The national Department of Health has raised concerns about unsafe cosmetic procedures taking place outside South Africa’s regulated healthcare system. Health officials warned that treatments involving unregistered practitioners or unregulated products could cause severe and potentially life-threatening complications. Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the government does not oppose cosmetic surgery or aesthetic medicine. It recognises these procedures as healthcare services…
Tag: SAHPRA
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Shingrix launch in South Africa Raises Access Concerns
A more effective shingles vaccine is expected to become available in South Africa by the end of June 2026. However, its price and planned private-sector launch could place it beyond the reach of many patients. Shingrix is manufactured by pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority recently registered the vaccine. SAHPRA registration means Shingrix can…
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iDexis Semaglutide Ban Ordered By High Court
The High Court has temporarily stopped pharmacy group iDexis from manufacturing, supplying and marketing weight-loss medicines containing semaglutide. The iDexis semaglutide ban follows an application by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. The company manufactures Ozempic and Wegovy. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in both medicines. Ozempic is registered as a treatment for diabetes. Wegovy is approved for weight management. The…
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Lenacapavir HIV Prevention Injection: SA Rollout Faces Heat
South Africa’s long-acting HIV prevention programme has entered a new phase. President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi led an official rollout event in Secunda, Mpumalanga, on 5 June 2026. The twice-yearly injection of lenacapavir prevents HIV infection when used as prescribed. Health officials position the product as a major addition to the country’s prevention toolkit. This is alongside…
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Semaglutide Compounding Dispute: Novo Nordisk Heads To Court
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk is taking compounding pharmacy iDexis to the Pretoria High Court. The highly anticipated legal battle will take place on June 10. The case focuses on the unauthorised scale production of semaglutide-based weight-loss injections. Novo Nordisk wants the court to stop iDexis from manufacturing, advertising, and distributing these products. The global firm alleges that iDexis is…
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Compounded GLP-1 Injections Spark Regulatory Battle
South African pharmaceutical firm iDexis is fighting back against local healthcare regulators over its Compounded GLP-1 Weight-Loss Injections. The company strongly defends its product safety amid serious compliance allegations. The dispute follows a joint statement by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC). The regulators ordered an immediate recall of the company’s…
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Illicit GLP-1 Manufacturing Halted In Pretoria Raid
The South African healthcare sector is facing intense regulatory scrutiny following a major raid on a compounding pharmacy in Pretoria. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) targeted iDexis, trading as Sentra Pharmacy in Silverton. This joint operation with the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) highlights growing concerns over the booming local weight-loss market. The Raid On Sentra Pharmacy…
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Unregistered GLP-1 Medicines Crackdown Escalates In SA
The national medicines regulator has intensified its enforcement action against the unlawful manufacture and distribution of unregistered GLP-1 therapies. This development comes as concerns grow over South Africa’s rapidly expanding and largely unregulated weight-loss drug market. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) confirmed they seized several injectable products. The raid took…
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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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Aspen Insulin Approval Advances Local Health Solutions
Aspen Pharmacare has secured a landmark regulatory win after the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) approved the commercial release of Aspen’s first locally manufactured human insulin batches. The products are cleared for sale in South Africa and other African markets, moving the project from planning into live supply for patients and health systems. Aspen produces the insulin at…
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Bogus Doctors in focus as HPCSA Warns on Rising Fraud
The Health Professions Council of South Africa HPCSA is warning that unregistered practitioners are putting lives at risk. New cases of “bogus doctors” continue to surface. “If you’re in the hands of an unqualified person, you’re as well as dead,” says. The council is responsible for registering medical doctors and other health professionals. It also investigates complaints about practitioners practising…