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LONDON (Alliance News) - Sanofi SA and Novartis AG have joined other companies in making plans for building a pre-Brexit drug stockpile, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday.
Sanofi Managing Director Hugo Fry told the FT that the company was already acquiring more warehouse space to store medicines - enough to hold 14 weeks' worth of stock. At present, Novartis stocks enough drugs for ten weeks.
"Contingency plans will ensure that people in the UK can access the treatments they need after the UK leaves the European Union," said Fry.
Novartis also announced plans to "hold increased inventories", joining other pharma companies including AstraZeneca PLC and Eisai Co Ltd.
In June, AstraZeneca Chief Executive Pascal Soriot told the newspaper that the company was preparing for a "bit of chaos" if no Brexit deal is found.
https://www.ft.com/content/a3a1bc78-9560-11e8-b67b-b8205561c3fe
Roche Holding AG and Pfizer Inc have both said they are reviewing their stocks. In July the NHS said it had begun planning to make sure access to key medicines and equipment would be retained once the UK leaves the EU.
"We are working with industry to prepare for the potential need for stockpiling in the event of a no-deal Brexit," Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the health select committee.