On 3rd October 2019 The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a list of medicines which must not be parallel exported from the UK. This action has been taken to ensure the continued supply of medicines to meet the needs of UK patients.

Latest update 30/10/2020 – 27 medicines have been removed from the list and 2 have been added to the list of medicines that cannot be parallel exported from the UK, these include inhalers, certain antibiotics and influenza vaccines.

DHSC and the MHRA have written to medicine manufacturers and wholesalers to remind them of their responsibilities to ensure the continued supply of medicines to meet the needs of UK patients. The letter also includes the list of medicinal products which “cannot be supplied for parallel export or parallel distribution from the UK or hoarded (held back)” for the time being.

The list (click here to access the list on the MHRA website), which will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, contains any product that meets the following criteria:

1. the medicine is required to meet the needs of UK patients;
2. the medicine is either being parallel exported or is at threat of being parallel exported; and
3. the export of that medicine is either contributing to, or may contribute to, a shortage of that medicine in the UK.

Read the DHSC/MHRA letter to holders of a wholesale dealer licence

Any manufacturer or wholesaler found parallel exporting one or more of these medicines could face the immediate suspension of their wholesaler dealer licence.