Ramaphosa slams quack remedies

MAKING light of false healthcare advertising and dodgy medical products in Port Elizabeth yesterday, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa drew smiles and laughter when he quipped: “Skin lighteners – they refused to work for me!”

Ramaphosa was visiting pharmaceutical giant and leading generic ARV manufacturer Aspen, along with Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, when he made the remark.

He was reacting to revelations made by Motsoaledi during the visit that the government had introduced a new regulatory body, the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority, which would dramatically speed up the approval and registration of new medicines.

While Motsoaledi was unclear as to whether the new body would replace the Medicines Control Council, he said the new authority would ensure that dubious products like skin lighteners, especially those sold by informal traders, were taken off the market.

“We will also be looking at health product adverts on TV, the ones that claim they can cure everything,” Motsoaledi said.

Aspen, which produced the country’s first generic ARV treatments, receives state assistance in the form of tax incentives and capital expenditure financial assistance.

Following a short slide presentation by senior executive Stavros Nicolaou, Ramaphosa and Motsoaledi were taken on a tour of one of the manufacturing areas.

Ramaphosa said: “The object of our visit is to meet the workers here who are doing lifesaving work and to appreciate the important role Aspen is playing in our country.

“They are also ensuring that our people living with HIV can enjoy long and productive lives.”

Aspen, which recently introduced a new, branded ARV into the South African market, produces 95% of the ARV treatments dispensed in the country.

Motsoaledi said the government was attempting to catch up in terms of research and development and was focused on improving both funding and research and development programmes.