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Medico-Legal
New mother to be taken off life support against family's wishes
A woman in her early 30s, who has COVID-19 and is in an induced coma following the birth of a son a month ago,...
Call for SA government to revive e-cigarette legislation
Local public health researchers have called on the government to revive stalled legislation intended to regulate e-cigarettes, saying they are being heavily marketed to...
SANDF applies to SAHPRA to trial illegally imported Cuban drug
The South African military will apply to run a clinical trial for the use of a drug known as Heberon to tackle COVID-19, ending...
SACAA preliminary report into Netcare helicopter crash released
The South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) has released its preliminary accident report on the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of a medical...
Pietermaritzburg doctor in court over 'holding employees hostage'
A Pietermaritzburg doctor accused of holding employees at her private practice and of ordering armed men to terrorise and torture others over a missing...
Dlamini-Zuma granted leave to appeal ruling on tobacco ban
The Western Cape High Court has granted Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma leave to appeal its December ruling that found the...
Afriforum: Govt admits private sector may buy COVID-19 vaccines
AfriForum and Solidarity have announced that the government has admitted under oath in its court documents that there is no legal restriction on the...
First evidence heard in Gauteng High Court 'right to die' case
What he fears most is not being able to die when the time comes. A Pretoria News report says this was the evidence of...
Amended COVID-19 disaster management regulations gazetted
Amended COVID-19 disaster management regulations have been gazetted, confirming announcements from President Cyril Ramaphosa and South Africa’s return to lockdown level one.
A statement from...
'Significant' risk to dispensing SA's unregistered Ivermectin
Four out of five Ivermectin tablets tested in South Africa had at least one unregistered active pharmaceutical ingredient, writes MedicalBrief. This had “significant potential safety...
Health Justice wants to join private vaccine procurement application
The Health Justice Initiative (HJI) has filed papers asking to join a case against the Minister of Health and 16 others seeking to allow...
COID Bill 'catastrophic' for medical sector and injured workers
The National Employers Association of SA, representing thousands of businesses and well over 300 000 employees, has joined medical professional bodies, trade unions and...
Gynae with 'history of misconduct' benefits from HPCSA 'bungle'
Dr Anil Ramdhin, a gynaecologist who performed the operation that allegedly led to actress Zoleka Helesi’s death, has escaped suspension after a procedural debate...
Govt's alcohol ban was not properly considered, argues SAB
South African Breweries (SAB) has argued that the government’s assertion that its decision to ban the sale of alcohol was taken carefully is without...
Post-death negligence award 'exposes Gauteng Health to increased liability'
The Gauteng Health Department’s potential medical liability has increased enormously as a result of a pathbreaking judgment that has awarded R1.1m damages to the...
Gauteng judgment upholds mask wearing but criticises beach ban
Lockdown regulations are here to stay for now, including that it is compulsory for everyone to wear a mask when in a public space....
KZN cops arrest 10,701 for going without masks
KwaZulu-Natal police said that 10,701 have been arrested in various public spaces for not wearing a mask. According to an IoL report, police spokesperson...
Euthanasia: HPCSA says applicants exaggerating their symptoms
The Health Professions Council of SA is opposing the latest bid to legalise euthanasia, claiming the applicants are exaggerating their illnesses. According to Rapport,...
Presidency welcomes withdrawal of DA vaccine case
The Presidency has welcomed the withdrawal of the Democratic Alliance (DA) application in the Western Cape High Court against government on its COVID-19 vaccination...
Danish man jailed for coughing at police during COVID lockdown
The Denmark Supreme Court has sentenced a man to four months' imprisonment for coughing at two police officers while shouting “corona” during a routine...
Dutch appeal court ruling overturns curfew ruling
An appeals court overturned a ruling ordering the government to lift the curfew in the Netherlands because it violated freedom of movement and assembly....
Eastern Cape medical negligence problem is 'a runaway train'
Outstanding legal claims for medical negligence against Eastern Cape healthcare workers now total R37.67bn – more than double the value reported four years ago.
The...
State appeal on tobacco ban ruling awaits High Court decision
The Western Cape High Court will decide "without delay" whether to grant the government leave to appeal its December ruling that found last year’s...
Public sympathy for NHS is 'deterring' negligence claims
Heightened national sympathy and admiration for the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) could be deterring legitimate claims of clinical negligence, new figures suggest. Peter...
Comment sought on emergency medical services regulations
Government is seeking comment within three months on proposals for regulating emergency medical services. These regulations are called the Regulations relating to the Standards...
Application to compel a Zim govt vaccination plan struck from roll
An application by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) seeking to compel government to provide a COVID-19 national vaccination plan has been struck off...
UK killer nurse's case sent back to Court of Appeal
New evidence could lead to the freeing of a nurse known as the “angel of death” who was convicted of killing four patients. According...
Doctor and patient in new SA bid to legalise euthanasia
A palliative care specialist and her patient, both diagnosed with terminal diseases, are hoping to convince the High Court to develop the law to...
Alcohol ban has been lifted but quest for 'legal certainty' continues
South African Breweries (SAB) is pressing ahead with its court challenge to government’s alcohol ban, even though it has been lifted. This, its lawyers...
PPE corruption probe shows 'insatiable pursuit of self-enrichment'
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) probe into R13bn of public spending on coronavirus in South Africa has found evidence of political pressure, price inflation,...
50 doctors in new SAHPRA court challenge over Ivermectin access
A group of 50 doctors will challenge the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) in court over its continued restrictive use of Ivermectin as...
Merck and FDA knew of potential suicide risk in taking Propecia
Newly unsealed court documents and other records show that Merck & Co and US regulators knew about reports of suicidal behaviour in men taking...
SA liquor laws: Legal drinking age of 21 on the cards
The Liquor Amendment Bill, first made public in 2016, is reportedly being reconsidered by Cabinet as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – and...
Doctors lobby against some proposed Coida amendments
South African doctors are lobbying for a rejection of some proposed amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (Coida) which they...
SA Treasury Fact-Sheet: Indemnity in vaccine procurement
National Treasury is committed to ensuring that “the issue of indemnity” does not become “an obstacle that ultimately inhibits the vital procurement of vaccines”...
Indian nationals appear for suspected Ivermectin possession
Three suspects found separately in possession of suspected Ivermectin tablets at the OR Tambo International Airport were granted bail in the Kempton Park Magistrate's...
UK govt accused of inaction following inquiry into unnecessary surgery
Hundreds of private hospital patients in Britain who were operated on by surgeon Ian Paterson have yet to be traced, as victims mark a...
McKinsey reaches settlement deal with US states over opioid marketing advice
Consulting giant McKinsey has reached a $573m settlement with US states over its work advising OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP and other drug manufacturers...
Hawks and SAHPRA raid for ‘COVID cure' blocked by SANDF
The elite Hawks and the medical regulator SAHPRA were sent packing after an armed stand-off with the SA National Defence Force police during a...
High Court settlement allows doctors immediate use of Ivermectin
A settlement reached with SAHPRA in the High Court this week, effectively means that if doctors deem it necessary, they can start Ivermectin treatment...