VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Drugs

Asked by James McMurdockIndependentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 12 May 2025UIN 49711

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the efficiency of the (a) storage, (b) procurement and (c) emergency dispensing of antiviral medications for high-risk patients.

Answered by Karin Smyth

Medicines, including antivirals, are stored in accordance with Good Distribution Practice, which is regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. These will typically be held by medicine wholesalers who sell them on to community pharmacies and hospital pharmacies. Individual pharmacies will have their own procurement strategies. They should plan and manage stocks in line with demand, in order to ensure medicines are available to patients when needed.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim