Celebrating the 2025 Graduates of the Clinical Assessors Programme

Pretoria, 24 March 2025 –The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), in partnership with Pharmacometrics Africa and the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology at the University of the Witwatersrand, proudly announces the graduation of the fourth cohort from the Clinical Assessors Short Course — a flagship programme aimed at upskilling professionals within African Regulatory Agencies.

The 14-week certified course continues to play a pivotal role in addressing the growing demand for regulatory science expertise across the continent, ultimately contributing to improved patient safety, access to quality medicines, and regulatory efficiency. The programme, accredited by Wits University, is a collaborative effort that bridges academia, regulatory agencies, patient advocacy groups, and industry.

Participants in this year’s cohort included assessors from National Regulatory Authorities in Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe demonstrating a growing pan-African commitment to advancing regulatory science.

“As we mark the fourth cycle of this impactful programme, we are reminded that investing in regulatory training is an investment in patient safety. These graduates are shaping a healthier, safer future for the continent,” said Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela, CEO of SAHPRA.

“This training course has once again brought together a diverse group of regulators, academic experts, and industry professionals to engage in honest, solutions-oriented dialogue. The outcomes speak directly to better patient access and improved therapeutic interventions,” added Professor Colin Pillai, CEO of Pharmacometrics Africa.

Professor Yahya E. Choonara of the University of the Witwatersrand emphasised, “We are proud to continue our leadership role in regulatory science education provided by our Pharmacy Practice team and the WITS Pharmacy Regulatory Sciences Hub. This programme not only strengthens technical skills but also fosters cross-border collaboration, vital for regulatory harmonisation in Africa.”

Alumni Unathi Mgogi addressed the graduating class aptly: “Contributing to a more efficient regulatory process, ultimately benefits patients who rely on timely access to safe and effective medicines. In regulatory science, learning does not stop at graduation.” Unathi’s sentiments were echoed by Tirhani Maluleke, a private sector participant, who provided insights on how the course facilitated exchange of perspectives from sponsor and regulator to benefit patients.

The course content is designed to fill critical knowledge gaps in the evaluation of clinical sections of regulatory submissions dossiers data, with a focus on the risk-benefit assessment of medicines. Graduates leave the programme equipped with the tools to enhance the quality, speed, and consistency of decision-making in marketing authorisation processes.

A recording of the graduation ceremony can be found here [https://youtu.be/eGpjkJicM7k].

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