Thursday, June 25, 2020
On 22 May, 2020, the Minister of Health published an amendment to the Schedules of the Medicines and Related Substances Act (101 of 1965) (the Medicines Act) in Government Gazette No 43347, notice number R586. The Schedules were amended to comply with the Constitutional Court's order in Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Others v Prince; National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others v Rubin; National Director of Public Prosecutions and Others v Acton and Others 2018 (6) SA 393 (CC).
Thursday, June 18, 2020
There has been a recent hike in the number of “raids” conducted by the Health Professions Council of South Africa, in view of investigating complaints lodged against medical practitioners. Here is what you ought to know, when they come knocking at your door.
Taking into consideration the scourge or secondary pandemic that has plagued our great nation for a prolonged period of time, but which has taken centre stage once again in the past few weeks, it is important for citizens to fully understand the duty that they have in terms of the law to report any and all sexual offences which are committed against children. Irrespective of one's social standing and occupation, the duty applies to us all. Although, said duty is elevated to a higher level of expectation and standard when it comes to those individuals who occupy professional capacities in society. Such individuals, include those whose profession largely involves frequent interactions with children. There has been great confusion as to when such a duty arises, more especially within the medical profession, and this article serves to clarify this uncertainty. As a nation, our collective efforts to combat the violence perpetuated against women and children will only be as strong and effective as our knowledge about the part that each of us can play as individuals.
Thursday, March 26, 2020
The HPCSA has issued a guideline to update outdated telemedicine guidelines in order to assist healthcare practitioners and patients to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic as safely as possible.
Thursday, August 1, 2019
There is often a perception that because a patient is a child, their parents can make all decisions regarding their health care. This is not always the case and medical practitioners, in particular, need to be certain that they obtain a valid consent for medical treatment or surgical operations performed on children. They should be aware of circumstances in which a parent or guardian may consent on behalf of a child and when the child may consent.
Monday, June 3, 2019
The Supreme Court of Appeal was recently called upon to adjudicate an appeal relating to a claim based on an alleged failure to obtain informed consent for a medical procedure. In the case of Beukes v Smith (211/2018) [2019] ZASCA 48 the appellant appealed against an order dismissing her claim because she had failed to establish the basis for liability against the respondent. She alleged that the respondent failed to inform her of the full range of treatment options available to her for the treatment of a hernia, that he unilaterally decided to perform a laparoscopic hernia repair, and that this resulted in her sustaining a perforation of her bowel.
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
In November 2013, Marlise Munoz, a 33-year-old pregnant Texan woman, collapsed in the kitchen of her family home. She was found by her husband an hour later and subsequently rushed to John Peter Smith Hospital. She was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and declared clinically brain dead. Her husband requested the hospital remove her life support. However the hospital declined as it wished to keep her on life support until the foetus was viable or eventually died. Naturally, the case sparked controversy within the medical ethics community.
Monday, April 1, 2019
A health care practitioner's clinical records are not only important to ensure good clinical practice but they are invaluable when it comes to medico-legal matters.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Against a backdrop of what the Health Minister, Aaron Moatsaledi terms a "crisis point" in the health sector, in March 2016, he publicly announced that The Department of Health in South Africa would be appointing its first ever ombudsman to attend to the current, "crisis situation".
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Legislative update: Collecting bad debts is not getting easier.
