U.K. restricts export of drugs in short supply

In an effort to address ongoing shortages of some essential medicines, the U.K.’s Department of Health and Social Care yesterday published a list of drugs whose export will be limited. The list contains 24 drugs, including hormone therapy drugs and hepatitis B vaccines. In an accompanying letter to wholesalers, the department also said that these sellers were also not allowed to hoard supplies of any drug on the list. The new guidance is not directly related to Brexit — which is still scheduled for Oct. 31 — but that event is also expected to bring drug shortages. These restrictions, however, are seen as a precedent to how the government may address Brexit-related changes to medical supplies.