A regulatory crackdown on illegally compounded weight-loss medicines could leave as many as 300,000 South Africans facing difficult choices over their treatment.
Authorities and legal bodies have been targeting pharmacies involved in the unauthorised compounding of GLP-1 medicines, which have become increasingly popular among people seeking to manage their weight.
The action is aimed at protecting patients, but it could also create a major affordability problem for people who had been relying on cheaper compounded products.
Registered Alternatives Could Cost Up to R6,000 a Month
Obiflex chief executive officer Shaun Barns said patients who can no longer access compounded medicines could face monthly treatment costs ranging between R4,000 and R6,000 for registered alternatives prescribed by doctors.
Barns said affordability was already preventing many South Africans from accessing weight-management treatment.
“There are hundreds of thousands of South Africans, wanting to go on this weight-loss journey but they just simply can’t afford the R4000 to R6000,” he said.
The increased cost could leave some patients unable to continue with treatment.
Cheaper Options Could Push Patients Towards the Black Market
One of the biggest concerns arising from the crackdown is what patients may do if they cannot afford registered medicines.
Some could stop treatment altogether, while others may seek cheaper products through unofficial suppliers.
Health experts and regulators have warned that purchasing medicines outside legitimate healthcare channels can expose consumers to serious risks because the contents, strength and manufacturing standards of such products may not be reliable.
Incorrect Dosages Raise Serious Safety Concerns
Barns warned that some illicit weight-loss medicines may contain substantially different amounts of active ingredients from what their packaging claims.
According to him, testing has identified cases where the actual dosage differed from the labelled amount by as much as 40%.
Such discrepancies could have serious consequences for patients, particularly those administering injectable medicines.
A person could unknowingly receive considerably more or less of the intended dose, potentially increasing the risk of adverse effects or reducing the effectiveness of treatment.
Growing Demand Has Created a Lucrative Market
The popularity of GLP-1 medicines has expanded rapidly as more people seek pharmaceutical assistance with weight management.
That demand has also created commercial opportunities for suppliers of compounded and other weight-loss products.
While registered medicines are subject to regulatory requirements covering their quality, safety and dosage, unauthorised products may not be subject to the same controls.
This has increased pressure on regulators to distinguish legitimate treatment options from products being supplied outside the approved system.
SAHPRA Warns Consumers About Unverified Suppliers
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has previously cautioned consumers against purchasing weight-loss medicines from unverified sources.
Consumers have been advised to obtain scheduled medicines through legitimate healthcare providers and accredited pharmacies rather than relying on products promoted through unofficial channels.
The warning is particularly relevant to medicines advertised online and across social media, where consumers may have difficulty determining whether a product is genuine or has been properly regulated.
Patients Face a Difficult Choice
The crackdown highlights the tension between improving medicine safety and ensuring that patients can afford treatment.
For people who previously relied on lower-cost compounded medicines, registered alternatives may represent a significant financial burden.
Those patients could now be forced to choose between paying thousands of rand each month, ending treatment or seeking cheaper products from potentially unsafe sources.
Regulators’ message remains clear: the need for affordable treatment should not push consumers towards medicines whose quality, safety or dosage cannot be verified.
Affordability Remains a Major Challenge
As enforcement against illegal compounding continues, the availability and affordability of legitimate weight-loss medicines are likely to remain important issues for patients and healthcare providers.
For the hundreds of thousands of South Africans potentially affected, the central question is no longer simply whether treatment is available, but whether they can afford to access it safely.
The health risks associated with unregulated products mean consumers are being urged to discuss alternatives with qualified healthcare professionals rather than turning to unofficial suppliers.
