Industrial Policy & Trade Monitor· 2666 actions· ✨ 90 recent

The UK Department of Health and Social Care added Co-codamol (30mg/500mg, all formulations) to its list of medicines that cannot be parallel-exported from the UK or hoarded, effective 28 January 2026. DHSC had issued a medicine supply warning for co-codamol 30mg/500mg on 12 January 2026, projecting limited supply into at least early June 2026. The restriction is issued under regulation 43(2) of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012; breach constitutes a wholesale dealer licence violation enforceable by the MHRA with licence suspension.

The UK Department of Health and Social Care added Aspirin (all strengths and forms) and Ifosfamide (1g/2g powder for solution for injection vials, a chemotherapy agent) to its list of medicines that cannot be parallel-exported from the UK or hoarded, effective 17 January 2026. Pharmacy trade press reported the addition followed manufacturing delays and raw- ingredient shortages that had left UK pharmacies short of aspirin stock. The restriction is issued under regulation 43(2) of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012; breach constitutes a wholesale dealer licence violation enforceable by the MHRA with licence suspension.

On 10 November 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce and four other departments issued Announcement No. 73 of 2025, adjusting the "Catalogue of Precursor Chemicals for Export to Specific Countries (Regions)" and adding the United States, Canada and Mexico to the "Specific Countries (Regions) Directory" under the Interim Provisions on the Management of Exports of Precursor Chemicals to Specific Countries (Regions). Exporters must now apply for a license before shipping 13 newly listed categories of precursor chemicals (used in illicit fentanyl and other synthetic-drug manufacture) to these three countries; exports of the same chemicals to other destinations remain unrestricted. The measure took effect the same day it was announced.

The UK Department of Health and Social Care added five tuberculosis-treatment antimicrobials to its list of medicines that cannot be parallel-exported from the UK or hoarded, effective 17 July 2025: Rifampicin capsules/powder and solvent for infusion (all strengths), Pyrazinamide 500mg tablets, Rifampicin + Isoniazid 300mg/150mg tablets, Rifampicin + Isoniazid + Pyrazinamide 120mg/50mg/300mg tablets, and Voractiv tablets (all strengths). The restriction is issued under regulation 43(2) of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012; breach constitutes a wholesale dealer licence violation enforceable by the MHRA with licence suspension.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amended the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) on 8 February 2022 to add 33 persons — all based in China — to the Unverified List (UVL) under EAR §744.15(c), on the basis that BIS could not satisfactorily complete end-use checks for these entities for reasons outside US Government control. Placement on the UVL bars exporters from using any EAR license exception when shipping controlled items to listed parties and requires exporters to obtain a certified UVL Statement from the entity or secure a BIS export licence. Sectors represented include semiconductor manufacturing equipment, optoelectronics, UAVs, specialty chemicals, and biotechnology.