Getting Your Medicines After Brexit Transition

Overview

When the UK left the European Union, the rules for how medicines are approved, labelled and moved between the UK and the EU changed. This does not mean your medicines are unsafe or that they have stopped working. For most people, the medicine inside the pack is exactly the same as before. What can change is the brand name on the box, the way the packaging looks, the wording on the label, how supplies reach your pharmacy, and what happens when you travel abroad with your medicine. This page explains those changes in plain terms and tells you what to do if something about your medicine looks different.

Yes. Since the start of 2021, many people in the UK have noticed a different brand being supplied, a redesigned box, a changed tablet shape, or a short delay in getting a medicine. These changes are common and, in most cases, expected.

Anyone in the UK who takes medicine, but especially people who take regular medicine for a long-term condition, people who use several medicines at once, parents and carers of children on regular treatment, people living in Northern Ireland, people who travel to the EU, and people who rely on specialist, rare or imported medicines.

Symptoms

Common symptoms

• The box or bottle looks different from the one you usually get, even though the name on your prescription has not changed.
• The brand name printed on the pack is one you have not seen before.
• The tablets or capsules are a different shape, colour or size, or they now come in a blister strip instead of a bottle.
• The patient information leaflet is laid out differently or the wording has been updated.
• The pack says a different country of manufacture, or the label uses different wording.
• Your pharmacy has fewer packs than usual, or asks you to come back for the rest of your supply.
• A liquid medicine has a different strength or comes with a different measuring spoon or syringe.

Symptoms in children

• A children's liquid medicine may come in a different strength. If the strength changes, the amount you give changes too, so always double-check the dose with your pharmacist.
• The measuring device in the box may be a different shape or size. Always use the device that comes with that pack, not an old one from a previous bottle.
• Sugar-free or flavour versions can change, which some children notice and dislike.
• If your child refuses a new-looking medicine, or seems unwell after taking it, speak to your pharmacist or doctor the same day.

Symptoms in older adults

• Small print on a redesigned label can be harder to read, which raises the risk of taking the wrong medicine or the wrong amount.
• If you use a blister pack or dosette box prepared by your pharmacy, the layout may look different for a short while.
• People taking several medicines are more likely to notice a change in one brand among many.
• If you have memory problems, a familiar-looking pack changing can cause confusion. Ask a family member, carer or pharmacist to check with you.
• Care home residents should have any supply change explained by the care team.

Causes

Main causes

• The UK now has its own medicines regulator, separate from the European one. A medicine approved for use in the EU is no longer automatically approved in Great Britain, and the other way round.
• Manufacturers often make separate packs for the UK and the EU, with different labels, leaflets and sometimes different brand names.
• Supply chains that used to cross borders freely now involve customs paperwork and extra checks, which can occasionally cause delays.
• Some companies have changed where their medicines are made, packed or tested, so the pack may name a different country.
• Northern Ireland follows EU medicine rules rather than UK ones, so supplies and packaging there can differ from the rest of the UK.
• Medicines that were only licensed in the EU may need a different approval route to be supplied in the UK, and the reverse applies abroad.
• Travel rules changed. A UK prescription is not recognised in another country, and some medicines need extra paperwork to carry across a border.

Risk factors

• Taking medicine every day for a long-term condition.
• Taking several medicines, especially if they are all supplied at the same time.
• Living in Northern Ireland or moving between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
• Using specialist, rare or unlicensed medicines that come from a small number of suppliers.
• Caring for a child or an older adult who takes regular medicine.
• Planning to travel to the EU or further afield with medicine in your luggage.
• Using medicines that are tightly controlled by law, which often need extra paperwork to travel with.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor urgently if:

• You have two days or less of a medicine you cannot safely stop, and your pharmacy cannot supply it.
• A pack looks different and your pharmacist cannot confirm it matches your prescription.
• You have a reaction after taking a medicine — swelling, a bad rash, breathing problems or feeling very unwell.
• You are travelling within a few days and do not have enough medicine or the paperwork you need.

Book a routine appointment if:

• You want to understand why your medicine now comes in a different brand or pack.
• You need a letter explaining your medicines for travel.
• You would like your repeat prescription reviewed, for example to order a longer supply before a trip.
• You take a medicine that has been hard to get and want to talk about a plan for next time.

Diagnosis

There is no test involved. Instead, there is a simple checking process you can go through with your pharmacist. The aim is to confirm that the name, strength and form of the medicine match what your doctor intended, and that any change is just a different brand or pack of the same product.

Tests that may be done

• Read the name and strength on the label and compare it with your repeat prescription list.
• Read the patient information leaflet inside the pack, especially the section naming the active ingredient.
• Ask your pharmacist to compare the new pack with your dispensing record.
• Check the expiry date and that the pack is sealed and undamaged.
• For liquid medicines, check the strength and use only the measuring device supplied with that pack.
• If you are still unsure, ask the pharmacist to contact your prescriber before you start the new pack.

What to expect at your appointment

Your pharmacist can usually answer within a few minutes, because your records show exactly what was prescribed and what has been supplied. If the answer is not clear, they will contact your GP surgery. You should never feel rushed into taking something you are unsure about — asking is always the right thing to do.

Treatment

Most of the time, nothing needs to change. Where a brand or pack has changed, the goal is to make sure you keep taking the right medicine at the right amount without a gap. Your pharmacist and GP work together to keep your supply steady. If a particular product becomes hard to get, your prescriber may agree a suitable alternative with you.

Self-care at home

• Order your repeat prescription earlier than you used to, ideally before you get down to your last week.
• Keep an up-to-date list of your medicines, including the name, strength and how often you take each one.
• Ask your pharmacist to explain anything unfamiliar before you leave the counter.
• Do not stop or change a medicine on your own because a pack looks different — check first.
• Never buy medicines from an unverified website or an unfamiliar seller to fill a gap. This is a real safety risk.
• Keep medicines in their original packaging so you can show them to a healthcare professional if needed.
• If you use a dosette box or blister pack, ask your pharmacy to tell you when the layout is about to change.
• Before travelling, check the rules of the country you are visiting and carry your medicine in your hand luggage.

Medical treatments

If a product is unavailable, your prescriber may switch you to a different brand or a different form of the same medicine, such as a tablet instead of a liquid. Sometimes a different medicine in the same family is used. Any switch should be explained to you, and some need extra monitoring — for example, a blood test after a change. Your dose should only be adjusted by your prescriber or pharmacist, never by yourself. Ask what to expect after a switch and what to do if you notice a difference.

Living with this condition

A little planning takes most of the stress out of these changes. Reorder early, keep your medicine list with you, and treat any unfamiliar pack as a question to ask rather than a problem to worry about. If you collect medicines for someone else, check the name and strength on the label before you leave the pharmacy.

Lifestyle tips

• Set a reminder on your phone to reorder prescriptions a week earlier than you used to.
• Photograph your repeat prescription slip so you always have the details to hand.
• Tell your pharmacy in advance about planned holidays or long trips.
• Keep a small supply of any medicine you cannot safely miss in your hand luggage, not your suitcase.
• If you use several medicines, ask your pharmacy about a annual medicine review.
• Share your medicine list with anyone who cares for you.

Diet and exercise

There is nothing special to eat or avoid because of these changes. Your usual healthy routines still help — eating well, staying active, and getting enough sleep all support your general health and make it easier to keep on top of your medicines. If a particular medicine needs to be taken with or without food, that advice has not changed, so follow the leaflet in the pack.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing

It is very understandable to feel anxious when a medicine you rely on looks different or is hard to get. Uncertainty about supply can be genuinely worrying, especially if you care for someone else. Try to deal with one step at a time: check with your pharmacist, order early, and talk to your GP if the worry is affecting your sleep or mood. If you are feeling low or overwhelmed, support is available — speak to your GP or your local mental health service, and if you ever feel unable to keep yourself safe, contact your local emergency number straight away.

Prevention

You cannot change the rules that came with the UK leaving the EU, but you can reduce the chance of being caught short. Order prescriptions early, keep your medicine list current, ask questions at the pharmacy, and plan ahead for travel. If a medicine has been difficult to get before, ask your GP what to do next time it happens.

Complications

If left untreated

• Missing doses of a medicine you take regularly can let your condition flare up or become harder to control.
• Stopping some medicines suddenly, without advice, can cause withdrawal effects or serious problems.
• Filling a gap by buying from an unverified website can lead to receiving a fake, out-of-date or wrong medicine.
• Travelling without enough medicine, or without the right paperwork, can lead to it being taken away at a border.
• Ongoing worry about supply can affect sleep, mood and quality of life.

Long-term outlook

The picture is reassuring. Medicines in the UK continue to be checked for safety and quality through a well-established regulatory system, and pharmacists are used to handling brand and packaging changes. Most people notice a different box, ask a quick question, and carry on exactly as before. With a little planning, supply problems are usually short and manageable — and help is always close at hand.

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