The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the British Pharmacological Society welcome the letter from the Secretaries of State for Heath and Industry to the Financial Times on 4 July, titled “The UK wants to continue to work with the EU on medicines”.
We have been clear that that the future of medicines regulation is one of the key issues that has to be addressed in terms of healthcare as part of the Brexit negotiations and this letter provides considerable reassurance in the current period of uncertainty.
We agree with Mr Hunt and Mr Clark that these negotiations should be guided by: ensuring patients in the UK and the EU continue to have access to the most effective and innovative medicines; protecting patient safety through the strongest regulatory framework, and; sustaining close working relationships with our European partners.
This public statement, coupled with the commitment to set up a UK regulatory system that protects the best interests of patients and supports the life science industry, should desired relationship with the EU not be achieved, is welcome.
Professor Alan Boyd, President of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine, who has led the Academy’s work on this issue said, “As the Government has recognised it is essential that the issues of regulation of medicines and devices are properly resolved for the safety and benefit of patients. We would urge the Government to closely involve professional bodies representing clinicians and the industry itself as discussions progress and seek their input and expert advice to enable the best outcome to be achieved for patients and the industry in the UK.“