Article by Dana Van Zyl,  Focus on Health Director based on GOVERNMENT GAZETTE No. 51352
Dispensing fee for persons licensed to dispense in terms of Section 22C of the Medicines and Related Substances Act (Act 101 of 1965)
Dispensing fee as published on 4 October 2024

The appropriate dispensing fee as contemplated in Section 22G of the Act to be charged by persons licensed in terms of Section 22C (1) (a) of the Act must be calculated, exclusive of VAT, as follows:

• Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is less than one hundred and fifty rand (R150.00), the dispensing fee must not exceed 30% of the single exit price in respect of that medicine or scheduled substance;
• Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is equal to or greater than one hundred and fifty rand, the dispensing fee must not exceed forty-five rand (R45.00) in respect of that medicine or scheduled substance.

In March 2020 the 30% was calculated on an SEP of less than R128.00 and an SEP of equal or greater than R128.00 earned a R38.40 fee. In little more than one year, the dispensing fee thus increased with 17.18%.

Pharmacy dispensing fee

• Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is less than one hundred and forty-five rand (R145.64), the dispensing fee shall not exceed R21.18 plus 46% of the single exit price in respect of that medicine or scheduled substance.
• Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is greater than or equal to one hundred and forty-five rand and sixty-five cents (R145.16), but less than three hundred and eighty-seven rand and ninety-two cents (R387.92) the dispensing fee shall not exceed R39.30 plus 33% of the single exit price in respect of that medicine or scheduled substance.
• Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is greater than or equal to three hundred and eighty-seven and ninety-three cents (R387.93), but less than one-thousand four hundred and two cents (R1420.02) the dispensing fee shall not exceed R112.28 plus 15% of the single exit price in respect of that medicine or scheduled substance.
• Where the single exit price of a medicine or scheduled substance is greater than or equal to one-thousand four-hundred and two rand and two cents (R1 402.02), the dispensing fee shall not exceed R247.79 plus 5% of the single exit price in respect of that medicine or scheduled substance.

 COMPARISION BETWEEN DOCTOR AND PHARMACIST DISPENSING FEE

 

PRODUCT	SEP	DOCTOR DISPENSING FEE	PHARMACIST DISPENSING FEE	PRICE DIFFERENCE
Mybulen caps 30	R81.07	@ 30% = R24.32 Total = R105.39	@46% = R37.29 + R21.18 (fixed) = R58.47 Total = R139.54	R34.15 OR 32.40%
Omez caps 20mg 30	R172.10	@ fixed fee of R45.00 Total price = R217.10	@33% = R56.79 + R39.30 = R96.09 Total price = R268.19	R51.09 OR 23.53%
Foxair accuhaler 50/500ug 60 blisters	R495.99	@fixed fee of R45.00 Total price = R540.99	@15% = R74.39 + R112.28 = R186.67 Total price = R682.66	R141.67 OR 26.18%