Deloise (Vosloo) Raubenheimer (1967)
26 August 1948 – 31 August 2010
Family, friends and colleagues mourn the passing of Deloise (Vosloo) Raubenheimer (B. Pharm) who passed away on 31 August 2010 due to natural causes.
We fondly remember Deloise… So vibrant, optimistic and fun… Loving, caring and understanding… Patient and forgiving… Compassionate and kind.
Dedicated, loyal and hardworking, Deloise excelled in her chosen field of pharmacy.
Born and schooled in Port Elizabeth and, having completed her studies at Rhodes, Deloise moved to Pretoria where she started out as Manager of the Eugene Marais Hospital Pharmacy from 1973-1976. During this time she was also the Secretary of the South African Pharmacy Students Federation. Already her role as a leader was evident in that she was chosen as the South African representative at the International Pharmacy Students Federation Conference in Israel in 1973.
Deloise started at the MCC (Medicines Control Council - then part of the Department of Health and Welfare) at its actual inception in 1976 as a Regulatory Pharmacist. Her main functions in the secretariat involved processing clinical trial applications for Council evaluation; Section 21 medicine approval processing and controlling on behalf of the Council; advertising control of pharmaceutical promotional material; and scheduling of medicines and control of Narcotics and Psychotropic substances imported into, and exported from, South Africa. She was the South African representative at, and local person in charge of, the requirements of the INCB (International Narcotics Control Board) in Geneva, Switzerland. She was also responsible in assisting the Inspectorate with technical medicine queries. She was further responsible for the control of all adverse drug reactions for both marketed products as well as those identified during clinical trials. She wrote certain regulations in support of the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act, Act 101 of 1965, as amended and played a huge role as an advisor to the industry regarding all aspects of the functions for which she was responsible. All minutes, after Council meetings, pertaining to her functions were also compiled by her for ratification at a subsequent Council meeting.
Deloise became a senior Pharmacist at the MCC in 1979 and continued with her tasks but now vast managerial aspects such as training and succession planning became part of her portfolio. During her time there she worked with various Chairpersons of the MCC such as Professor Snyman and Professor Folb. She left the MCC in 1983 due to her pregnancy with her second child, son Carl. During the time that Deloise raised her children she consulted to the industry on matters relating to the registration of medicines e.g. E. Merck (Pty) Ltd.
In 1985, Deloise and her partners founded and established the first medicines regulatory consulting business in South Africa, namely MC Consultants. Here she was a director and equal share partner in the successful business.
In 1996 Deloise sold her share in the business and took up an offer to work at Ranbaxy South Africa as Regulatory Affairs Manager for South Africa and Africa, as Managing Director in terms of the Pharmacy Act and later also as Responsible Pharmacist as required by the MCC. Deloise formally retired from Ranbaxy in February 2010 but continued to work for them as a consultant.
Deloise was exceptionally experienced in all aspects of the Regulatory
Affairs environment and participated in various pharmaceutical association meetings; sharing her knowledge over a broad base. She was sincerely respected for her expertise and business acumen and well loved amongst her colleagues. The Regulatory Pharmaceutical arena has lost a legend!
Deloise is survived by her daughter Nicole (Raubenheimer) Mansour, old Rhodian living in Nigeria and her son Carl Raubenheimer. She is fondly remembered and missed by all who knew and loved her.
