In order to ensure the continuity of supply to patients in the UK, a list of medicines that cannot be parallel exported was published on: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/medicinesthat-cannot-be-parallel-exported-from-the-uk.
On the 14/03/2020, the UK Department of Health and Social Care added Hydroxychloroquine to the list.
A medicine will only be included on this list if the following criteria are met:
a) the medicine is required to meet the needs of UK patients;
b) the medicine is either being parallel exported or is at threat of being parallel exported; and
c) the export of that medicine is either contributing to, or may contribute to, a shortage of that
medicine in the UK.
It will be for the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to decide whether a medicine meets the criteria outlined above and the list of medicines that cannot be parallel exported will be reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis of interest to the list to stop exportation, or local hoarding.
Parallel exporting means buying medicines already placed on the market in the UK so that you can sell them in another country in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Hoarding of medicines is when wholesale dealers withhold a medicine when it is in short supply.
See the UK list of restricted medicines here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/879632/Medicines_that_cannot_be_parallel_exported_from_the_UK_MASTER__5_.csv/preview