Fixing Brexit pills ‘panic’

by NADEEM BADSHAH

LEADING pharmacists have urged colleagues and patients not to “panic buy” after it emerged that Brexit has sparked a shortage of some medicines.

Some independent businesses have had cashflow problems after buying excess stock due to rumours about shortages linked to delays over Britain leaving the European Union.

Supply problems have caused an official list of “concession” priced medicines to reach its longest since 2014, when it was first introduced.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, which draws up the list, warned that Britain’s exit from the EU, coupled with manufacturers’ views of the country as a “less attractive market”, had triggered “significant” problems.

Some 96 medicines now appear on the concessions list, including painkiller Naproxen and some morphine products prescribed to cancer patients.

Dr Mahendra Patel, a senior academic pharmacist and board member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, told Eastern Eye: “I wouldn’t panic buy as it is going to cause more issues. “Pharmacists shouldn’t stockpile as it is cause congestion in the delivery pipeline and will exacerbate the shortage. You can get patients the best alternative medicine.

“Brexit has brought serious shortages to  light, but we are working with GPs to ensure patient safety is not compromised.”

He added: “The issue around online buying is the safety aspect and legitimate sources. You have to be careful how they access that and are registered.

“Patients should go to their pharmacist or GP with any queries about medication.

“[We’re] Ensuring there’s not a delay in getting medicine to patients by contacting wholesalers. Other non-branded medication is as effective. There is a serious shortage protocol in place. For many years there have been shortages, we have dealt with it.”

Other pills that pharmacists have reported shortages of include anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-depressants and medicine for high blood pressure.

Vikesh Patel,from the North East London local pharmaceutical committee, told Eastern Eye: “Prices are being inflated. It’s not being reimbursed for the inflated price, the tariff is rocketing up.

“Since November, [for] all regular patients with repeat prescriptions, we make sure we have two or three months’ worth of medicine for them.

“Our responsibility is to pre-plan, but it can lead to cashflow problems, otherwise patients suffer. It probably will [get worse]. There was a rumour in November that stock is not coming in. We bought four months’ worth of stock, we got caught out.”

Patel, who owns four pharmacists, added: “You are charged for low spend later on, you can’t keep the wholesaler happy. You have to balance out where to make the least loss, with the wholesaler or with the patient. Any uncertainty doesn’t sit well with us.”

Meanwhile, new rules to protect people from the dangers of buying drugs from online pharmacies and to regulate access to addictive medications have been put in place by the watchdog.

The move by the General Pharmaceutical Council ensures pharmacy websites do not allow a patient to choose a prescriptiononly medicine and its quantity before a consultation has taken place, ensuring staff can identify requests for medicines such as multiple orders to the same address and carry out identity checks on buyers.

Meanwhile, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), led by president Ashok Soni, has been discussing contingency plans with the government in case of a no-deal Brexit.

An RPS spokeswoman said: “Medicine shortages are an increasing problem. A range of factors are responsible, such as manufacturing problems, global demand for medicines and fluctuations in the exchange rate. Medicine shortages have been around for many years, and the situation will continue to be managed effectively and safely by pharmacists in collaboration with GPs.

“The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has outlined contingency protocols and legislation in preparation for a no-deal Brexit.”

The Department of Health and Social Care said it was managing some supply issues, but insists there was “no evidence” they were caused by Brexit.