The Department of Health has proposed amendments to the Regulations Relating to the Practice of Pharmacy, under the Pharmacy Act, 1974 (Act No. 53 of 1974). Published in Government Gazette No. 53025 on 18 July 2025, the Pharmacy Practice Regulations Amendment 2025 outlines new supervision limits for pharmacists overseeing support personnel and interns.
In community and institutional pharmacies, pharmacists may now supervise up to three pharmacy support personnel. However, if they are also tutoring a pharmacist intern or trainee pharmacy technician, the limit is reduced to two. In wholesale or manufacturing settings, the cap is five, with a maximum of three learners or trainees under direct supervision. Tutors in these settings may supervise up to four support personnel, only two of whom may be learners or trainees.
A separate provision allows pharmacists at approved educational institutions to tutor up to five pharmacist interns, but without supervising any support personnel. Additionally, pharmacists at Primary Health Care Centres or other Council-approved facilities may supervise up to five support personnel under indirect supervision.
These changes aim to enhance patient safety, ensure effective training, and maintain professional accountability by aligning supervision ratios with the complexity of pharmacy operations. Read the full proposed amendments to the regulations here
Public Participation Invited
The Department of Health invites all interested parties to submit written comments or representations on the proposed regulations. Submissions must be substantiated and sent within three months of the notice’s publication (by 18 October 2025) to:
Director-General: Health
Private Bag X828, Pretoria, 0001
Attention: Director: Public Entities Governance
Email: MushwM@health.gov.za and Godfrey.tsebe@health.gov.za
Stakeholder input is vital to shaping a regulatory framework that supports both public health and professional development in the pharmacy sector.
