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News Update
SAHPRA flags fatal error linked to IV tranexamic acid
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has issued a warning related to several cases worldwide where tranexamic acid has been administered intrathecally...
Union seeks more answers on HPCSA suspensions
The SA Medical Association Trade Union (Samatu) says it has had no positive feedback on the wrongful suspension of healthcare practitioners by the Health...
Menopausal relief drug meets late-stage trial goal
German drugmaker Bayer said this week that its new menopausal relief drug candidate elinzanetant met the main goal in two phase 3 trials of...
First-in-Africa antifungal-resistant ringworm detected in KZN
A first confirmed case of antifungal-resistant ringworm has been recorded in KwaZulu-Natal, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed, saying two people were...
SAHPRA withdraws fungus-triggering lubricant
The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has recalled the Lubri-A sterile lubricating jelly after 380 patients contracted a yeast-like fungus from the product,...
Watchdog flags concerns over R20m Limpopo Health tender
Further accusations of irregularities in the awarding of multimillion-rand coal tenders have been levelled against Limpopo’s Health Department, with detractors alleging the process flawed...
North-West University launches new medical school
South Africa will be welcoming a new medical school after North-West University (NWU) received approval from Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla for an innovative...
GP hits back against surgeons' butt lifts criticism
A Pretoria GP who performs liposuction and Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) on patients has slammed critics accusing her of not being authorised to carry...
Canada to legalise assisted suicide for mental illness
A new law due to take effect in March has divided citizens of Canada, which already has one of the most liberal assisted death...
Drugs approved by FDA in 2023
Each year, the US Food & Drug Administration’s Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) approves a wide range of new drugs and biological...
Measles cases and deaths still rising worldwide
With measles cases continuing to increase worldwide – despite it being 60 years since the first vaccine against the disease was licensed for public...
Label updates for anti-nausea jab products – FDA
The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an alert regarding labelling updates intended to further reduce the risk of severe chemical irritation...
HRC defends TikTok ‘Dr Lani’ over ARVs access
Fake TikTok “doctor” Matthew Lani, who made headlines last year after being unveiled as an imposter with no medical degree, has claimed he was...
Stricter screening call after deaths and TB from contaminated bone grafts
The US Centres for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) says there is an urgent need to improve donor screening and product testing, after contaminated...
Woman with double uterus delivers twin girls on different days
A woman from Alabama, who was born with two uteruses and became pregnant in both, gave birth to twin girls on different days –...
Captured paramedic Gerco van Deventer back home
South African paramedic Gerco van Deventer, taken hostage in Libya six years ago and then sold to Al-Qaeda militants, is back home in Swellendam...
EU watchdog blocks GSK blood cancer drug approval
Europe’s health regulator stuck to its recommendation not to renew conditional approval for GSK’s blood cancer drug Blenrep last month, citing data that did...
FDA approves chronic skin disease drug
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the green light to a drug to treat the skin condition seborrheic dermatitis in patients...
New lawyers for men accused of assassinating Babita Deokaran
The six men charged with Babita Deokaran’s murder made another appearance in the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) last week, when their previous attorney withdrew...
SAHPRA issues warning about fake Ozempic
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has said it is aware of fake Ozempic products being sold on the market and online,...
TB death rate still unacceptably high – Minister
TB remained a pressing concern for South Africa, with an estimated 300 000 South Africans getting the disease every year, Deputy Health Minister Sibongiseni...
New ‘life-changing’ breast cancer drug gets NHS nod
A new breast cancer drug, one of four cancer treatments approved for use by NHS Scotland, will give “life-changing hope” to breast cancer patients,...
$1bn plan for African vaccine manufacturing
As part of a new initiative from Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, up to $1bn will be made available to boost African vaccine manufacturing...
FDA approves sickle cell treatment but obstacles remain
The US Food and Drug Administration gave the green light last week to the first gene editing therapy to be used in humans –...
Start counselling for obese children from age six – US panel
Children with obesity should receive intensive counselling to promote healthy diet and exercise habits from the age of six, a panel of US experts...
UK’s new menopause guidance ‘belittling and harmful’
Britain’s new official guidance on treating menopause will harm women’s health, experts and campaigners have warned, accusing the draft guidelines of being “patronising” and “scaremongering”.
Released last...
SA’s male murder statistics a health crisis, says SAMRC
The South African Medical Research Council says an urgent national response is needed to probe the high murder rate of men – 87% –...
Private hospital admissions soar in UK as NHS takes strain
Britain’s private hospitals saw record admissions this year after hundreds of thousands of people sought care through their insurance amid rocketing NHS waiting lists.
Between January and June, 443 000 private...
WHO warns that world could lose malaria fight as cases rise
A new report from WHO says the world risks lose the fight against malaria, as cases rose by around 5m year-on-year in 2022, exceeding...
US commission warns about toys’ magnets after children’s deaths
Magnets from children’s toys have been linked to seven deaths after being ingested, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned, announcing one company’s...
Record 10 000 research papers retracted in 2023
The number of retractions issued for research articles in 2023 has passed 10 000 – smashing annual records – as publishers struggle to clean...
First EU list of critical medicines published
The European Commission (EC), the Heads of Medicines Agencies (HMA) and European Medicines Agency have published the first version of the Union list of critical medicines.
It...
Swifter justice urged in NHS infected blood scandal
British campaigners have warned the country’s government that it will be “on the wrong side of history” if it rejects a new compensation scheme...
Medical school deans urge Treasury to stop Health budget cuts
The deans of SA’s medical and dental schools have called on the National Treasury to protect the health sector from further budget cuts, warning...
Court issues deadline to end load shedding at hospitals, clinics
Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has been ordered by the High Court to “take all reasonable steps” – by no later than 31 January – to...
Shoddy planning stymies Eastern Cape hospitals digital migration
Despite forking out a massive R200m on digital infrastructure and equipment since 2021, the Eastern Cape Health Department’s roll-out of the technology has been...
Young doctors face placement challenges – DA
The DA has again been inundated with calls from young doctors needing placement for their community service year, after being left in the lurch...
Long-term HIV/TB Eshowe project closes after major achievements
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) will this month close its long-term HIV and TB project in Eshowe and Mbongolwane, ending the organisation’s more...
Lawyer in medico-legal fees wrangle escapes sequestration bid
Attorney Zuko Nonxuba and his wife Alicia Novelano Nonxuba escaped bankruptcy after the Eastern Cape High Court (East London) dismissed separate applications for their...
Hijack syndicates target health workers
A male nurse, driving a government vehicle with five co-worker passengers, was shot and killed in a hijacking last week in Ndwedwe, KwaZulu-Natal, the...