Rahayu Mahzam on Health Sciences Authority (Amendment) and Other Matters Bill

The regulatory functions and manpower of the Ministry of Health (MOH) will be transferred to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in November while the Secretariat of healthcare Professional Boards (SPB) will transfer its functions and manpower to HSA by end-2027. This consolidation is an investment in Singapore’s regulatory officers and capabilities, said Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam. Outlining the key changes in parliament on Wednesday (Sep 9), she said by bringing their functions together, Singapore can create broader career pathways, deepen regulatory expertise, strengthen its position as a trusted health regulator and build multi-disciplinary regulatory capabilities. Today, Singapore’s regulatory ecosystem is organised across three agencies - MOH regulates healthcare services, health information, human biomedical research and biosafety, while HSA regulates health products and the SPB supports healthcare professional boards and councils. Under the consolidated structure, licensing applications and enquiries will be managed by one agency. There will be greater regulatory alignment and clearer guidance for clinical care and research, as well as one streamlined interface for the public. This Bill is not simply about moving functions from one agency to another, said Ms Rahayu. By establishing HSA as Singapore's integrated health regulator, the government is building a system that is more coherent for healthcare institutions, clearer for healthcare professionals, more predictable for industry and more responsive for patients, she said.