A recent regulatory crackdown by SAHPRA and the SAPC has effectively dismantled South Africa's illegal compounding market, leaving an estimated 300 000 patients without options.
With annual demand for GLP-1 therapies reaching R3 billion, patients have faced a stark choice: pay R3 000 to R6 000 a month out of pocket, risk dangerous black-market alternatives, or abandon treatment altogether, as medical aids rarely cover weight-loss medication without a diabetes diagnosis.
To bridge this affordability gap, Obiflex, a doctor-led programme backed by investment firm Grovest, has introduced South Africa’s first buy now, play later (BNPL) model for prescription weight-loss care.
Rather than requiring high, upfront pharmacy payments, Obiflex spreads the cost of authentic, SAHPRA-registered GLP-1 medications into predictable monthly instalments.
The payment plan covers a comprehensive clinical package, including virtual doctor consultations, digital health monitoring, weekly lifestyle coaching, and cold-chain door-to-door delivery managed via WhatsApp and web platforms, turning an exclusive, cash-only luxury into an accessible healthcare solution
And to ensure supply chain safety, Obiflex partnered directly with a global pharmaceutical manufacturer to guarantee that all dispensed medications are authentic, SAHPRA-registered GLP-1 treatments rather than unverified peptides or imported active ingredients.
"Affordability pushed so many patients toward cheaper, unregistered compounded alternatives," explains Shaun Barns, co-founder and CEO of Obiflex.
"Now that the compounding route has been shut down by SAHPRA and SAPC, that demand doesn't simply disappear. Without legitimate, affordable access, people risk seeking out unregulated or illicit options."
Addressing the root causes
The initiative was co-founded by Barns alongside veteran cardiologist Dr Riaz Motara, Grovest CEO Jeff Miller and Moshe Unterslak.
For Motara, who designed the specialised clinical protocols for the programme's physician network, the priority is addressing the systemic metabolic drivers of obesity rather than issuing isolated prescriptions.
"I've been a cardiologist for the past 30 years, and most of my patients who suffer from heart attacks and strokes are overweight, and for the longest time we have not had any intervention or medication to assist people with losing weight," said Motara.
"We realised that you can't lose weight until you understand why you have gained it. And in order to get sustainable weight loss, we assist you along your path of identifying the reasons why you gained weight, how we can manage it in a more holistic way, what does lifestyle advice look like, how do we monitor and track you over a period of time to get to a sustainable solution and long-term solution."
Democratising healthcare access
For South Africa’s healthcare ecosystem, bringing BNPL financing into clinical practice transforms an elite, cash-only luxury into a manageable monthly health investment.
"GLP-1s are a worldwide phenomenon, but the reality has been that they were only accessible to high-net-worth individuals," notes Miller.
"We have packaged an affordable, all-encompassing product because, ultimately, this is about more than weight loss; it is about improving long-term health outcomes."
As regulatory authorities step up enforcement against unapproved weight-loss substances across the country, providing an affordable, legally sound pathway becomes vital to public health safety.
"We didn't want to just make the medicine more affordable," Barns adds.
"We set out to offer rigorous medical oversight, comprehensive coaching and a viable way to pay for it. If someone is ready to make meaningful health changes, there must be a safe, legitimate approach within their reach."
alyssia.birjalal@nationalmg.co.za