Looks like Brexit could mean that the UK gets any #COVID19 vaccine later than other countries, & for more money, due to us being out of the EU’s joint procurement of medical countermeasures. I'm not sure this divergence thing is all it's cracked up to be.
politico.eu/article/brexit…
politico.eu/article/brexit…
By the time a vaccine is developed we'll be out of the European Medicines Agency as well. Drugmakers are likely to prioritise the EU market rather than submitting their drug to the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency first.
The EMA can fast-track approval of a new vaccine in the event of a pandemic, where authorisation takes c.70 days instead of the usual 210. While a pandemic has yet to be officially declared, the EMA has already kicked its plan for emerging health threats into gear.
It's unlikely we'd be able to cherry pick access to the EMA even if we wanted to - but the UK Govt keeps saying that it doesn't want to be aligned closely with EU rules.
In terms of costs - the EU pools its buying power, meaning that drugs are cheaper for all concerned. Once we're out we'll be a sole bidder, paying more for every pill and vaccine.
This really doesn't sound great does it.
This really doesn't sound great does it.
Meanwhile the Chief Exec of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, says that cooperation will be 'vital' and wants 'an agreement which protects patient safety and public health, and sees both sides work together on aspects of medicines regulation'.
I'd say that given how the Govt have behaved to this point that's vanishingly unlikely until we get a change of government, when I strongly suspect a lot of the stuff that's been trashed and burned will slowly but surely get put back together.
Looks like this has been coming for a long time:
