Getting your medicines after Brexit transition (1 January 2021)

You do not need to take any special action to keep getting your medicines and medical products after the end of the Brexit transition period from 1 January 2021.

The NHS, the Department of Health and Social Care and medical companies are prepared for the end of the Brexit transition.

Plans are in place to help make sure you keep getting your medicines and medical products.

What you should do

Your medicines and prescriptions

If you or someone you care for regularly take medicines you should:

• keep ordering your prescriptions in the usual way
• take your medicines as normal

If you are concerned about treatment, speak to your pharmacist, GP or specialist.

Medical research studies

Medical research studies are expected to continue as normal.

If you are concerned about a research study you or a family member are taking part in, speak with the NHS organisation that is hosting the study.

What the government is doing

The NHS and Department of Health and Social Care plans cover all medicines and medical products.

This includes:

• all prescribed medicines
• medicines you can buy without a prescription
• medical devices
• nutritional products
• bloods, blood and transplant products (there are some medicines that are derived from blood plasma such as immunoglobulin albumin and clotting factors)
• vaccines

These plans cover the entire United Kingdom, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey. GPs have been asked to continue to prescribe medicines and medical products as usual and avoid issuing longer than normal prescriptions.

Extra supplies already in the UK

Companies supplying the UK with medicines and medical products already have additional stocks in the UK in preparation for the end of the transition period.

The Department of Health and Social Care has secured more warehouse space to keep the extra medicines in.

Transport to keep medical deliveries coming into the UK

The government has contracts with transport services to keep the flow of medicines and medical products coming into the UK.

This includes aeroplane courier services to get medicines into the UK within 24 hours if necessary as well as priority space on other routes such as ferries.

Other information on Brexit

For information on visiting the EU and living and working in the EU from 1 January 2021, visit: GOV.UK/transition.