Availability of certain HRT treatments after Brexit

[borntobequiet]

I've been concerned for a while now, but a report on the Today programme on the impact of Brexit on NHS medicine supply lines has upped my concern. Both I and my daughter use oestrogen gel, manufactured in Belgium, to control (in my case) symptoms of the menopause and (in hers) very severe symptoms due to hysterectomy in her 30s. Without these products my life would be adversely affected, and she would find it very difficult to function at all. I don't think there are comparable products manufactured in the UK, and if there were I doubt supplies would be sufficient.

No idea what to do, so really just posting to increase awareness of what could be a problem for many (and it's difficult enough to get treatment anyway, without lack of availability of medication).

I hadn't heard that but I sincerely hope the import would not be affected.
It is in Besin's interests t o continue exporting as much as it is for us to import. I'd assume that if there was an issue some UK manufacturer would pick up the production. Why do you think they could not meet a demand?

In any case, Oestrodose which is a generic version some of us are given, is packaged in the UK even though the raw product comes from Besins.

Yes, it's in everyone's interests to import/export, the potential problem flagged up in the report was in the supply chain, possibly delaying supplies and resulting in shortages. (I assume problems could be caused by additional customs checks if out of the customs union, and regulatory issues if out of the single market.) However it takes foresight and planning to arrange alternative production, and I have no idea if that is going on for HRT products or indeed for any other imported medicines. Imports of raw product would be affected in the same way as packaged products (I use Oestrodose).

There are potentially 1000s of medicines that could be affected. It's still all in the melting pot and UK companies like AZ, Roche and GSK will be doing all they can to ensure that free trade continues. My opinion is the issue has been hyped up by the media. Yes, it's a risk, but there are people out there on life saving drugs that will be at risk so I really don't think it will happen. If so, there is always Sandrena gel (not sure where that is made) or patches .

I don't think that one fairly restrained report on Radio 4 constitutes being hyped up by the media...am I missing lots of other coverage? If so, where?

Honestly there is more things to worry about than this. I presume you are a Remainer?

Even if there is no trade deal do you really think VW will say goodbye to the UK market? We are the biggest buyer of their cars apparently.

Parliament are investigating the effects of Brexit on the supply chain of medicines in the UK and the media are reporting on it. That's not hype imo. It's a serious issue for thousands of people, doesn't just apply to HRT.

www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/health-committee/news-parliament-2017/brexit-medicines-substances-evidence-17-19

There are lots more things to worry about, true. But I personally worry about this (as well as other issues to do with medicines and the impact of Brexit on the NHS). It appears to me that these issues have not been addressed at all, and they are important. Yes, I am a Remainer, but surely all will be affected, Remainer and Leaver alike, by the consequences of what might be a hard Brexit. (We have already lost the EMA, which David Davis said would not happen, and we haven't even left yet.)
I don't understand the reference to VW.

What else should the OP be worrying about

Stop being dismissive of what a cluster fuck Brexit currently looks like.

And yes I voted remain, as you can probably tell from my realism not pie-in-the-sky 'you'll be fine' with little to back that statement up.

My understanding of this from what I read today see here www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42213937 is that is more about UK companies having issues exporting and retaining their share of the market.

I am a Remainer. But I cannot believe that millions of people in the UK- some of whom rely on drugs for cancer etc - would be without medicines post Brexit. This would be catastrophic.

I mentioned Sandrena as an option to gel, but it's made and exported from Finland. Would that still get into the Uk without a problem? Who knows.

Utrogestan the other drug I use is also made by Besins, so I'd be well and truly buggered.

If you look at the figures- nos of medicines in the article- they have to find a way to resolve this that will not affect consumers. People would be dying all over the shop if they didn't.

I'm sorry to say that many years of experience have taught me that it's by no means beyond the capabilities of governments of whatever type to make political and economic decisions that deliberately or inadvertently result the needless illness and death of citizens. They are often able to do this because the electorate and the media don't ask the right questions beforehand.

So what are you going to do about it ? :)
Tweet? Write to The Times? Call Eddie Mair? contact BBC Today? Lobby your MP?
All very well posting here.....

I've written to my MP. I'm going to ask my GP when I see her next. After that, not sure. What's the problem with posting on here? Reasons for doing so were to see if anyone else was worried and to get ideas of what to do.

There is no issue posting here, I meant if you felt very strongly, then doing something about it is the way forward, with people who have some influence.
I will ask my consultant when I can because they ought to know .

There are quite a few mentions previously on MN about how UK access to medication could be screwed over by leaving EU with no deal & lousy plans for replacing the EMA function in UK.

Article from January 2016 about the likely regulatory chaos expected to be caused by Brexit.

The big impact is thought to be for new drugs, though, not existing ones. Britain having regulatory hurdles separate from EU, when UK is only 3% of global market... well, would you bother jumping thru those hoops if you were Big Pharma?

Bumping this...
I wonder when it will get moved to the Brexit section?
After shortages of the gel earlier in the year due to a manufacturing problem, I became very aware of how my and my daughter's lives would be adversely impacted. Pharmacist and GP seem not to know anything...

Companies are stock piling. The delay will be at point of entry . I have a family member in pharma and know they are stockpiling already. I think the trick is always to order your next batch before you are down to your last few days of any item.

I’m very worried too. I haven’t been able to get any HRT for the last few days and have to go back to the GP on Monday to see if another brand is in stock. The one I currently use is out of stock in the UK. I’ve heard from others that there are drug shortages. I don’t think it is that straightforward to change supplies and the importing drugs from countries outside the UK is fairly complicated which is why we have Free Trade Agreements (slightly annoying response from some people on this thread). Not sure what to do but am having to take time off work on Monday to try and get a different brand... so cross with Brexit

I wish it had been hyped by the media but it is really true I am afraid...

Hi, neither have I and wasted hours today trying to locate my prescribed HRT, Angeliq, without any luck. Pharmacists are at a loss as so many drugs now unavailable. Drs can’t give me an appointment and won’t prescribe another drug without seeing me and have told me nothing similar is available. Catch 22! looks like I will have to stop taking Angeliq, abruptly, which I am not looking forward to.... as I said to one of the pharmacists today, I didn’t vote leave 😭

We can't blame Brexit because it's not happened yet! The possible delay to supplies post-Brexit if there was no deal, would be because of delays at customs as goods arriving would have to be checked and it wouldn't be a shortage per se, just goods held at ports longer.

It's possible that either:
-wholesalers are stock piling (I know pharma companies are stock piling drugs and raw materials) so they have some supplies in the event of no-deal

-women are asking for repeat prescriptions when they may not have run out (but under the NHS system this might be harder as repeats are usually 'controlled') so pharmacies are running out of their 'quota' and can't get more from wholesalers

• there is a manufacturing issue nothing to do with Brexit.

The best thing to do is to contact the manufacturer and see if there is a problem at source. They all have customer helplines or email contact addresses.

OR ask your pharmacy to do this.

OR swap to another brand- most HRT is exactly the same- lots of it is estradiol plus norethisterone. The only one which isn't, is Femoston and some of the older ones like prempak and premarin.

Angeliq is different too- shame you can't get it- have you rung around all the pharmacies in your area and asked your pharmacy to ring the manufacturer?

I rung Bayer (manufacturer of Angeliq) yesterday and was told they are no longer supplying to the U.K. due to change in regulations (due to U.K. leaving EU) Angeliq is unique (Estradiol and Drospirinone)