Competition Commission Archives

Media Statements

Cancer Alliance, represented by SECTION27, take on multinational company for excessive pricing case on breast cancer drug

The Cancer Alliance, represented by SECTION27, has been admitted by the Competition Tribunal as an intervening party in the excessive pricing case initiated by the Competition Commission. The case is against Switzerland-based multinational healthcare company, Roche Holdings AG and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as Roche). The Competition Commission lodged Continue Reading

By Hloni, 2 years2 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

Public to pay the price for further delays in Health Market Inquiry

Johannesburg, 24 January 2018 – Users of private healthcare in South Africa are set to pay the price for further delays in the publication of the final report of the Competition Commission’s Health Market Inquiry (HMI). The HMI commenced five years ago to investigate amongst other issues the cost drivers Continue Reading

By Section27, 8 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

Ongoing delays in the Health Market Inquiry impacts right to health

The findings and recommendations of the HMI are critical to the public debate on the National Health Insurance and the Medical Schemes Bills, and thus it is critical that these findings are made public as a matter of urgency.

By Section27, 8 years ago

Nursing shortages dominate Council’s presentation to Health Market Inquiry panel

Acting Registrar Mrs T Manganye along with two representatives presented to the panel Health Market Inquiry on the role and functions of the Nursing Council of South Africa. What is the Nursing Council? The Nursing Council is a statutory body set up and operating in terms of the Nursing Act. Continue Reading

By Section27, 10 years ago

Radiologists ask panel for help on pricing

The Health Market Inquiry panel has its work cut out to determine the true state of pricing in the private healthcare sector. This week’s public hearings concluded with submissions from the Radiological Society of South Africa (RSSA) and Mediscor PBM. The RSSA put forward a view that radiologist are price takers, Continue Reading

By Section27, 10 years ago

Radiologists ask panel for help on pricing

By Section27, 10 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

"SA needs more doctors" Netcare tells HMI

Netcare agreed that the HPCSA is dysfunctional and the issue is particularly concerning because the country has a shortage of health professionals. Netcare emphasised the limitations on private bodies to train professionals proposing that the inadequacy in training capacity indicates a need for private medical training.

By Section27, 10 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

HMI quizzes Life and Mediclinic on price and quality

On 10 March 2016, the Health Market Inquiry Panel heard submissions from Mediclinic and Life Healthcare, two of three large private hospital groups that make up the significant majority of the private hospital market in South Africa. The third hospital group, Netcare, will make submissions on 11 March 2016. To Continue Reading

By Section27, 10 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

Anguished mothers share frustrations with HMI panel

The day began with two mothers and their children presenting to the Health Inquiry Panel about the challenges that they had in accessing healthcare services for their children. Both Kyle Drescher (19) and Jessica McCarthy (24) gave moving testimony about their personal challenges in accessing medical treatment for conditions that Continue Reading

By Section27, 10 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

CMS delays prejudice patients, HMI panel discovers

The Acting Registrar, Dan Lechutjo led the CMS team in the oral submissions to the Panel. He was supported by Paresh Prema, General Manager of Benefits, Anton de Villiers, General Manager of Research and Monitoring and Nondumiso Khumalo Senior Researcher of Research & Monitoring. The CMS focused on several key Continue Reading

By Section27, 10 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

HMI: Licencing, RWOPS and Quality take centre stage

In today’s session, the Panel sought to understand how the public and private sectors interact with one another. The Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal Departments of Health all made oral submissions. All three provincial departments described the state of health services in the private and public health systems in their Continue Reading

By Section27, 10 years ago

Health Market Inquiry

HMI puts Discovery under microscope

On 3 March 2016, the Health Market Inquiry first heard from Kwanele Asante-Shongwe, who is the founder of the breast cancer advocacy organisation, BreastSens. In her submission Asante-Shongwe drew attention to the wide gap between those who have the resources to access healthcare in the private sector and are in Continue Reading

By Section27, 10 years ago

WDA