UK Bans ‘Parallel Export’ of 24 Drugs to Protect Supply

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency announced new restrictions on exports of two dozen medicines due to shortages.

The restrictions will stop wholesalers from “parallel exporting,” or buying medicines meant for U.K. patients and selling them for a higher price in other countries. Similar restrictions have been put in place in other European countries, such as France and Spain, the agency noted.

The new restrictions will apply to 19 hormone replacement drugs, as alternatives for drugs currently in short supply, and to five other medicines, including all adrenaline auto-injectors and hepatitis B vaccines, to protect against possible shortages.