SAHPRA seizes illegal weight-loss drugs in major Pretoria crackdown
SA regulators are cracking down on illegal Ozempic-style weight-loss drugs after serious safety concerns and reports of hospitalisations.
Black News 
South African health authorities have launched a major crackdown on the growing illegal trade in unregistered weight-loss drugs, following a raid at a Pretoria pharmacy accused of unlawfully manufacturing injectable products linked to popular treatments like Ozempic.
The operation was carried out jointly by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) at Sentra Pharmacy in Silverton, Pretoria.
During the inspection, officials seized all injectable products containing Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, or combinations of the two substances.
These medications have surged in popularity around the world due to their use in weight-loss and diabetes treatment, but authorities say some South Africans are now being exposed to potentially dangerous, illegal versions.
What investigators found
According to regulators, the pharmacy was allegedly operating far beyond what South African law allows for pharmaceutical compounding.
Compounding is intended for pharmacists preparing customised medication for individual patients with valid prescriptions. Instead, investigators claim the products were being made and distributed on a broader commercial scale, particularly for weight management purposes.
What alarmed officials most was the condition of the facility itself.
The investigation reportedly uncovered poor sterile manufacturing conditions, inadequate equipment for injectable medicines, and no proper systems to test the purity, strength or safety of the products being produced.
Authorities also raised concerns about the illegal importation of active pharmaceutical ingredients used to make the injections.
Concerns grow over safety of patients using illegal weight-loss drugs
The raid comes as SAHPRA investigates reports of adverse reactions linked to some of these products, including cases that resulted in hospitalisation.
Officials warned that injectable medicines produced outside regulated conditions carry serious health risks, including contamination and incorrect dosing.
SAHPRA also said the facility lacked a pharmacovigilance system, meaning there was no proper process in place to monitor or respond to side effects experienced by patients.
As a result, all affected products have been seized, and the company has been ordered to begin a full recall of medicines distributed through pharmacies, healthcare providers and other channels.
Demand for weight-loss medicine continues to surge
The raid highlights the rapidly growing demand for weight-loss drugs containing Semaglutide and Tirzepatide in South Africa and around the world.
With global shortages and high prices driving demand, unregulated products and illegal suppliers have increasingly entered the market.
Health experts warn that consumers may not always know whether the products they are buying are legally registered, properly tested or safely made.
SAHPRA CEO Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said the regulator would continue taking action against companies breaking medicine laws.
“The unlawful manufacture, importation, advertising, and distribution of unregistered medicines pose a serious risk to public health,” she said.
Meanwhile, SAPC CEO Vincent Tlala warned that pharmacists and pharmacy staff involved in selling or distributing illegal medicines could face disciplinary action, including removal from the professional register.
