IT was announced recently that UK patients will face delays obtaining new drugs, including cancer drugs, when the UK withdraws from the EU’s medicines regulator, the European Medicines Agency.

The Agency authorises drugs usage across the EU and is currently based in the UK but will leave after Brexit.

Jeremy Hunt has said the UK will not remain a member as it is subject to rulings by the European Court of Justice.

The UK only has three per cent of the world’s new drug market.

Pharmaceutical companies have said leaving the EMA will put the UK at the back of the queue for new drugs as companies will be less likely to seek permission for UK use alone due to having to undergo a separate product assessment.

Concern has been expressed by the chairman of the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, who has said the UK could be at the back of the queue behind Japan, the US and EU when drugs are introduced, which has been confirmed by several pharmaceutical companies who said UK patients could face delays of up to two years.

The call for a vote on the final deal is becoming clearer every day.

Tracey Simpson-Laing, Amberley Street, York