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A cancer patient receives treatment.

Fake medicines: South Africa’s silent epidemic

There is an urgent need to prevent the proliferation of counterfeit and substandard pharmaceuticals

Generic medicine produced locally are the cornerstone of affordable healthcare.

A prescription for Gauteng’s health: Generics, state pharma and the power of local

Enabling the use of generics, supporting local businesses and setting up a state pharmaceutical company would boost healthcare

Local pharmaceutical production would help insulation against external shocks, which hurts vulnerable people the most.

US aid cuts: Africa must make its own medicine

Donald Trump’s funding freeze underlines that South Africa needs to prioritise the development of its pharmaceutical manufacturing sector

Year-on-year growth in retail sales slows down in August compared with July

On a month-on-month basis retail trade sales decreased for the fourth consecutive month showing that consumers are still cash-strapped

The next three to five years will require the continent to ensure there is sustainable business beyond Covid-19.

It’s doable: Africa wants 60% of locally manufactured vaccines by 2040

The next three to five years will require the continent to ensure there is sustainable business beyond Covid-19.

UK warns that businesses face more customs red tape and consumers risk higher card payment charges (Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)

Britain sets out plans for ‘no-deal’ Brexit

Document details contingency planning if Britain leaves the European Union in March with no transition deal

Male starlings sang less and were more aggressive towards females that had been given small doses of the antidepressant Fluoxetine.(Philippe Huguen/AFP Photo)

Antidepressant pollutants make courting birds violent — study

Male starlings sang less and were more aggressive towards females that had been given small doses of the antidepressant Fluoxetine

This market in Abidjan has a special section for pharmaceuticals.

Fighting the spread of fake drugs in Africa

The battle to eliminate fake pharmaceutical products is being stepped up

Overdose: The common practice of doping sufferers of chronic pain of unclear physical cause with powerful ­narcotics and sedative anticonvulsants is not a satisfactory medical solution.

National cancer drug shortage may last until October

Pharmaceutical companies say that delayed drug registrations by the Medicines Control Council may have played a role in stock outs.

Panelists Lester Kiewit, Khadija Patel, Pearl Pillay and Angelo Fick. (Photos: David Harrison)

Money can’t be the only motive for developing life-saving medicines

Will the world act now to be ready for the next big outbreak?

Activists lead fight for the right to cheaper drugs

There is a big move afoot to alert SADC members to the concessions on intellectual property rights that they can take advantage of.

Medication for drug-resistant tuberculosis can have serious side-effects like deafness and psychosis.

TB drug priced out of reach

A promising new TB drug is now on the market but doctors say it’s been priced out of reach.

Activists fear a pharmaceutical plot is at play

The department of trade and industry has yet to finalise patent reforms, raising questions that cheaper medication could be blocked intentionally.

Public health

New drug policy is patently high risk

There is widespread support for drastic change to patent laws when it comes to pharmaceuticals, but the results could be disastrous.

Letters to the editor: January 24 to 30 2014

M&G readers comment on comparisons of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma, and say we need cool heads when it comes to pharmaceutical drugs.

Editorial: Stop the rot of secret party funding

We should welcome the arrival of US-style political lobbying in South Africa, done in public rather than in private.

Motsoaledi: Big pharma’s ‘satanic’ plot is genocide

Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi is livid about a pharmaceutical company campaign he says will restrict access to crucial drugs.

South African based Adcock Ingram needs to diversify and to expand into new markets. (David Harrison)

PIC still mulling Adcock’s $1.3bn CFR deal

The pharmaceutical company Adcock’s biggest shareholder PIC says it has not yet made a decision about whether to support the takeover of CFR.

Battle on the horizon over intellectual property policy draft

Some have lauded the draft policy, saying it could make medication cheaper, but others say it is "unimpressive" and "almost contradictory".

New policy gives generic medicines the upper hand

A draft intellectual property policy has been lauded by rights groups who say its repercussions on drug patents could make medicines more affordable.