PUBLISHED ONSeptember 09, 2026 9:41 AMUPDATEDSeptember 09, 2026 1:24 PMBYSean LerAs new technologies reshape the healthcare scene, Singapore must have a more responsive and coherent regulatory system, said Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam on Wednesday (Sept 9).
The Health Sciences Authority (Amendment) and Other Matters Bill was passed in Parliament, and will consolidate and establish an integrated health regulatory function under the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).
The Ministry of Health's (MOH) regulatory function over healthcare services, health information, human biomedical research and biosafety; and, the Secretariat of Healthcare Professional Boards' (SPB) function in supporting the professional boards’ and councils’ oversight of regulations of doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and allied healthcare professionals, will fall under the Health Sciences Authority's (HSA) remit — once the new laws come into effect.
In a media statement, MOH and HSA said that the consolidated structure will provide greater clarity and predictability for industry, innovators and healthcare providers.
"An integrated regulator will allow licensing applications and enquiries to be managed by one agency, making information and responses more coordinated and clearer for stakeholders," the authority explained.
The consolidation also allows greater regulatory alignment across the research and clinical care continuum, MOH and HSA stated, adding that researchers and clinicians can expect clearer and more consistent guidance upstream.
This, in turn, strengthens protection for research participants while providing a clearer pathway from research to eventual clinical application.
Members of the public will also benefit from having a streamlined interface with the regulator.
Illustrating this, MOH and HSA said that whether the concern resides with a medicine they have purchased, a medical device used in their care, or the healthcare service provider or professional caring for them, it will be now be the interface for these matters.
Tabling the Bill for Second Reading in Parliament on Wednesday, Rahayu said the Republic's regulatory system must be capable of evolving and responding in an integrated manner.
During the debate, several MPs raised questions on the new regulatory architecture and stressed the need for governance, and clear mechanisms to ensure alignment in regulatory policy and operations.
Rahayu said MOH will continue to be responsible for the strategic direction of Singapore's healthcare system to ensure that it remains safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable.
"HSA will undertake and execute the regulatory functions within the scope of this Bill in support of MOH’s policies and directions," she explained
She emphasised that the Bill does not seek to separate policy from regulation, but rather, to better delineate institutional responsibilities.
"Policy and operations will remain closely intertwined and aligned," she added.
MOH's regulatory functions and manpower will be transferred to HSA this November.
In her closing speech, Rahayu said that the measure of success lie in whether the integrated regulatory system is better able to protect patients and the public.
This includes learning from where systems or practice can improve, and in so doing, enable safe and continuous innovation.
"Patients experience healthcare as a single, continuous journey, and so our regulatory system must be capable of seeing that whole journey too," the minister of state said.
@asiaone Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam said the changes will be implemented in two phases to better manage the transition. First, the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) regulatory functions and manpower will transfer to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in November 2026. The functions and manpower of the Secretariat of Healthcare Professional Boards (SPB) will then be transferred to the HSA by end-2027. #sgnews #Singapore #Parliament #Health ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
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