Our pharmaceutical companies need close monitoring.
But it turns out there is a massive backlog in official Government approvals for new drugs and technologies. This is inexcusable. We need a regulator that works effectively in the interests of the country – how did we get so slack?
A proposal is currently being considered to apply a “backlog fee” to ensure that long-outstanding licencing of drugs for cancer and heart disease gets expedited.
I have two questions: 1. Who will get the tender to boost the capacity to issue licences? and 2. Will pharma companies – which pay the backlog fee to obtain approval for new drugs – pass the fee onto the consumer at the pharmacy check-out point?
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/health/2018-04-09-backlog-fee-would-speed-up-registration-of-drugs-in-sa-industry-body-says/
‘Backlog fee’ Proposed to Expedite Outstanding Pharma Licences