Start with SAHPRA registration
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is the body responsible for registering medicines for legal sale in South Africa. A medication being registered elsewhere — even by a major regulator like the FDA — doesn't automatically mean it's approved for sale here. Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Saxenda are all SAHPRA-registered; retatrutide, for example, is not registered anywhere in the world yet, including South Africa.
You need a valid prescription
All GLP-1 medications sold legally in South Africa are prescription-only. A legitimate pharmacy or telehealth provider will always require a prescription from a registered medical practitioner before dispensing — whether that's your existing doctor or a consultation arranged through the provider itself. If a seller offers to skip this step, that's a clear sign something is wrong.
Buy from a registered pharmacy or licensed telehealth clinic
Retail pharmacies must be registered with the South African Pharmacy Council. Telehealth services should operate under registered, licensed healthcare practitioners and be transparent about who is prescribing and dispensing your medication. If you can't easily find this information, or a provider is reluctant to share it, treat that as a warning sign rather than a technicality.
Red flags to watch for
No prescription required · no named, contactable pharmacy or practitioner · prices far below every other listed provider · payment only via informal channels · vague or missing information about where the medication is manufactured or sourced · pressure to buy quickly.
Why this matters beyond legality
Medications sourced outside registered channels carry real risk: there's no guarantee of what's actually in the product, how it was stored, or whether it's genuine at all. This is a safety issue as much as a legal one — which is part of why this site only compares prices from verified, registered providers, and never lists informal or unregulated sources.
If you're unsure
Ask the provider directly for their registration details, and verify with your own doctor or pharmacist if anything feels unclear. When in doubt, a slightly higher price from a provider you can actually verify is worth more than a lower price from one you can't.