Healthcare Experts Warn South Africans About Unregistered Weight-Loss Injections

The growing popularity of injectable weight-loss medicines has prompted healthcare experts to urge South Africans to think carefully about where they obtain these treatments.

Semaglutide injections have attracted widespread attention for their role in helping some people manage obesity under medical supervision. However, increasing demand has also led to a rise in products being marketed through social media, online sellers and informal channels, raising concerns about patient safety.

According to Cindi Benjamin, Pharmacovigilance and Compliance Pharmacist at Pharma Dynamics, the greatest concern is not simply the medicine itself, but whether it has been properly assessed, regulated and supplied through legitimate healthcare channels.

Why SAHPRA Registration Matters

Benjamin says medicines approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) undergo rigorous evaluation before becoming available to patients.

“A SAHPRA-approved medicine has been assessed for quality, safety and efficacy,” she says. “Patients may assume that all products marketed as semaglutide are the same, but that’s simply not the case.”

Before a medicine receives approval, manufacturers must provide evidence covering:

• The quality of the active ingredient
• Manufacturing standards and production facilities
• Clinical data demonstrating safety and effectiveness
• Product stability and storage requirements
• Accurate dosing and labelling

For injectable medicines, regulators also assess sterility, purity, dose consistency and cold-chain storage to ensure products remain safe throughout the supply chain.

The Risks of Unregistered Products

Healthcare professionals are becoming increasingly concerned about injectable medicines sold outside South Africa’s regulated healthcare system.

Products purchased through unverified online platforms or social media may not have undergone the same quality controls as registered medicines, creating uncertainty around:

• Sterility
• Ingredient quality
• Potency
• Dose accuracy
• Proper storage and transport
• Traceability if safety concerns arise

“With unregistered products, there may be uncertainty around ingredients, sterility, potency, storage conditions and dose accuracy,” Benjamin explains. “These are particularly important considerations for injectable medicines.”

International regulators have also raised concerns about compounded or unregistered semaglutide products, highlighting issues around dosing accuracy and the lack of appropriate medical oversight.

Growing Demand Is Creating Confusion

Semaglutide was originally developed to help people living with Type 2 diabetes manage their blood glucose levels. It has since become widely recognised for its role in weight management.

Although demand continues to increase, there are currently no registered generic semaglutide products available in South Africa.

Benjamin says this is expected to change as more pharmaceutical companies prepare to introduce registered semaglutide medicines to the local market, giving patients greater access to quality-assured treatment options.

She advises patients to discuss suitable treatment options with their doctor or pharmacist instead of relying on products promoted as cheaper or more convenient alternatives.

How to Protect Yourself

Healthcare experts recommend several simple steps to reduce the risks associated with injectable weight-loss medicines:

• Only use semaglutide prescribed by a qualified healthcare professional.
• Have your prescription dispensed by a registered pharmacy.
• Ask your pharmacist to confirm the medicine is SAHPRA-registered.
• Avoid medicines sold through social media or unverified online sellers.
• Never self-medicate using injectable products obtained from informal sources.

Safe Treatment Starts With Informed Choices

Like all prescription medicines, semaglutide has the potential to cause side effects and should only be used under appropriate medical supervision.

Healthcare experts say the safest approach is to prioritise quality, professional medical advice and medicines supplied through South Africa’s regulated healthcare system.

As more weight-loss treatments become available, patients are encouraged to look beyond convenience or lower prices and ensure any medicine they use has been properly assessed for quality, safety and effectiveness before it reaches them.

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