Reference list
Always-link-to-primary is our rule. We paraphrase, keep quotes minimal, and prefer regulators, peer-reviewed trials and official price data over secondary coverage.
- SAHPRA — registered health products & safety alerts
South African Health Products Regulatory Authority — SA registration status of medicines and counterfeit / falsified-product warnings.
- SAHPRA safety communications (falsified semaglutide)
SAHPRA — Warnings about falsified semaglutide and unregistered weight-loss products.
- STEP programme — semaglutide for weight management
New England Journal of Medicine (Wilding et al., STEP 1, 2021) — Average weight loss with semaglutide 2.4 mg (~15% at 68 weeks).
- SURMOUNT-1 — tirzepatide for weight management
New England Journal of Medicine (Jastreboff et al., 2022) — Average weight loss with tirzepatide (up to ~21–22.5% at highest dose).
- SURMOUNT-5 — tirzepatide vs semaglutide head-to-head
New England Journal of Medicine (Aronne et al., 2025) — Direct comparison favouring tirzepatide (~20.2% vs 13.7% weight loss).
- SCALE — liraglutide (Saxenda) for weight management
New England Journal of Medicine (Pi-Sunyer et al., 2015) — Average weight loss with liraglutide 3.0 mg (~8%).
- SA Medicine Price Registry (SEP database)
National Department of Health — Single Exit Price reference for medicines sold in SA.
- Which breakthrough weight-loss medicines can you get in SA?
Spotlight — SA availability and registration context for GLP-1 medicines.
- Weight-loss drugs are no quick fix / Chronic Illness Benefit
Discovery Health — Medical-aid funding context and chronic-benefit criteria.
- Ozempic, Wegovy and SA's obesity bill
Daily Maverick — SA market size, demand and cost-to-schemes context.
- Manufacturer Patient Information Leaflets (Novo Nordisk / Eli Lilly)
Novo Nordisk; Eli Lilly — Approved dosing, administration and side-effect information.
How we use them
Each clinical page lists the specific sources it relies on in its own “Sources & references” section, and shows a source count in the trust bar. Our full approach is in the editorial policy.