Brexit: Severe Risks to Britain’s National Health Service

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 107; no. 10; pp. 1594 - 1596
• Main Authors: Park, John J., McKee, Martin, Atun, Rifat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Public Health Association 01.10.2017
• Subjects: AJPH s; Chemicals; Climate change; Clinical trials; Delivery of Health Care - economics; Delivery of Health Care - legislation & jurisprudence; Developing countries; Disputes; Drug and Narcotic Control - economics; Drug and Narcotic Control - legislation & jurisprudence; Drug withdrawal; Drugs; EU membership; European Union - history; FDA approval; Federal regulation; Food safety; Global Health; Health care access; Health Policy; Health Policy - economics; Health Policy - legislation & jurisprudence; Health Reform; Health services; History, 21st Century; Human tissues; Humans; Immunization; Immunosuppressive agents; Innovations; International trade; LDCs; Legislatures; Marketing; Medical equipment; Medical research; Negotiation; Organic chemistry; Organs; Parliamentary committees; Parliaments; Patient safety; Pharmaceutical industry; Politics; Public health; Quality of care; R&D; Referendums; Regulations; Regulatory agencies; Regulatory approval; Research & development; Safety; Safety management; State Medicine - economics; State Medicine - legislation & jurisprudence; Tobacco; Transplantation; United Kingdom; Vaccines; Waste management; Water quality; Workforce; United Kingdom; United Kingdom > UK
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.304010
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048

A document purporting to set out its plan was a list of vague aspirations, lacking any recognition of the need to negotiate future arrangements with the remaining 27 EU member states and the European Parliament. Switzerland- a non-EU country with significant pharmaceutical manufacturing-typically waits six months before granting marketing authorization to new drugs introduced by the EMA and FDA.2 Manufacturers of some highly specialized drugs might also decide that the additional cost of obtaining regulatory approval in the relatively small UK market is not worth the cost and effort. [...]the United Kingdom's position in the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership-which funds phase II and III clinical trials of new drugs, vaccines, or diagnostics that benefit developing countries-is uncertain.4 EU-WIDE REGULATIONS AFFECTING HEALTH The EU has implemented a large number of regulations addressing the broader determinants of health, in areas such as food safety, air and water quality, chemicals, health and safety, climate change, waste management, tobacco, and the quality and safety of human organs for transplantation, human tissue, and blood.5 These areas highlight the confusion and contradictions in what little is known about the government's intentions. Yet the UK prime minister has rejected either paying into the EU budget, except as a limited and temporary measure, or allowing the United Kingdom to be subject to the European Court ofJustice, the body established to resolve any disputes.