A pharmacist has urged South Africans to be on high alert for falsified and substandard medicines, warning that the consequences can be deadly.
ArchMed’s Tafadzwa Makuro’s warning comes as the country this week launched Africa’s first National Action Plan (NAP) to combat falsified medicines, developed with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and led by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra).
Makuro said patients should look out for tell-tale signs that a product may not be genuine.
“Packaging that looks different, from usual spelling errors, faded printing, missing batch numbers or expiry dates, should raise alarm,” she said.
“Watch for unusual appearances of the medicine itself, very low prices, or products bought from informal vendors, street sellers or unlicensed online sites. The lack of a proper patient information leaflet is another warning sign.”
She advised patients to always buy from licensed pharmacies or healthcare providers, check expiry dates and batch numbers and compare medicines to what they have previously received.
“If it looks or tastes different, ask your pharmacist. Some products include QR codes, holograms or barcodes that can be verified. When in doubt, consult a pharmacist before taking the medicine,” said Makuro.
She said certain lifestyle medicines such as weight-loss products, sexual enhancers and bodybuilding supplements bought online were particularly vulnerable to falsification.
“Antibiotics, antimalarials, HIV and TB treatments and chronic condition medicines like blood pressure or diabetes tablets are most commonly falsified because they are in high demand.”
She warned that patients should exercise extra caution when buying from unregulated suppliers such as informal markets, unknown online stores or individuals selling through social media.
“Do not use the medicine until its authenticity is confirmed. Keep the packaging and receipt as evidence and report suspicious products to your pharmacist, doctor or SAHPRA,” she said.
Makuro said if you’ve already taken the medicine and feel unwell, seek medical attention right away.
On Tuesday, health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi officially launched the NAP in Kempton Park, calling it a “world-first” initiative to tackle the dangerous trade in fake medicines.
“South Africa is one of the first countries globally to operationalise a comprehensive strategy against substandard and falsified medical products,” he said.
The plan will see regulators intensify market surveillance through random testing, inspections and stricter enforcement.
Sahpra CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said reports of falsified medicines have surged in recent years, jumping from 130 cases in 2021/22 to more than 500 already under review this year.
Fake products confiscated by enforcement agencies include unapproved weight-loss drugs, illicit sexual enhancers, skin bleaching creams containing corticosteroids and anabolic steroids.
Makuro stressed that pharmacists are on the front lines of public protection.
“Our role is to counsel patients on how to recognise suspicious medicines, source only from regulated suppliers and raise awareness in the community about the risks of buying from informal markets or online,” she said.
TimesLIVE
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