South African Medicines Formulary - SAMF

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South African Medicines Formulary - SAMF

Gold standard of medicines information and clinical management protocols in South Africa.

25/05/2026

💉 Stay informed this flu season with the SAMF

The South African Medicines Formulary (SAMF) provides clear, practical guidance to support everyday healthcare decisions — including key recommendations on influenza vaccination.

📌 Who should be vaccinated? The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone older than 6 months, with special emphasis on high-risk groups such as:

• Pregnant women — at any stage of pregnancy
• Patients with chronic conditions (cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, kidney disease, diabetes, and more)
• Individuals living with HIV — regardless of CD4 count
• Healthcare and emergency personnel in direct patient contact
• Children (6 months to 5 years) and adults over 65 years
• Residents of long-term care facilities
• Caregivers of infants under 6 months

👉 Equip yourself with the knowledge that supports better patient outcomes. Download the SAMF now:

📲 From your phone, click here to download: https://onelink.to/vpgfa8
🖥️ From your PC, go to https://samf-app.com

21/05/2026

💡 Work smarter with SAMF: Use the Favourites feature!

Did you know you can streamline your workflow on the SAMF by saving your most-used monographs for quick access?

✅ Save time – No more repeatedly searching for the same information
✅ Stay efficient – Access key monographs instantly from your favourites list
✅ Personalise your experience – Tailor SAMF to how you work

How it works:
Search for you frequently consulted monographs, click on the heart, and they’ll be neatly organised for easy retrieval whenever you need them from the main menu under the favourites tab.

👉 Are you using this feature? Do you find it helpful?

If you haven't joined the SAMF yet, download it now:
📲 From your phone, click here to download: https://onelink.to/vpgfa8
🖥️ From your PC, go to https://samf-app.com

08/05/2026

There is currently a stock issue affecting Ethambutol. Please refer to the NDoH guidance below for recommendations during this period:https://www.health.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Circular-Non-availability-of-Ethambutol-400mg-Tablets-29-April-2026.pdf

20/04/2026

📘 Did you know? The SAMF includes a section on Poisoning.

The South African Medicines Formulary (SAMF) isn’t just a medicines guide — it also provides practical, easy‑to‑use information on the assessment and management of common poisonings.

To read more, download the SAMF today:
📲 From your phone, click here to download: https://onelink.to/vpgfa8
🖥️ From your PC, go to https://samf-app.com

15/04/2026

❗ Lamotrigine–Valproate Interaction (Clinically Significant)

When lamotrigine and sodium valproate are coadministered, the metabolism of lamotrigine is significantly reduced, with increased plasma concentrations and mean doubling of half-life, necessitating lower dosage of lamotrigine. Valproate concentrations may decrease slightly.

For dosing guidance when both medicines are needed, consult the SAMF. There are significant differences in the dosage regimens recommended for mono- and add-on therapy, as shown below.

Download the SAMF today:
📲 From your phone, click here to download: https://onelink.to/vpgfa8
🖥️ From your PC, go to https://samf-app.com

07/04/2026

✨ Clinical Insight: LDL‑Lowering Plateaus at Higher Statin Doses

When considering dose adjustments for statins, remember that doubling the dose results in only a modest additional LDL‑cholesterol reduction — roughly 6% within marketed dose ranges.

See below for the approximate doses to of statins to obtain a 27-34% reduction in LDL cholesterol.

Get the SAMF today for a reliable, convenient reference you can carry anywhere. Download now:
📲 From your phone, click here to download: https://onelink.to/vpgfa8
🖥️ From your PC, go to https://samf-app.com

01/04/2026

🫁 Drug-susceptible TB in children

At the end of 2024, new guidelines for the management of tuberculosis in children and adolescents were released. These updates include:

✅ Shortened treatment regimens for eligible patients
✅ Inclusion of 4 medicines in the intensive phase (rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol) DS-TB, excluding TB meningitis / central nervous systme TB / miliary TB
✅Revised dosing bands for RHZE in children/adolescents

Please check the SAMF for more info.
📲 From your phone, click here to download: https://onelink.to/vpgfa8
🖥️ From your PC, go to https://samf-app.com

26/03/2026

🚨 Rabies Alert: Cape Fur Seals – Important Reminder for Healthcare Workers

As we move into the busy holiday season, healthcare professionals along the South African coastline—particularly in the Western Cape—should be aware of ongoing rabies cases in Cape fur seals. Recent reports confirm aggressive behaviour and confirmed rabies infections within seal populations along the Cape coast.

Visit the City of Cape Town website for guidance, or read the leaflet below for more information.

04/03/2026

📣 NDoH circular - availability and roll out of pALD

We are very excited about the availability of the new paediatric antiretroviral formulation (pALD) in both the public and private sectors in South Africa. See attached the circular about the roll out in the public sector.

Download the SAMF to access information on treatment of HIV and monographs on abacavir, lamivudine and dolutegravir - the active ingredients in pALD.

📱From your phone, click here to download: https://onelink.to/vpgfa8
💻From your PC, go to https://samf-app.com
Access the circular here: /sites/default/files/media/documents/mic_uct_ac_za/2157/circular-pald-feb-2026-v-2-0.pdf

27/02/2026

Today we are highlighting a timely article by Burman and colleagues on the association between depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and meningiomas, with a particular focus on its relevance in the South African context.

The authors summarise the current international data, discuss how these findings might inform public health guidance and contraceptive counselling, and identify gaps in local epidemiological data that need to be addressed for a rational national strategy. They emphasise the need for local prospective studies and strengthening of electronic data collection systems. In the interim they advise cautious use of dMPA for more than two years, prompt review of symptoms suggestive of meningioma such as new-onset headaches and shared decision-making regarding contraceptive choices.

Read more here: https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/4529/1702

Address

Medicines Information Centre, University Of Cape Town
Cape Town
7925

Telephone

+27861100531

Website

http://www.samf-app.com/

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