Minister: Israel boycotts put ‘100 million prescriptions at risk’

A government minister has warned that a boycott of Israeli products would cause an NHS prescription shortfall of “more than 100 million”.

Responding to a question from Sir Eric Pickles, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health David Mowat said boycotts of Israeli produce would put 100 million prescriptions at risk.

Pickles, former Conservative Party chairman, asked Mowat about the cost to the government if “Israeli-owned and Israeli-based companies were banned from supplying generic medicines to the NHS”.

Mowat replied that it is known that more than 100 million prescription items for medicine are supplied by Israeli companies.

He added: “Banning these supplies would most likely cause significant shortages of some medicines important for patient haalth, and have a significant impact on competition and in all likelihood increase prices paid by the NHS.”