SAHPRA and HPCSA sign MOA to streamline Collaboration 

Pretoria, 15 October 2025 – The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on 18 August 2025 for five years. The main objective of this MOA is to enable collaboration and cooperation between the two bodies to promote the health and well-being of all South Africans.

The signing of this MOA signals the following:

• Information-sharing and collaboration to protect South Africans, in terms of receiving health care and health products from practitioners
• Cross-referral of emerging and urgent risks and complaints relating to professional transgressions
• Conducting joint inspections and investigations relating to the above
• Create joint awareness campaigns, social media interactions, media statements, and comments
• Aligning, where necessary, the rules, standards, and regulations to clarify and avoid inconsistencies in the application of the empowering legislation
• Participation in joint initiatives, such as SAHPRA’s Codeine Care Initiative

“The signing of this MOA is a precursor to wider collaboration in terms of ensuring that the South African public is safe from unethical and unscrupulous so-called ‘professionals’. We hope to stem the tide of substandard and falsified health products and to deter such individuals or companies from preying on an unsuspecting public, with no qualms about their safety and well-being,” indicates Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, CEO of SAHPRA.

The HPCSA emphasises the importance of the MOA as a milestone in advancing its mandate of protecting the public and guiding the professions. By strengthening cooperation with SAHPRA, the HPCSA reaffirms its commitment to ensure that healthcare is delivered in line with the highest ethical and regulatory requirements.

Welcoming the partnership, the HPCSA Registrar, Dr Magome Masike, stated: “This agreement formalises a relationship that is critical in ensuring public protection. The HPCSA is committed to fully adhering to the provisions of this MOA, and we view it as a strong step forward in fostering a safer, more accountable health system for South Africa.”

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