Catherine Tomlinson

Freelance journalist @SpotlightNSP

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

GLP-1s | Despite South Africa's sky-rocketing sales of weight loss medicines like Ozempic and Mounjaro, the jabs remain too expensive for most people to buy. In part one of this special series, @catherinetom assesses when they will become more widely available.
https://t.co/MiEJcG7KoW

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

SHINGLES UPDATE | The only shingles vaccine in SA has been discontinued. A newer version is available overseas. Those in SA who can afford it and are willing to go through extra steps may still be able to get it, reports @catherinetom.

https://t.co/I6Yy1mEew7

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

Two new antibiotics offer hope for people with gonorrhoea that is resistant to currently available drugs. Yet, it might be years before the people who need these medicines can get them, reports @catherinetom.

https://t.co/woUzjPx2TM

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

MUST READ | The sudden and severe US cuts to grants from the world’s largest health research funder threaten to unravel the medical research landscape in SA. Will the government turn this crisis into an opportunity for renewal? @marcuslowx

https://t.co/yHkXXmKUB5

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

MUST READ | Researchers in South Africa are in limbo amid growing, but still unconfirmed, fears that over R800 million in research grants from the NIH could soon be cut. @catherinetom reports.

https://t.co/BlBCTuS1vA

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

DASHED? A group of leading African researchers trying to develop effective vaccines against #HIV is trying to salvage their ambitious research after US funding cuts, reports @catherinetom. @MRCza @GmyworldG @LindaGailBekker @ntobekon

https://t.co/rhcbLIDli6

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

#InsideTheBox | In the first of a new series of monthly columns for Spotlight, Dr Andy Gray considers what we mean when we refer to medicines as “essential” – something that is routinely done by the WHO and health authorities in many countries.

https://t.co/KMBpfeD6pp

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

JUST PUBLISHED | The SA Medical Research Council relies on US agencies for 28% of its budget, leaving it “heavily exposed” to the US health research funding cuts. Professor @ntobekon gives us more details in this report by @catherinetom. @MRCza

https://t.co/eF6iWeeDGg

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

MUST READ | The effectiveness of diabetes and weight loss drugs like #Ozempic and Mounjaro has dominated health headlines. Spotlight's @catherinetom breaks down the availability and pricing of GLP-1 agonists in SA.

https://t.co/Tz9w0xivOV

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

MUST READ | America’s abandonment of foreign aid for health relinquishes soft power.

President Cyril Ramaphosa can show strong leadership by urging wealthy countries to increase support for the health systems of poorer nations, write Nathan Geffen and @marcuslowx. @GroundUp_News

https://t.co/KmLL33SA11

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

Spotlight’s top four healthcare questions for 2025

From the ongoing political and legal battles over NHI, to the far-reaching health impacts of political change in the US, it is set to be another tumultuous year for healthcare in South Africa and around the globe, writes @marcuslowx.

https://t.co/CvJBzG1R2x

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

#InTheSpotlight | The longer we wait, the more killer diabetes will cost SA

In this Spotlight special briefing, @catherinetom looks at what the country needs to do to better manage diabetes and how we can draw lessons from the response to HIV.

https://t.co/ONVGV8ni5O

[News24 🇿🇦 @News24]

News24 | IN THE SPOTLIGHT | Poorly controlled diabetes is a top killer. It is time to take it more seriously https://t.co/w0SveownO0

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

“There is a lot of work still to be done," says the Joburg woman after dropping her court case against a multibillion-dollar US company that cut its price for life-changing #cysticfibrosis medicines in SA. @cherivdw @catherinetom

https://t.co/A9kEJqlxVw @TAC @MSF_southafrica

[News24 🇿🇦 @News24]

HIV prevention injections have been registered for use in South Africa, but very few people will be able to get the jabs. | @SpotlightNSP

https://t.co/3oiHH9K8Am

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

#InTheSpotlight | Diabetes is a leading killer in SA – yet we don’t know who has it or where they are

In this new series, @catherinetom unpacks the diabetes crisis in our country. It's the second leading cause of death but there is no clear picture how many people have diabetes or how many are receiving care. https://t.co/DgKL4h0X98

[Health Systems Trust @HST_health]

HST in the news! @SpotlightNSP

Dramatic decline in condom distribution in SA, new figures show

https://t.co/ZnoDeO4WwW

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

MUST READ | Condom distribution in South Africa has dropped dramatically over the last five years, finds a Spotlight analysis of data recently published in the Health System Trust’s District Health Barometer. | @catherinetom

https://t.co/9wUx6RYbF7

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

A South African company has secured the rights to manufacture a ring used to prevent #HIV infection. The ring contains an #antiretroviral drug called
#dapivirine. | @catherinetom @kiara_health @Pop_Council

https://t.co/ApRyAfsg3p

[Spotlight @SpotlightNSP]

Just in: SA close to meeting TB research funding targets, but most countries falling short. @catherinetom unpacks new @TAGTeam_Tweets data https://t.co/RbobQpJLkq @StopTB @MRCza @dsigovza @DesmondTutuTB @TBAC_sa @gatesfoundation @NIH @tac @TBProof @AHRI_News @Auruminstitute @CAPRISAOfficial