British drugs manufacturers may stockpile medicines in European warehouses as a precaution against a hard Brexit.
Drugs made in the UK may have to be tested again once they leave British shores, should the government fail to strike a deal covering pharmaceutical testing. Such an impasse could delay the supply of British medications to countries in Europe.
Drug makers are busy working on contingency plans, which would have to be enacted long before Britain quits the EU in March 2019. These could include providing a buffer by building up supplies in their biggest European markets.
Jo Pisani, who leads the pharmaceuticals and life sciences consultancy at PwC, confirmed companies were considering such action.
“What they would begin to do is more production runs,” she said.