EXCLUSIVE

C+D readers are split over how to vote in the European Union (EU) referendum later this month, a straw poll has found.

The 107 respondents to the poll – published in collaboration with Avicenna on the C+D website between May 10-19 – were marginally more in favour of remaining in the EU, with 40% saying they will be voting to stay (see graph) compared to 39% who will vote leave.

A further 16% of respondents said they had not yet decided which way to vote, while 5% said they will not vote in the referendum at all.

"So many unknowns"

Tim Jenkins, partner at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, told C+D the split of opinion was most likely due to “so many unknowns” about how the sector could be affected by Brexit. 

“People don’t really understand the implications: what it means for me, what it means for my business,” he said at Avicenna’s conference in Mauritius last week.

The “more important” question is whether the UK will be able to stay part of the European Economic Area (EEA) following a possible vote to leave the EU, because this will decide whether it can continue to participate within the EU’s single market, Mr Jenkins said.

It is "quite likely" the UK will still be expected to abide by European medicines regulations if it remains part of the EEA, he added.

Last month, the Association of the British Pharmaceuitcal Industry (ABPI) stressed its support for staying in the EU, claiming that remaining in Europe gives patients faster access to medicines.

This is the first in a series of articles C+D will be publishing on Brexit throughout the week 
 

How will you be voting in the referendum?

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