A tablet made in South Africa can still depend on an ingredient shipped from overseas.

According to the CSIR, the country imports 98% of its active pharmaceutical ingredients, the substances that make medicines work. Its new FuturePHARMA facility, opened in Pretoria on 7 October 2026, aims to help build the capacity to produce more locally. 

A more dependable supply

For people who rely on regular medication, the longer-term promise is a supply less vulnerable to disruptions abroad.

Speaking at the launch, WHO representative Shenaaz El-Halabi warned that dependence on imported medical supplies leaves countries exposed when global production is disrupted or demand increases, as happened during COVID-19.

She said the facility could help move scientific discoveries towards medicines that can be produced and delivered to patients, SABC reported.

What the scientists are working on

The CSIR says researchers are already working on scaling up production of ingredients used in pain relief and breast cancer treatment. Other work focuses on vaccines and biological medicines.

FuturePHARMA gives universities and businesses access to specialised equipment and expertise to develop production processes. This helps tackle a difficult stage: taking something that works in a laboratory and finding a reliable way to make more of it.

Could medicines become cheaper?

Lower production costs are among the government’s aims. Sharing expensive facilities could make development more accessible to smaller companies and researchers. That has not yet translated into the promised reduction in prescription prices. 

FuturePHARMA supports development towards manufacturing. At the opening, the CSIR said regulatory qualification was still needed before products could move into clinical evaluation. Testing, approvals and commercial production remain essential steps before patients benefit. 

• Learn more: Explore the CSIR’s FuturePHARMA facility.

The Bottom Line

Building the ability to make more medicine ingredients locally is a constructive step. Its lasting value will be measured in reliable supplies and treatments people can afford.