The South African Medicines Formulary, produced by the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cape Town, was first published in 1988 and is currently in its ninth edition.

The original purpose of the formulary was to promote safe, rational and cost-effective use of medicines available in South Africa, to serve the various educational, information and drug regulatory programmes, and to support national health planning. This remains the objective of this edition. The publication is widely used in hospital, community and private practice by doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other healthcare workers, as well as by hospital administrators and health policy personnel.

The text for the 2012 (tenth) edition was edited by Dawn Rossiter and co-editors Prof Marc Blockman, Prof Karen Barnes, Dr Karen Cohen, Dr Eric Decloedt, Dr Renee De Waal, Dr Tamara Kredo, Prof Gary Maartens, Dr Helen McIlleron, and Dr Phumla Sinxadi, in collaboration with over 70 contributors and consultants from universities country-wide, though mainly associated with the University of Cape Town. The editors were supported by staff of the Medicines Information Centre and the National Adverse Drug Event Monitoring Centre, based in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, UCT.

The SAMF is published by the Health and Medical Publishing Group. Copies can be obtained through booksellers or directly from the publishers.