A no-deal Brexit could spark a shortage of drugs that may lead to deaths, medical experts warn.

Patients with conditions such as cancer, epilepsy and killer infections may be hit as cross-Channel supplies face cuts of up to 60%.

A Mirror investigation found experts fear vital drugs could run out if Boris ­Johnson allows Britain to crash out of the EU.

Consultant ­cardiologist Professor Andrew Clark said he was “alarmed” by the potential shortages.

He said of a no-deal Brexit: “From a medical point of view this is likely to be little short of a disaster.”

It comes after health unions warned leaving without a deal – especially as we approach winter with its devastating ­pressures on the NHS – would spark ­a shortage of drugs that “can be fatal”.

Society for Acute Medicine president Dr Nick Scriven said: “The drugs I worry about are antibiotics.

“Acutely, the concern is around flu vaccines and any further delays moving us very close to the flu season.”

There are also fears transplant patients may be left without drugs that help them stop their bodies rejecting new organs.

British Liver Trust’s Vanessa Hebditch said: “Immunosuppression medications are vital for these patients.”

Medics have warned thousands of sick people will die if Boris Johnson forces a no-deal Brexit
Sirolimus tablets

Epilepsy Society spokesman Stephen Canning added: “For most people with epilepsy, their medication regime will have been finely tuned over many years to maximise their seizure control and minimise side effects.

“One seizure and they suddenly find they are no longer allowed to drive, their job or education may be affected. Seizures can be fatal, too.

“We have been working closely with the Department of Health and Social Services to  ensure that every measure is in place to safeguard these medications.

"And we have Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s assurance that they understand just how vital anti-epileptic medications are for those with epilepsy.”

Cancer Research UK urged the Government to urgently tell patients and medical staff their plans to deal with any sudden break in the supply of drugs.

The group’s Emlyn Samuel said: “All cancer treatments are vital and any delay would be unacceptable.”

There are also fears supplies of ­radioisotopes, needed to run scanners, could be hit. It means ­diagnosis of cancers, heart problems and other fatal diseases could be missed.

And with a shortage of Hormone Replacement Therapy drugs already gripping Britain, a break in supplies from abroad could hit millions of women suffering the crippling effects of the menopause.

Tazocin
421,000 people in the UK used Insulin last year in the UK for diabetes (
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Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The British Medical Association’s Dr Farah Jameel said: “The ­menopause can be a very difficult time for women, so it’s essential they have access to the ­medication they need, ­particularly as we head into winter.

"This is when pressure on NHS is most intense and ­uncertainty grows around the fallout of a ­potential no-deal Brexit.”

Antidepressant drug Prozac is also in short supply.

Stephen Buckley, of the charity Mind, said: “People with mental health problems who use medication to help manage their ­symptoms often rely on a range of treatments. We would urge the Government to particularly prioritise medicines with a short shelf life.”

Haemophilia Society chief executive Liz Carroll added: “People living with haemophilia rely on a clotting factor.

“Without it, some would face the danger of life-threatening bleeds.”

Crohn’s and Colitis UK chief ­executive Sarah Sleet said “easy access to drugs and treatments” was essential for sufferers.

She added: “Without them patients can get very ill and may need surgery unnecessarily.” ­The National Audit Office warned supplies of medicines crossing the Channel could be reduced to between 40% and 60% of current levels on the first day of Brexit. Almost three million packs of drugs arrive in the UK via the ports.

Pharmaceutical firms and the ­Government have a list of at-risk drugs which is being kept top secret to avoid alarming the public.

But there are fears even a short period of delay could prove fatal.

Prescription pills could run out fast (
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Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Cancer patients fear they will be forced to go without medication

The Nuffield Trust said there are ­“thousands of drugs in this category”. The health thinks tank’s Mark​ Dayan added: “The most difficult areas might be those where different drugs are used and patients cannot simply be safely switched between them. Epilepsy medication would be an example of this. And ­chemotherapy.”

But he warned patients against stockpiling their own medicines.

Mr Dayan said: “This can only make things worse because the most vulnerable who rely on the communal stockpile are likely to lose out.”

In August, health unions issued a joint letter warning no-deal would be a disaster for patients. It said it would “cause significant disruption to the supply of medicine, lasting up to six months”. The letter added: “These kinds of delays can be fatal.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We fully understand the concerns of those who require medications in their daily lives and want to reassure them that we are doing everything appropriate so they can access the medicines they need.

“We have no evidence to suggest current or previous supply issues are linked to Brexit.

“The Government, industry and the NHS have mounted an unprecedented response in preparing for Brexit, with substantial stockpiles of medicines already in place and new transport routes coming online shortly.”

The Haemophiliac

Clive Smith

 

Clive Smith has to inject himself with factor VIII clotting agent three times a week to stop internal bleeds.

The 38-year-old barrister from Ilkley, West Yorks, said: “When it comes to the border I would hope that medicines come first. Without medication my joints would start to swell after a couple of days and could cause permanent damage. I’d struggle to go to work or live my daily life.

“There is a risk to life because if I fell and hit my head I could suffer an internal bleed. My message to the Government is please don’t play politics with our lives.”

The epilepsy victim

Emma Davies

Nicola Davies’s daughter Emma is severely epileptic and has severe learning disabilities.

Emma, 37, lives in a home in Chalfont Saint Peter, Bucks. She takes a concoction of drugs of varying dosages to control her seizures.

Nicola said: “Emma has uncontrolled epilepsy. It is extraordinarily worrying for us.

“It’s absolutely vital they have a continuous supply of this medication. These seizures can be fatal if we can’t bring her out of them.”

The colitis patient

Nancy Greig (
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FABimages Photography)

Nancy Greig, 42, has ulcerative colitis and has had her colon removed. The mum of one said: “I wear a bag and I couldn’t leave my bathroom if they run out of supplies of this product.

"Shortages would make us prisoners in our own homes. I have real concerns about these products being manufactured outside the UK.”

The health service project manager from Ayre, South Ayreshire, added: “I’ve also heard that my antidepressants are in short supply. You can’t just stop these things.

"I’m worried I’ll have a relapse and I won’t be able to function and pick up my son from nursery.”

Hospitals booking hotels so staff can get in amid chaos

Hospitals are booking hotel rooms for staff so they can get to work in the event of a no-deal Brexit causing travel chaos.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has made bookings across its area and East Kent NHS Trust has rooms in place for the fortnight after October 31. Neither would confirm how many rooms are booked or for how many staff. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said the move would “ensure we can run our services safely and effectively under all conditions”.

East Kent Hospitals Trust said: “We have booked a small number of hotel rooms close to our emergency hospitals as a precautionary measure.”

Elsewhere, Kent Community Health Foundation Trust is making plans for staff to sleep at work. And South East Coast Ambulance Service is looking into accommodation for drivers and paramedics.