Cancer patients across Europe could lose out on vital drugs if no Brexit deal is reached, pharmaceutical giant warns

Pills - Image credit: PA Images

Cancer patients could lose out on vital drugs if Britain leaves the EU without a deal, pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca has warned.

The firm, which produces cancer medicines in the UK, said that a no deal Brexit could cause “delivery problems” across the continent.

Astra Zeneca’s market access chief, Ad Antonisse, said: “If we do not prepare well for Brexit, patients in the EU may no longer be able to receive their medicines.”

“Just because production happens to happen in the United Kingdom.”

The comments follow warnings from both the private and public sector over the potential negative consequences of Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal.

Earlier this week local police chiefs said the loss of access to EU-wide security powers and databases could put the public at risk and called on the Home Office to confirm contingency plans.

Meanwhile, the increasing likelihood of a ‘no deal’ Brexit has prompted a further slump in the pound, with the currency falling to its lowest level in a year against the dollar and euro.

This comes after Bank of England governor Mark Carney’s said last week that the chances of Britain leaving the EU without a deal were now "uncomfortably high".  

His comments were echoed by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who said that the chances of a no deal departure now sat at “60-40”, blaming EU “intransigence” for the deadlock.