Mounjaro becomes South Africa’s top-selling medicine — and generic semaglutide could follow by 2027
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro), distributed by Aspen Pharmacare, has become the largest-selling pharmaceutical product in South Africa. Meanwhile, generic semaglutide is expected to become available in South Africa as early as 2027, potentially transforming access.
Hims & Hers pivots to Novo Nordisk partnership after compounding crackdown — telehealth landscape shifts
Following regulatory pressure on compounded GLP-1s, Hims & Hers announced a collaboration with Novo Nordisk in March 2026, shifting its US weight loss business to focus on FDA-approved medications at lower negotiated prices.
455+ adverse events, 320+ hospitalisations: the FDA’s patient safety case against compounded GLP-1s
FDA adverse event data shows over 455 reports linked to compounded semaglutide and 320 tied to compounded tirzepatide, many involving hospitalisation due to dosing errors from multi-dose vials. A 2026 study found that tirzepatide compounded with B12 forms a new uncharacterised molecule.
SAHPRA recalls iDexis GLP-1 products — healthcare professionals warned of disciplinary action
South African health regulators have issued a Class I, Type A recall of iDexis semaglutide and tirzepatide products and warned doctors and pharmacists that continued prescribing or dispensing could result in disciplinary action under the Medicines Act.
SAHPRA, SAPC and HPCSA issue Class I recall of iDexis semaglutide and tirzepatide products
South Africa’s three major health regulatory bodies issued a joint Class I, Type A recall — the most serious safety alert level — of iDexis semaglutide and tirzepatide products, warning that they pose a “severe risk to patients’ safety.”
Fifth Circuit grills FDA on whether banning compounded GLP-1s was legal at all
Judges on the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit questioned the legal foundations of the FDA’s compounding ban during oral arguments that observers described as unusually pointed. The cases — one involving tirzepa…
455+ adverse events, dosing errors and counterfeit APIs: the safety case against compounded GLP-1s
As the legal and regulatory battle over compounded GLP-1s intensifies, the FDA has been building a parallel public health case based on real-world harm data. The numbers are striking: as of early 2025, the agency had rec…
Novo Nordisk sues Hims & Hers over compounded semaglutide — and the “inauthentic API” allegation
On 9 February 2026, Novo Nordisk filed a federal patent infringement lawsuit against Hims & Hers Health, the publicly traded telehealth company, alleging it had continued to mass-compound injectable semaglutide after the…
What the US compounding crackdown means for South African patients sourcing GLP-1s online
South Africa does not have a compounding industry for GLP-1 medications at the scale that existed in the United States during the shortage period. The Medicines and Related Substances Act governs pharmaceutical compoundi…