03 Jun SAHPRA strengthens industry collaboration to improve access to safe medicines

Pretoria, 03 June 2026 – The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) convened its quarterly stakeholder engagement session with “captains of industry” in Johannesburg on 14 May 2026. The meeting forms part of a structured programme of quarterly engagements that SAHPRA has maintained since 2024, providing a platform for ongoing dialogue, strengthening collaboration, addressing regulatory challenges and advancing access to safe, effective and quality health products for all South Africans.

Hosted by SAHPRA Chief Executive Officer Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela and senior executives, the engagement forms part of SAHPRA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration with stakeholders and advance South Africa’s health products regulatory environment.

In her opening remarks, Dr Semete-Makokotlela outlined SAHPRA’s three strategic priorities for the new financial year which included strengthening institutional capacity, improving regulatory efficiency and modernising legislation through the proposed overhaul of the Medicines Act.

“This initiative reflects the importance of collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem. By working closely with industry partners, regulators and healthcare professionals, we are strengthening the foundations of quality, safety and transparency in the medicines supply chain,” she said.

Key areas of agreement included strengthening compliance and regulatory integrity, advancing collaboration through Reliance pathways, supporting SAHPRA’s digital transformation initiatives and improving access to safe, quality and effective health products. Discussions also focused on reducing regulatory backlogs and implementing collaborative review mechanisms to accelerate product registration processes.

Participants highlighted the role of regional and international collaborative platforms such as World Health Organization Collaborative Review Process (CRP) and Pre-qualification (PQ), ZaZiBoNa, Swissmedic and African Medicines Agency in improving efficiency and reducing backlogs. SAHPRA also acknowledged ongoing capacity constraints, particularly in medical devices and complementary medicines, and emphasised the need to strengthen technical capabilities and collaboration with local and international regulators.

Industry stakeholders welcomed the engagement and called for practical, risk-based approaches to regulation, stronger support for local manufacturing and continued engagement with the Regulator. SAHPRA reaffirmed its commitment to building a responsive, efficient and globally competitive health products regulator that safeguards patient safety while improving timely access to quality medicines and technologies in South Africa.