Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to main navigation

MHRA and EU: Medicinal products in Northern Ireland

The European Commission published a Notice this January dealing with the legal framework for medicinal products marketed in Northern Ireland. On 9 March 2021, the UK MHRA, for its part, followed up and also addressed the issue. 

The MHRA provides two scenarios in its "guidance" that mirror the EU provisions, for:  

  • products approved in the U.K. before Jan. 31, 2021.  

  • products approved in the U.K. after Jan. 31, 2021, but before Dec. 31, 2021.  

In principle, the objective is to ensure continuity of supply to Northern Ireland by allowing the flexible batch release options of a QP to apply both at an EU site or at any UK site if equivalent levels of EU standards can be demonstrated and regulatory oversight is in place. If a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Northern Ireland makes use of this "flexibility option," the MHRA does not need to be notified separately. If this option is not used, the MHRA expects to be informed with given reasons.  

The EU expects a corresponding batch test to be established in Northern Ireland or the EU by December 31, 2021, at the latest. The scheme will also apply to new products approved in the UK before December 31, 2021. This is intended to give Northern Ireland sufficient time to respond to the changes resulting from Brexit.


Source
MHRA: Brexit Guidance

Meet the GMP Compliance Adviser

The GMP Compliance Adviser is the world's largest knowledge portal for quality management in the pharma business. 

The demo access is non-binding and ends automatically.

Test it now for free

You may also be interested in the following articles:

News: EMA

EMA Clarifies Batch Numbering for Parallel-Traded Medicines

EMA updated its GMP/GDP Q&A collection by revising the answer to Question 4 concerning Chapter 5 of the EU GMP Guide. It explains which batch numbers should appear on the packaging of parallel-traded medicines.

Read more
Cleaning Validation: When PDE Reports and the Worst-Case Selection do not Align

Cleaning Validation: When PDE Reports and the Worst-Case Selection do not Align

Robust PDE reports form the basis of risk-based cleaning validation. This article highlights common deficiencies identified during GMP inspections and explains how they can be avoided.

Read more
Question of the Week | GMP-Verlag

Why is it Important to use Consistent Microbiological Air Monitoring Methods in Pharmaceutical Cleanrooms?

Here's the answer:
Read more
News: Europe

EDQM: New Working Party on 3D-printed Medicinal Products

The European Pharmacopoeia Commission (EPC) approved the creation of a working party on 3D-printed medicinal products. Its aim is to support the development of appropriate quality standards in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).
Read more
EMA: 14 New Nitrosamines for Appendix 1

EMA: 14 New Nitrosamines for Appendix 1

Appendix 1 of EMA’s Questions and Answers on nitrosamine impurities has been updated. This appendix contains acceptable intakes (AIs) established for N-nitrosamines.
Read more
WHO: Draft Revision of its Guidelines on Quality Risk Management

WHO: Draft Revision of its Guidelines on Quality Risk Management

WHO published a revised draft of its “WHO guidelines on quality risk management”. Working document QAS/26.994 is open for public comment until 15 November 2026.
Read more
Previous
Next