Industry trade association MedTech Europe has written to EU commissioners highlighting the dangers of Brexit on the medical technology sector.
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The trade association has warned EU commissioners that a continuous supply of critical medical supplies to EU healthcare systems cannot be ensured during the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
The warnings were made in two open letters sent to EU commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vitenis Andriukaitis and to Elżbieta Bieńkowska, commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.
EU legislation requires medical devices to be certified by a notified body. Currently, it’s thought that 30-40% of medical devices used in the EU are certified by UK notified bodies. More so, when it comes to the fields of emergency and routine care, UK notified bodies cover over two thirds of devices used in the EU, according to MedTech Europe.
Without valid certification medical devices certified by UK notified bodies would no longer be allowed to be placed on the EU market. Since UK notified bodies contribute largely to the certification of devices made in the EU, this could lead to disruption and shortages.
Now, MedTech Europe is calling on the Commission to take action to ensure a continued supply of medical devices to the EU. This includes considering temporary contingency measures that give EU patients access to devices requires for essential therapies, as well as to avoid shortages of essential medical products such as sutures, reconstructive orthopaedic devices and more.
While national authorities are taking measures to address the situation, MedTech Europe believe that disjointed approaches could create disparities in patient care across the EU.
