Implications of Brexit on the health sector
On 23 February, POLITICO’s health care policy team held an event, under the Chatham House rules, on the implications of Brexit on the health sector and asked for a general feedback about their policy updates. The event was attended by Robert Delis (BMA).
The main outcome of the discussion were the following concerns:
- access to medicines and possible higher price in case of possible tariffs
- Clinical trials – issues around UK patients participating in EU clinical trials and possible difficulties with market authorisation of new medicines
- movement medical researchers, residential arrangements of UK nationals in Europe and EU nationals living in the UK. Membership organisations with their offices in the UK are extremely concerned about future arrangements
- future of research on rare diseases, access to EU research funding
- It is highly likely that member states won’t allow the EMA (European Medicines Agency) to remain in the UK.
- Mental health perspective – future of social workers in the UK and sustainability of the system, including ageing population. Brexit has an immediate impact on mental health.
- Conditions for Irish women regarding termination of pregnancy in the UK.
- Possibly loosing on innovation for mental health and oncology
- UK staff in the EC (European Commission) – no rules under the current treaty how do deal with such situation but most likely they will keep their current jobs (as stated in the letter from President Junkers) but it will be more difficult with getting higher positions i.e. head of unit etc.
- UK is leading on biotechnology but possibly moving to the US if the UK environment becomes difficult
- Medical Profession – movement of doctors and residential situation both in the UK and the EU and mutual recognition of qualifications
- Threats to Pan-European cooperation in reducing health inequality, chronic diseases, development of public health standards, prevention and protection against serious health threats
