Health product regulator approved

Cabinet has approved the establishment of the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).

SAHPRA would regulate all health products for humans and animals, government spokesman Jimmy Manyi told the media after the executive's last regular Wednesday meeting of the year.

"The implementation of the SAHPRA as an entity needs to be expedited to ensure that it is firmly in place and functioning efficiently to support the national health insurance system."

The regulation of health products was an integral component of the national health system, he said.

This ensured the availability of quality, safe and efficacious products for people and animals.

Regulation further ensured the integrity of available health products and indirectly the integrity of the health product industry, which included the pharmaceutical devices and food industries, he said.