Empowering Pharmacists: South African Court Ruling Greenlights Pharmacist-Prescribed ARVs

By Staff Writer

August 16, 2023

In a landmark decision, the Pretoria High Court has given the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) the judicial green light to implement its Pharmacy-Initiated Management of Antiretroviral Treatment (PIMART) initiative. This allows specially trained pharmacists to manage and prescribe medicine to patients with HIV and tuberculosis.

Judge Elmarie van der Schyff dismissed an application by a doctors’ organisation, the IPA Foundation, to set aside the programme, stating the need for wider access to first-line ART and TPT therapy on a community level is a “dire need”.

The PIMART training course was created to qualify pharmacists in safely and effectively assisting in providing ART, upon successful completion.

This ruling is in line with the World Health Organization’s vision to promote widely accessible primary health care and recognizes the critical role pharmacies play in meeting healthcare needs, especially during pandemics like COVID-19.

Professor Francois Venter, former President of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society and current Director of Ezintsha, an HIV research organisation, has emphasized the crucial role of pharmacies and pharmacists in expanding HIV services worldwide.

Let’s celebrate this win.

Reference url

Recent Posts

Novartis patent cliff layoffs
     

Engineering Resilience: Mastering Pharma Patent Expiration Strategy

🚨 Are you still reacting to pharmaceutical patent expirations with layoffs and litigation, or are you ready to engineer a strategy that turns the patent cliff into your next competitive edge?

Patent expirations don’t have to derail your pharma portfolio. Learn how to outmaneuver generics and transform challenges into advantages. Dive into our latest insights and take control today.

#SyenzaNews #pharmaceuticals #innovation #PharmaStrategy #patentcliffs

diabetes medicine access
               

Improving Diabetes Medicine Access: Key Changes in the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme

🚀 Are we on the verge of a breakthrough in diabetes medication accessibility?

The latest updates to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) are set to transform type 2 diabetes management by expanding access to essential medicines like empagliflozin and streamlining the prescribing process for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). These changes not only prioritize equity for high-risk populations but also align with global trends in cost-effective healthcare.

Dive deeper into how these revisions could reshape diabetes care and promote better health outcomes for all.

#SyenzaNews #HealthcareInnovation #healthcare #MarketAccess

HPV testing HNSCC
    

HPV Testing in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

🔍 Are you up-to-date with the latest advancements in HPV testing for head and neck cancer?

Our comprehensive article looks into the innovation of diagnostic methods for HPV status determination in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). From traditional p16 immunohistochemistry to innovative liquid biopsies, discover the critical role these advancements play in prognosis, treatment planning, and improving patient outcomes.

Look into this essential topic and see how these insights could revolutionize clinical practices.

#SyenzaNews #oncology #HealthTech #HealthcareInnovation

When you partner with Syenza, it’s like a Nuclear Fusion.

Our expertise are combined with yours, and we contribute clinical expertise and advanced degrees in health policy, health economics, systems analysis, public finance, business, and project management. You’ll also feel our high-impact global and local perspectives with cultural intelligence.

SPEAK WITH US

CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS

1950 W. Corporate Way, Suite 95478
Anaheim, CA 92801, USA

© 2025 Syenza™. All rights reserved.