CFI Findings

Council robustly guards the public’s right to quality pharmaceutical services, while upholding the good image of the pharmacy profession, by investigating alleged unprofessional conduct by registered persons and bringing disciplinary processes against those found to be endangering public health and/or bringing into disrepute the good name of the pharmacy profession. Regulation 26 of the Regulations relating to the conduct of inquiries held in terms of Chapter V of the Pharmacy Act, 53 of 1974, requires that sanctions issued by a Committee of Formal Inquiry be published by the SAPC periodically.

The South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) is legislatively mandated to protect the public’s right to quality pharmaceutical care and to uphold the good image of the pharmacy profession. To achieve this end, the Committee of Formal Inquiry (CFI) investigates alleged misconduct by pharmacy professionals and premises owners, and institutes various penalties on those found guilty – these can range from a fine and/or suspension from practice, or complete deregistration.

In terms of Regulation 26, respondents who have been found guilty by a CFI shall have their names, together with a summary of the charges and the penalty imposed, published in a Council report. This issue publishes findings against seventeen (17) registered persons and pharmacy owners for the period under review, with charges ranging from operating a pharmacy without a pharmacist present, allowing unregistered persons access to scheduled medicines, failing to keep up-to-date registers of scheduled medicine sales, and failing to follow correct pre-packing and labelling procedures. Sanctions imposed ranged from fines from R10,000 to R140,000, cost orders, cautions and reprimands, suspensions from practice, and in the most serious cases, removal from the register of pharmacy owners for periods of up to fifteen (15) years.

The full findings, including the specific charges and sanctions imposed against each respondent, are published in the official Council report available via the Office of the Registrar.