Covid vaccine: UK’s medicines regulator ‘ready’ for no-deal Brexit
The UK’s medicines regulator is prepared for the prospect of a no-deal Brexit and is determined it will not affect Covid vaccine distribution, according to its chief.
Dr June Raine, chief executive at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said the regulator was “prepared forany possible outcome”.
Fears that the UK will leave the EU’s single market and customs union with no trade deal on 31 December are rising as talks struggle to make progress.
Chief UK negotiator Lord David Frost and his EU counterpart are in Brussels today to restart talks face-to-face.
A source close to Frost told the Sunday Times that the chances of a no-deal Brexit are “50-50”.
There has been concern that a no-deal Brexit would severely harm flows of medicines between the EU and UK, particularly any Covid vaccine.
However, Raine told the BBC today that the MHRA had prepped for all possible scenarios.
“Our goal at the MHRA is to make sure that whatever the outcome, whatever the deal, that medicines and medical devices and vaccines reach anyone in all parts of the country, without any interruption at all,” she said.
“We’re rehearsed, we’re ready and we know whatever the deal, we will be able to ensure people will have access.”
When pushed on the prospect of a no-deal exit, she said: “We are practiced, we are ready, we are fully prepared for any possible outcome.”
The MHRA this week became the first regulator in the world to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine, with a rollout to care workers, NHS workers and those over 80 to begin next week.
The vaccine was produced in Germany.