AstraZeneca has always supported the stated aims of this regulation to protect the environment and human health whilst enhancing the competitiveness of EU industry.We anticipate that the implementation of REACH will have an impact on our current supply chains. For example, manufacturers may decide, for competitive or economic reasons, to cease supply of certain substances. There are indications that this has already started to occur, even before the regulation has come into force.We are currently working in partnership with our suppliers to facilitate future compliance with REACH and avoid any potential for business interruption.We are examining the potential impact of the revised Authorisation & Substitution articles of REACH. Mandatory substitution may now result in a confl ict between the requirements of the REACH regulation to replace substances in established manufacturing processes with safer alternatives and the Medicines regulations, which would require partial or complete re-registration of the product if such substitution is considered to be a material change. We believe that REACH has the potential to bring significant benefits to humans and the environment but it is a highly complex regulation, the full implications of which for our business operations will only emerge over the next 10 years.