Speaking after meeting with top health care professionals, Ms Bradshaw said one of the key benefits of EU membership was the ability to pool resources and share expertise, creating a better health service and healthier population.
Paula Bradshaw MLA said: “Health issues don’t respond to borders – so issues like air pollution, major viruses or chemical spillages are best tackled by international teams, pooling the widest range of expertise in our common interest.
“Additionally research into issues, like the effects of tobacco on health or the effectiveness of medicines, is best shared across frontiers, taking advantage of the widest possible number of qualified and experienced people working towards common goals for the benefit of everyone.
“This certainly was the feeling among a number of healthcare professionals I met with recently, who recognised the EU offered health innovation, access to qualified and experienced experts working towards a common goal and the benefit of sharing cross-border research outcomes to make medicines safer here in Northern Ireland.
“The EU is home to most of the most effective health services and programmes in the world – precisely because it can share knowledge and expertise within a clear, common framework. It would be a grave error for us to throw all of that away in 23 June.”