Pharmacy professionals implicated in the unlawful manufacture and sale of unregistered weight-loss medicines could face severe disciplinary action, including removal from the professional register, the South African Pharmacy Council warned on Saturday.
The warning follows a joint enforcement operation by the SAPC and the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority at Sentra Pharmacy in Silverton, Pretoria, where authorities seized injectable products containing semaglutide, tirzepatide and related combination formulations.
The products, promoted largely for weight management purposes, were allegedly being produced and distributed outside the legal scope of pharmaceutical compounding permitted under South African law.
The South African Pharmacy Council said it would pursue further regulatory action against pharmacy professionals linked to the operation.
“Unlawful manufacturing, promotion and distribution of unregistered GLP-1 medicines for weight loss is a serious violation of the law and a direct threat to public safety,” said Vincent Tlala, chief executive officer of the SAPC.
“Pharmacists and pharmacy support personnel found selling, compounding or distributing these unregistered medicines risk severe disciplinary action, including possible removal from the register,” he said.
The council said it would not tolerate conduct that compromises patient safety or undermines the integrity of the pharmacy profession.
The seized medicines belong to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 and GIP medicines, widely used internationally for diabetes management and increasingly sought after for weight-loss treatment. Regulators, however, warned that improperly manufactured versions pose significant health risks.
According to SAHPRA investigators, the inspected facility lacked adequate sterile manufacturing conditions and failed to conduct proper testing to confirm the identity, purity and potency of the products being supplied to the public.
Authorities also raised concerns about the alleged illegal importation of pharmaceutical ingredients and reports of adverse health events linked to the medicines.
The operation signals a broader crackdown by South African regulators on unregistered medicines entering the rapidly expanding weight-loss market.
Healthcare professionals and members of the public have been urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious pharmaceutical products to regulators.