SAHPRA’s Negligence Condemns Thousands of Animals to Death

Johannesburg, South Africa, December 2024 – A crisis is unfolding that could cost the lives of thousands of pets across South Africa. V-Tech, a leading compound veterinary pharmaceutical company, has been locked in a dispute with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) over the life-saving medication, Trilostane – a drug essential for treating adrenal disorders in dogs and cats. 

In October 2023, the dispute reached the courts, where a judge mandated that SAHPRA and V-Tech negotiate the release of an initial batch of Trilostane. Yet, despite this judicial intervention, SAHPRA’s handling of the situation has been mired in delays, misinformation, and bureaucratic chaos.  V-Tech has now turned to the Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, to intervene to save the animals.

Shockingly, SAHPRA provided factually incorrect and ill-informed information to the Minister during consultation, further complicating the process. While V-Tech managed to secure a batch of Trilostane under stringent conditions, SAHPRA’s restrictive instructions rendered its use impossible. This leaves thousands of animals suffering from conditions such as Cushing’s disease with no viable treatment options, effectively sentencing them to a slow and painful death. 

“This is an alarming disregard for animal welfare,” said Dr. Johan Oosthuyse, CEO of V-Tech. “Every day of inaction costs lives. Pets reliant on Trilostane are being left to suffer and die due to a maze of misinformation and bureaucratic red tape. SAHPRA’s apparent unwillingness to resolve this crisis is deeply troubling”.

Without immediate resolution, the fallout will be catastrophic for countless pet owners and veterinarians who are left helpless to manage these treatable conditions. This escalating crisis raises serious questions about SAHPRA’s commitment to public and animal health. 

The time for action is now. V-Tech urgently calls on the Minister of Health to intervene, resolve this crisis, authorise V-Tech to continue the emergency supply of Trilostane, and take steps to prevent such life-threatening mismanagement from occurring in the future.