UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock's idea to put together enough vital medicines to last six weeks in case of a no-deal Brexit may cost the country 2 billion pounds, or roughly $2.6 billion, local media reported on Wednesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th August, 2018) UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock's idea to put together enough vital medicines to last six weeks in case of a no-deal Brexit may cost the country 2 billion Pounds, or roughly $2.6 billion, local media reported on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, UK media reported on Hancock's leaked letter that warned of possible pharmaceutical drugs' shortage in case of no-deal Brexit.
The projection was based on King's Fund think tank's annual cost estimate of 17.4 billion pounds, The Guardian newspaper reported, citing Best for Britain non-governmental fund.
"I don't remember anyone warning that Brexit would mean we'd have to stockpile drugs or that this would cost the NHS and taxpayers up to �2bn," Owen Smith, a Labour lawmaker and Best for Britain supporter, was quoted as saying.
Hancock reportedly urged pharmacies and doctors against collecting the drugs themselves and said that the government was working on the issue.
The NHS Providers confirmed the existence of the letter, but stressed it was private correspondence.
The European Union and the United Kingdom have faced a number of thorny issues in their discussions of the departure terms, including the Irish border and customs arrangement.
