How we rate pharmacies
Every score on this site comes from the same published scale. This page sets out what we check, how many points each finding earns, and how prices are calculated.
Which pharmacies we include
We include a pharmacy only if the pharmacy that dispenses the medicine is listed as active on the public register of the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC). We exclude compounding operations, clinics that dispense under a doctor's licence, and sellers that do not require a prescription. This edition covers 14 pharmacies, checked on 8 October 2026.
The six criteria
Each criterion is scored from 0 to 5 by adding up the points below (capped at 5). The overall score out of 10 is the sum of each criterion score divided by 5, multiplied by its weight, divided by 10. Price level is not scored: the single exit price is regulated, so differences between pharmacies come mainly from service.
Delivery & cold chain — 25%
| What we check | Finding and points |
|---|---|
| Delivery area | Delivers nationwide: 2 Delivers within a region: 1.5 Delivers locally only: 1 Not published: 0 |
| Delivery timeframe published | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
| Delivery fee (or free delivery) published | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
| Cold-chain handling stated | Stated clearly: 1 Mentioned without detail: 0.5 Not stated: 0 |
Licence & compliance — 20%
| What we check | Finding and points |
|---|---|
| Active on the SAPC register | Yes: 3 No: 0 |
| Latest SAPC inspection grade A | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
| Registration number shown on own website | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
Prescription & consultation — 20%
| What we check | Finding and points |
|---|---|
| Prescription can be sent remotely | Online, email or messaging app: 2 By phone only: 1 In person only: 0 |
| Prescription process explained | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
| Online doctor consultation available | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
| Pharmacist review or contact stated | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
Support & contacts — 15%
| What we check | Finding and points |
|---|---|
| Published contact channels | None published: 0 One channel: 1 Two channels: 2 Three or more channels: 3 |
| Support hours published | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
| WhatsApp or chat available | Yes: 1 No: 0 |
Price-info openness — 10%
| What we check | Finding and points |
|---|---|
| Semaglutide prices | Published on the website: 5 Confirmed before you pay: 2 Not published: 0 |
Returns policy — 10%
| What we check | Finding and points |
|---|---|
| Returns policy | Rules for medicines published: 5 General returns policy only: 3 Not published: 0 |
Where the facts come from
- Registration, status and inspection grade: the SAPC public register, searched by pharmacy name or registration number.
- Delivery, prescription, support and returns: the pharmacy's own website. We record what the pharmacy states; we do not place test orders.
- Product registration and scheduling: the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the approved package inserts.
- Single exit prices: the Department of Health database of medicine prices, effective 1 October 2026.
For every page we keep a dated copy of the source, so each figure can be traced. If a pharmacy does not state something, it scores no points for that item, even if it may offer the service.
How the approximate maximum price is calculated
A pharmacist may add a dispensing fee to the single exit price (SEP). The 2026 regulations cap that fee by price band; for packs with an SEP above R1 551.29 the cap is R279.85 plus 5% of the SEP, before VAT. We apply the band to the SEP including VAT and add VAT to the fee.
Example, Ozempic 4 mg/3 ml pen (1 mg doses): SEP R2 958.38 + dispensing fee R427.77 + VAT on the fee R64.16 = approximate maximum price R3 450.31.
The regulations do not say whether the band is applied to the SEP with or without VAT, so we call the result an approximate maximum. A pharmacy may charge less.
Updates and corrections
We recheck prices and pharmacy details regularly, and the date of the last check is shown on every rating page. Pharmacies cannot pay to be included or to change a score. If you find an error, email info@semaglutide.igc2016.org and we will review it and record any change on the corrections page.