As demand for injectable weight-loss medicines continues to soar, the South African government has intensified its crackdown on the illegal manufacture and sale of unregistered semaglutide products, warning that consumers could be putting their health at serious risk.
The warning follows enforcement action by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC), which recently seized unregistered GLP-1 injectable medicines from a Pretoria pharmacy after inspectors uncovered serious regulatory breaches.
Concerns about lack of quality testing, reports of adverse reactions
Authorities said the products were being manufactured and distributed outside the legal framework governing medicines in South Africa, with concerns including poor sterile manufacturing conditions, lack of quality testing and reports of adverse reactions, including hospitalisations.
Cindi Benjamin, Pharmacovigilance and Compliance Pharmacist at Pharma Dynamics, said many South Africans mistakenly believe every product marketed as semaglutide is equally safe.
“Patients may assume that all products marketed as semaglutide are equivalent, but that is simply not the case. A SAHPRA-approved medicine has undergone extensive evaluation for quality and efficacy.
“With unregistered products, there may be uncertainty around ingredients, sterility, potency, storage conditions and dose accuracy. These are particularly important considerations for injectable medicines,” added Benjamin.
Benjamin said the concern is not semaglutide itself, but products that have not been assessed by regulators or supplied through recognised healthcare channels.
“Patients may be attracted by lower prices or easier access, but they should first confirm that the product has undergone formal assessment for quality and efficacy, and that it can be appropriately traced and monitored should a safety concern arise,” she said.
Caution against buying from unauthorised distributors
SAHPRA has urged consumers not to buy semaglutide or other GLP-1 medicines through social media, online sellers or unauthorised distributors. The regulator says medicines obtained outside the legal supply chain may contain the wrong ingredients, dangerous concentrations of active substances, harmful contaminants or may not be sterile, posing significant health risks. It has also advised patients to consult healthcare professionals and obtain only SAHPRA-registered medicines from licensed pharmacies.
Benjamin echoed that advice, saying patients should prioritise safety over convenience.
“Consumers should always verify with their pharmacist that the medicine is SAHPRA-registered and use these treatments only under the supervision of a healthcare professional.”
With more pharmaceutical companies expected to introduce registered semaglutide products to the South African market in the future, experts say patients should resist the temptation of cheaper, unverified alternatives and instead rely on medicines that have been properly evaluated for quality, safety and efficacy.
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- As demand for injectable weight-loss medicines continues to soar, the South African government has intensified its crackdown on the illegal manufacture and sale of unregistered semaglutide products, warning that consumers could be putting their health at serious risk.
- The warning follows enforcement action by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC), which recently seized unregistered GLP-1 injectable medicines from a Pretoria pharmacy after inspectors uncovered serious regulatory breaches.
- Concerns about lack of quality testing, reports of adverse reactions Authorities said the products were being manufactured and distributed outside the legal framework governing medicines in South Africa, with concerns including poor sterile manufacturing conditions, lack of quality testing and reports of adverse reactions, including hospitalisations.
- Cindi Benjamin, Pharmacovigilance and Compliance Pharmacist at Pharma Dynamics, said many South Africans mistakenly believe every product marketed as semaglutide is equally safe.
- “Patients may assume that all products marketed as semaglutide are equivalent, but that is simply not the case.
