Latest / The National Briefing / The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority says illicit HIV, weight-loss, pain and chronic medication are finding their way into communities at a rapid rate. Fake medicines pose a growing threat to public health.

Transcript

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority says illicit HIV, weight-loss, pain and chronic medication are finding their way into communities at a rapid rate. Fake medicines pose a growing threat to public health. · The National Briefing

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: You are listening to the National Briefing with Kathy Mohlahlana.
• 0:05
  Speaker 2: Well, onto this story now, and it's really a warning
• 0:07
  Speaker 2: around the medicine that you might have in your cupboard,
• 0:10
  Speaker 2: and that it might not be what the box says
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: it is. The health products regulator, SAPRA, says counterfeit HIV treatment,
• 0:19
  Speaker 2: weight loss drugs, painkillers, and chronic medication are flooding into communities.
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: They're sold on street corners, in spaza shops.
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: And increasingly through very slick social media accounts. Now, the
• 0:33
  Speaker 2: CEO of SAPRA is Doctor Weitumelo Simete Makoko Makokohlela, who
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: joins us this morning. Doctor Weitumelo, thanks for your time. So,
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: how big a problem is this?
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: Good morning. Thank you so much for having us. Um,
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: we're seeing that this is a problem that is growing.
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: We cannot quantify it in size, but um, if we
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: look at the extent of whistleblowing reports um that we
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: have of products being made available on social media or
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: scheduled products that require a prescription being made available, you know, through, um,
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: illegal channels, I would call, we're seeing an increase in
• 1:11
  Speaker 2: those reports and
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: You know, on a weekly basis, we go on several inspections.
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: So it's, it's a growing problem in the country. Why
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: are people opting for these medications or do they not
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: know that it's not real?
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: I mean, I think it's several factors and one of
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: them is that um some people may not know and
• 1:31
  Speaker 2: that's why we are going on this national campaign to
• 1:34
  Speaker 2: educate the public around what to look for. How should
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: you know that a medicine is indeed an authorized and, and,
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: and safe product to take and when is it not
• 1:45
  Speaker 2: a safe product to consume. So, there is a level
• 1:48
  Speaker 2: of awareness. I must say in South Africa, you know,
• 1:51
  Speaker 2: over the many years, um, we've been in a position
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: where there was trust in the
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: Medicine that was in the, available in, in the public.
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: But now because of this entry of falsified uh products
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: and illegal products, in essence, and, you know, for, for
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: people out in the community, it's basically fake, uh, medicines,
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: we're seeing a growing trend and so it, it, it
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: is concerning. So, lack of awareness, I do think an
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: element of it is also a socioeconomic context. You know,
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: people may not necessarily be able to go and afford
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: to go medicine from a bona fide, um,
• 2:26
  Speaker 2: You know, pharmacy, um, because at times they, they, they
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: do state cost bearers.
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: What are the red flags that people should be looking
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: out for? Maybe three key things um that will let
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: somebody know that perhaps the medication you're buying is counterfeit.
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: Yeah. So typically um if I could make an example,
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: on medicines that you find in the country, on each box,
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: you should see a scheduling status. So we say it's S0, S1, S2.
• 2:56
  Speaker 2: Anything that is S3, so that's schedule 3, you should
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: not be able to buy it without a doctor seeing
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: you and a doctor giving you a prescription.
• 3:06
  Speaker 2: So that's one of those. Uh, the second thing is, um, injectables.
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: Any medicine that you inject, you should not be able
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: to get it, um, on social media platforms, um, on
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: e-platforms whatsoever because those should be made available in licensed facilities.
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: And then the other one is, and I know, um,
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: you know, we've looked at digital penetration in our country.
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: But a lot of the products, people can go on
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: our website and check whether that product is registered um
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: by SAPRA. Typically, you will find a registration number on
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: the box. If it doesn't have a registration number, it
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: should say this medicine is not assessed by SAPRA, particularly
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: for herbal types uh medicines. But the key thing is
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: you need to get your medicine from a reputable entity
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: like a pharmacy. Please do not get medicines from
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: e-commerce, um, social media platforms, etc.
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: The CEO of SAPRA, Doctor Weitumelo Semeti Makokohlela, thanks for
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: your time. So we all need to be very carefully
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: looking out, and she's right. Look at the schedules, right?
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: Anything above S3 should come from the doctor. And we
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: must admit, right, the extent to which we are complicit
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: as consumers. Sometimes you go to the side because you
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: want to avoid going to the doctor, cause you know
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: the doctor might not prescribe it to you.
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: So, but but there's a danger in that. Let's