brexit, I can quite believe there will be problems obtaining many drugs.

The current supply problem with Naproxen has nothing to do with Brexit, you're just scaremongering.

[rscott]

227bhp said:

rscott said:

The NHS is already having supply problems with some common medications (even the likes of Naproxen have been hard for the local pharmacy to get). So if there were a temporary disruption in supply as is likely for a no deal Brexit, I can quite believe there will be problems obtaining many drugs.

The current supply problem with Naproxen has nothing to do with Brexit, you're just scaremongering.

I never said it did. It was just to highlight that they can't even manage the supply of simple generic drugs now, let alone with the complexity a hard Brexit would bring.

[Not-The-Messiah]

This is the same crap as planes won't be able to fly over Europe.
If a hard brexit happens what enters and how it enters this country will be up to us. If we decide not to put tariffs on things or even check or collect import duties at first we could do. There is no reason why things coming into the country should be adversely affected that much yes there will be delays at the ports but that should be about it.
All company's need to do is budget for the possible increase in duties and taxation and fill a few forms in.
All these forms and procedures already exists it's how any company deals with any other country outside the EU.

[Paul Dishman]

227bhp said:

rscott said:

The NHS is already having supply problems with some common medications (even the likes of Naproxen have been hard for the local pharmacy to get). So if there were a temporary disruption in supply as is likely for a no deal Brexit, I can quite believe there will be problems obtaining many drugs.

The current supply problem with Naproxen has nothing to do with Brexit, you're just scaremongering.

The on-going generic shortages, of which naproxen is the latest, are due to a very tight market and wholesalers hoarding stock in order to push the drug tariff prices up.
Brexit will provide the opportunity for much more of the same.

[bitchstewie]

ChevronB19 said:

OP here.

Don’t worry, I’ve no intention of ordering from potentially dodgy sources, internet or elsewhere.

I know exactly what I need, full chemical name, dosage etc. I’ll speak to my GP at least to explore the possibility, either if they could allow me to stockpile or if they could over order and keep some in retention.

I realise this is unlikely, and if I get the ‘no’ I fully expect, next option would be to explore the private route, or alternatively to see if I could get a prescription and get it filled by Netherlands relatives at their doctors/pharmacist. Don’t really care about cost, as I said I cannot function without these (and no, it’s not methadone!).

Sounds sensible, somehow this seems to have turned into a politics thread.

Best of luck

[PositronicRay]

Not-The-Messiah said:

This is the same crap as planes won't be able to fly over Europe.
If a hard brexit happens what enters and how it enters this country will be up to us. If we decide not to put tariffs on things or even check or collect import duties at first we could do. There is no reason why things coming into the country should be adversely affected that much yes there will be delays at the ports but that should be about it.
All company's need to do is budget for the possible increase in duties and taxation and fill a few forms in.
All these forms and procedures already exists it's how any company deals with any other country outside the EU.

I think it's natural that people are thinking about this. No-one is suggesting a catastrophic melt down. But if we do have border delays our usual seemless supply route could be affected.

EG I'm T1 diabetic, I don't for one moment believe insulin will be unavailable, but there are many different types. If I have to swap (due border/shipping delays) it'll require a period of adjustment which I'd rather avoid, so I'll try not to let my supplies run low.

Anyone telling me I'm a scaremonger can go take a hike, it's about mitigation.

Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 1st January 10:49

[citizensm1th]

PositronicRay said:

I think it's natural that people are thinking about this. No-one is suggesting a catesrophic melt down. But if we do have border delays our usual seemless supply route could be affected.

EG I'm T1 diabetic, I don't for one moment believe insulin will be unavailable, but there are many different types. If I have to swap (due border/shipping delays) it'll require a period of adjustment which I'd rather avoid, so I'll try not to let my supplies run low.

Anyone telling me I'm a scaremonger can go take a hike, it's about mitigation.

Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 1st January 10:38

Exactly, this is our thoughts as well so we are submitting scrips a couple of weeks early to build up a few months surplus.

[Paul Dishman]

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

[citizensm1th]

Paul Dishman said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

that is not the point, if he is taking on the cost of his meds it costs the NHS nothing. whether or not he pays more than the NHS .

[popeyewhite]

Paul Dishman said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

Because I'm not the fool you take me for.

[PositronicRay]

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

Because I'm not the fool you take me for.

Some are sourced for less than the prescription charge, if this is the case and you pay the charge then by cutting out the NHS you're not doing them any favours.

[popeyewhite]

PositronicRay said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

Because I'm not the fool you take me for.

Some are sourced for less than the prescription charge, if this is the case and you pay the charge then by cutting out the NHS you're not doing them any favours.

As I've already explained there is only one manufacturer of this drug, hence they can, and do, charge the NHS an exorbitant amount.

[227bhp]

popeyewhite said:

PositronicRay said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

Because I'm not the fool you take me for.

Some are sourced for less than the prescription charge, if this is the case and you pay the charge then by cutting out the NHS you're not doing them any favours.

As I've already explained there is only one manufacturer of this drug, hence they can, and do, charge the NHS an exorbitant amount.

That won't be forever though, the licence will expire sometime.

[227bhp]

Paul Dishman said:

The on-going generic shortages, of which naproxen is the latest, are due to a very tight market and wholesalers hoarding stock in order to push the drug tariff prices up.
Brexit will provide the opportunity for much more of the same.

They aren't allowed to hold the public to ransome and that isn't what my chemist tells me. Apparently production was paused due to either contamination or someone flagging up a warning about one of the ingredients.

[Alex_6n2]

Dr Jekyll said:

A piece of paper needs to be signed, that's it, no procedures involved.

I applaud your optimism for the civil service to execute a very simple paperwork exercise in a timely manner.

Given the sheer volume of paper that needs to be signed and the track record of Her Majesties Government establishing an agreeable replacement framework for complex trade/logistical relationships, I await the impending failure with baited breath.

[popeyewhite]

227bhp said:

popeyewhite said:

PositronicRay said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

Because I'm not the fool you take me for.

Some are sourced for less than the prescription charge, if this is the case and you pay the charge then by cutting out the NHS you're not doing them any favours.

As I've already explained there is only one manufacturer of this drug, hence they can, and do, charge the NHS an exorbitant amount.

That won't be forever though, the licence will expire sometime.

It's this year

[Paul Dishman]

popeyewhite said:

227bhp said:

popeyewhite said:

PositronicRay said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

popeyewhite said:

Paul Dishman said:

You don't know your medicines are genuine, you only think they are.

No, they're genuine. I've had it on prescription (once) and since then online. There's only one manufacturer of the drug I order and the substance delivered has been identical. And I saved the NHS some cash (quite proud of that .

So, how do you know that the price you pay is less than the NHS would pay?

Because I'm not the fool you take me for.

Some are sourced for less than the prescription charge, if this is the case and you pay the charge then by cutting out the NHS you're not doing them any favours.

As I've already explained there is only one manufacturer of this drug, hence they can, and do, charge the NHS an exorbitant amount.

That won't be forever though, the licence will expire sometime.

It's this year

So you're obtaining a branded medication which is about to come out of patent, for less money than the NHS pays for it?
Nope, I'm calling custard on that.

[Paul Dishman]

227bhp said:

Paul Dishman said:

The on-going generic shortages, of which naproxen is the latest, are due to a very tight market and wholesalers hoarding stock in order to push the drug tariff prices up.
Brexit will provide the opportunity for much more of the same.

They aren't allowed to hold the public to ransome and that isn't what my chemist tells me. Apparently production was paused due to either contamination or someone flagging up a warning about one of the ingredients.

Of course they're not "allowed" to hold the public to ransom, but that's what happens. Specifically for naproxen, yes there have been production problems. But because over the years the NHS has reduced the prices of generics by billions the supply nowadays only just meets the demand, and so it's easy for the wholesalers to manipulate the supply and force the Drug Tariff price up, to the benefit of the multiple chains of pharmacies that they own.

[popeyewhite]

Paul Dishman said:

So you're obtaining a branded medication which is about to come out of patent, for less money than the NHS pays for it?
Nope, I'm calling custard on that.

Yawn.