HSA's new role allows responsive, future-ready healthcare regulatory system: Rahayu
As 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) oversight of regulations of doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, and allied healthcare professionals, will now fall under the Health Sciences Authority's (HSA) remit.In a media statement, 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.