Illegal weight-loss medicines are facing increased scrutiny as pharmaceutical manufacturers demand stronger law enforcement and regulators prepare tighter rules governing compounded obesity treatments. The Pharmaceutical Task Group (PTG) has called for prosecutions against individuals and businesses selling unregistered medicines. Meanwhile, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and South African Pharmacy Council are developing updated compounding standards. The interventions…
Tag: counterfeit medicines
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Illicit Trade in Medicines and Cosmetics Tops R6.6bn a Year
Counterfeit cosmetics, unregistered skincare and grey-market medicines are flowing into South Africa in growing volumes. This raises safety concerns and exposes gaps in import controls. Illicit trade across the cosmetics, personal care and pharmaceutical sectors now exceeds R6.6bn a year. This is according to a new report from the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa and Econometrix. The report pins…
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Illicit Medicines In South Africa Spark Sahpra Crackdown
The availability of illicit medicines in South Africa is increasing, according to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority. Sahpra regulates medicines and medical devices in the country. It said reports from consumers and seizures by inspectors suggest the problem is widespread. Criminal syndicates are targeting widely used or in-demand medicines. These include weight-loss drugs, antibiotics, painkillers and medicines used…
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Substandard And Falsified Medicines Threaten South Africa
South Africa’s medicines watchdog is warning that Substandard And Falsified Medicines are becoming a bigger public health risk. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) says products bought outside formal channels can lead to treatment failure, serious harm, and even death. Weight-loss medicines have drawn attention in recent months. But SAHPRA stresses they are only one part of a…
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Medicines seized amidst surge in demand for Ozempic copies
New Zealand customs officials recently seized 14 injectable pens labelled as Fitaro and Orsema – semaglutide-based medications manufactured by Incepta Pharmaceuticals, a drugmaker from Bangladesh. These drugs, meant to provide an affordable alternative to Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, underscore a surge in demand for lower-cost versions of the popular diabetes and weight loss medication. Ozempic and its anti-obesity counterpart, Wegovy, contain…