Sahpra Archives - Voice of the Cape

Sahpra warns of toxic medicines after 33 children die in Gambia

LOCAL The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has been alerted to dubious health products being traded by an Indian company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals. “The products as they appear on the World Health Organisation (WHO) product list are not registered for use in South Africa,” Sahpra said. The four products are Promethazine oral solution, Kofexmalin baby cough syrup, Makoff baby cough syrup and Magrip N Cold syrup. Sahpra said the […]

11 October 2022

Local

SAHPRA approves new treatment for HIV positive children

The South African Health and Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) on Friday approved and registered a new combination antiretroviral treatment for infants and young children who are HIV positive. The regulatory body said the treatment came in granules that could be sprinkled on soft food or dissolved in milk or water. The 4-in-1 formulation, which is called Quadrimune, doesn't need to be stored in a fridge. Sahpra said this treatment was […]

25 June 2022

Local

Sahpra approves new combo drug to revolutionise HIV treatment for children

A new sweet-tasting combination treatment designed for infants and young children with HIV has been approved for use in SA. The “4-in-1" formulation approved by the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has been developed by the non-profit Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and pharmaceutical firm Cipla. It does not require refrigeration. “It is significant that this first regulatory approval of the 4-in-1 formulation is from a country that has […]

15 June 2022

Local

SAHPRA conducting study of 28 people who died after receiving COVID-19 shots

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) says it is conducting a study on 28 people who have died after receiving either the Pfizer or Johnson and Johnson vaccines in South Africa. According SAHPRA, 28 people died after being vaccinated in South Africa as of the seventh of July. The authority says, however, there is no evidence at this stage that the individuals had died as a direct result […]

22 July 2021

Local

2 million J&J COVID-19 vaccines won’t be released following FDA announcement: SAHPRA

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has decided that the 2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines at the Aspen plant in Gquerberha will not be released for distribution in South Africa. In a statement, the regulator confirmed that the vaccines were affected by contamination issues at a US vaccine plant in Baltimore. The US Food and Drug Authority (FDA) last month halted the […]

13 June 2021

Local

SAMA welcomes halt of J&J COVID-19 vaccine rollout

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has welcomed Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize’s decision to temporarily halt the rollout of the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine while investigations into reports of rare blood clotting continue. The temporary suspension of the rollout comes after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that six cases of blood clotting were detected, following the rollout of more than 6.8 million doses of […]

14 April 2021

Local

Ivermectin for Covid-19: Compound may be made up on prescription from doctors

Ivermectin may now be used in SA for the treatment of Covid-19. That is the upshot of a settlement agreement, made an order of court, in four applications against the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra). In terms of the agreement, the anti-parasitic drug can now be “compounded” and prescribed legally for the treatment of specific patients. Doctors no longer have to use the “compassionate use” programme, initiated by Sahpra […]

7 April 2021

Local

High court to hear arguments by AfriForum on why doctors should prescribe Ivermectin for COVID-19 patients

The Pretoria High Court will on Monday hear arguments by lobby group, AfriForum, and Dr George Coetzee on why doctors should be allowed to prescribe Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The arguments will focus on the doctors’ own discretion and without limitations to access caused by the Section 21 process. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) in February announced that it would allow the use of […]

29 March 2021

Local

Covid-19: Auditor-general looks into SANDF’s ‘dodgy’ Cuban drug deal

The auditor-general is investigating how the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) imported a dubious and unregistered Covid-19 drug, at a cost of more than R200m, despite a warning against its use by a top government advisory committee. So far, only one patient is known to have been treated with 10 vials of the drug - Heberon Interferon-Alpha-2B - leaving the military health service with more than 900,000 vials of […]

15 November 2020

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