The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association (IPHA) has said that any suggestion that the supply of medicines to Irish patients would be used as leverage in Brexit negotiations was "appalling".
It was responding to a report in The Times newspaper today that the fact that 60% of Ireland's medicines come through the UK could be used as leverage, under a list compiled by Michael Gove's Brexit Operations Committee.
The IPHA said that patients should not be used as pawns in the Brexit process.
It also said it had not been made aware of what is reported and so in that sense "the story is speculative".
About 4,000 medicines are marketed in Ireland and of these, between 60% and 70% come from, or pass through, the UK.
The IPHA said that the industry had worked very closely with the Irish authorities in planning for continuity of care whatever the outcome of Brexit.
It said it was satisfied that both the industry and the State were prioritising the interests of Irish patients.
The Department of Health said that significant work had been undertaken to anticipate particular vulnerabilities and devise contingencies to minimise any risks to the continuity of supply.
It said that Brexit is not expected to have an immediate impact on the supply of medicines.
The department said that pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers had provided assurances that there will be sufficient stocks to bridge any initial issues at ports, should they occur.
It added that medicines can continue to be supplied to Ireland from another EU member state via the UK landbridge and vice versa.
The department said that many companies have already adapted their supply chains away from dependence on the UK landbridge by relocating the manufacture of products for the Irish market out of the UK and into an EU 27 Member State, or rerouting their supplies to Ireland away from the UK landbridge.
In relation to customs checks, the department said it was important to note that the vast majority of finished medicines are not subject to Customs or Sanitary Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) checks.
