The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has warned residents to think twice before giving their prescription medication to someone else, stressing that medicines prescribed for one person may not be safe or appropriate for another.
The warning comes as the department encourages communities to use medicines responsibly and seek advice from healthcare professionals whenever they have concerns about their treatment.
The Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 requires patient information leaflets for prescribed medicines to carry a warning advising patients not to share their medication with others.
The legislation also regulates the distribution and handling of scheduled medicines. Under Section 29 of the Act, certain activities involving scheduled medicines, including distributing or supplying them without the required authorisation or licence, can constitute a criminal offence.
Gauteng Health spokesperson Steve Mabona said people should never share prescribed medicines with family members, friends or neighbours, even when they appear to have similar symptoms.
“Prescribed medicines should never be shared with family members, friends or neighbours, even when symptoms appear to be similar.”
Mabona stressed that every prescription is made with an individual patient’s circumstances in mind, including their health condition, medical history and specific treatment requirements.
“Every prescription is based on an individual’s specific health condition, medical history and treatment needs.”
This means medication that works safely for one person could potentially cause harm to another. Symptoms may look similar, but the underlying causes of an illness can be different, and patients may also have different medical conditions or reactions to certain medicines.
The department has encouraged people who are unwell or unsure about their treatment to consult a doctor, nurse or pharmacist instead of using medication prescribed for someone else.
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