Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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443. To ask the Minister for Health if the stockpiling of medicines has commenced in preparation for a no-deal Brexit; if not, when he plans to commence same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39990/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Health and its agencies, including the HSE and the Health Products Regulatory Authority, are engaging in intensive Brexit preparedness and contingency planning in the area of health. This includes planning for a no-deal Brexit scenario.

Priorities include ensuring continuity in the supply of medicines and medical devices, ensuring access to services, recognition of qualifications, continuation of existing cross border health co-operation and public health arrangements.

It is important to note that all Member States will potentially face issues regarding the supply of medicines after Brexit. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Commission are providing guidance to help pharmaceutical companies prepare for Brexit, and this guidance is based on the assumption that the UK will become a third country as of 30 March 2019. The HPRA’s guidance to pharmaceutical companies and other stakeholders is also based on this assumption.

In addition to working with the relevant agencies, the Department of Health will continue to support the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in its engagements with the European Commission’s Article 50 Taskforce and its Brexit Preparedness Group in the ongoing review and discussion of mitigating actions at national and EU level.