Policy: PAGB joins UK and European trade associations in letter to EU negotiators

PAGB has co-signed a letter to the UK and EU Brexit negotiation teams to underline the importance of securing ongoing cooperation between the UK and EU on medicines.

The letter was sent from the leaders of eight UK and European pharmaceutical and life science industry bodies, including:  PAGB,  Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), The Association of the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP); The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA); EuropaBio; Medicines for Europe; British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA); and the BioIndustry Association (BIA). It follows last week’s letter in the Financial Times by Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health, and Greg Clark, Secretary of State for Business, which outlined the UK Government’s plans for the regulation of medicines post-Brexit.

PAGB’s participation in this letter reflects our view that the consumer healthcare industry faces many of the same challenges being articulated by our colleagues in the prescription pharmaceutical medicines, medical devices and food sectors. PAGB is working closely with colleagues in the trade associations for those industries and is supportive of issues raised by those sectors

PAGB supports the points made in the letter, which largely reflect PAGB’s EU Exit position.

PAGB’s overarching position is that when the United Kingdom leaves the European Union there should be no fewer over-the-counter/self care products available in the UK and those products should be no less safe than they are today.

PAGB’s priorities for EU Exit are to:

• Ensure no additional regulatory barriers are introduced
• Agree an ongoing partnership/collaboration with the EU27 and continued participation in regulatory structures and processes
• Ensure appropriate mutual recognition agreements are in place to allow over-the-counter/self care products manufactured in the UK to continue to be exported to the EU and vice versa
• Ensure the UK continues to participate in EU pharmacovigilance systems to protect public health
• Ensure a simple, streamlined transition process to any new arrangements with adequate timescales
• Expand opportunities for self-regulation for over-the-counter products to deliver improvements in availability, access and choice for people in the UK, whilst ensuring sufficient regulatory alignment with the rest of the EU.

Read the full PAGB EU Exit Position