Author: Catherine Tomlinson

Cheri Nel, an investment banker from Johannesburg, recently ended a groundbreaking court case against Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Nel sought a compulsory licence from the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria to import generic versions of Trikafta, a cystic fibrosis medication that had not been granted compulsory licences in South Africa before.Trikafta, known as a “miracle” treatment for cystic fibrosis, drastically improves the quality of life for those with the condition. It was initially inaccessible in South Africa, leading people to go to Argentina for a generic version due to Vertex’s unwillingness to register the medicine locally. Nel’s legal battle…

**New HPV Vaccination Regimen in South Africa** Cervical cancer is a significant concern for women in South Africa, with HPV infection being the leading cause. In response, the government implemented a national HPV vaccination campaign in 2014 to protect women from this deadly disease. Now, after a decade of vaccination efforts, the South African health department is transitioning from a two-dose to a single-dose HPV vaccine regimen. Research supports this change, showing that a single dose can provide similar protection against HPV as multi-dose regimens. Aiming to increase HPV vaccination coverage to 90%, the government will now offer the vaccine…