Is Aspen betting on the right HIV prevention product?

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV, Latest

Aspen Pharmacare has announced that it will not be manufacturing the lenacapavir HIV prevention injection, and that it will instead focus on producing alimatravir, an experimental HIV prevention pill. Catherine Tomlinson explores the reasoning behind Aspen’s decision and assesses what it all means for local pharmaceutical production.

Is Aspen betting on the right HIV prevention product?

Blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes medicines sales surge despite cost barriers

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Focus 1, Focus 2, Healthcare system, Latest, NCDs, Spotlight

Sales of weight loss medicines like Ozempic and Mounjaro have sky-rocketed in South Africa in recent years, although they remain too expensive for most people who might benefit from the jabs. In the first article of this Spotlight special series, Catherine Tomlinson tracks their remarkable rise and assesses when they will become more widely available here.