Angry Doctor

Friday, October 12, 2007

Quackbuster: Singapore 6

Still tracking the Health Products Act...


Regulation of all medical devices by 2010

REPORTING to the authorities problems relating to medical devices sold. Keeping complaints and distribution records of such devices.

These are among the legal obligations that dealers of medical devices will have to adhere to from Nov 1 as the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) begins implementing the regulation of such products.

Medical devices, which range from syringes to artificial hearts, are the first category of health products to be regulated under the Health Products Act, which was passed by Parliament in February.

The control measures will be implemented in phases, from next month, to "minimise the impact of the supply of medical devices and to provide sufficient time for the industry to meet the new standards and requirements", said the HSA yesterday.

At the same time, action will also be taken against dealers who engage in "fraudulent advertisements".

The next phase, from next April 1 to Oct 1, 2009, will involve the licensing of dealers, including manufacturers, importers and wholesalers, as well as registration of medical devices.

The final year-long phase, which will end on Oct 1, 2010, will require all parties dealing with medical devices to be licensed and for all such products to be registered.

By the time all the regulatory measures are in place, it will be illegal to manufacture, import or supply "unregistered medium and high-risk devices" — from Oct 1, 2009 — and "low-risk products" — from Oct 1, 2010 — the HSA said.

With these new regulations, consumers can expect better protection from unsafe or poor quality products and more objective information to help them make better decisions.


angry doc dares not imagine that the Health Product Act is enacted primarily to combat quackery, but he hopes that it will have an impact.

In an ideal world we won't need such a law - people (consumers) will all be wise and discerning and will scorn any health product with "fraudulent advertisement", insisting instead on good quality evidence. Of course, that day may never come. In the meantime, angry doc is glad that we have such a law.

Still, he cannot but feel that he is applying double standards to how we legislate on health-seeking behaviour in looking at the case of the Health Products Act and that of the proposed amendments to the Infectious Diseases Act.

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11 Comments:

  • yes, it is an assurance so that buyers who dun know what they are buying can have something to guide them finally. Angry dr, do you have any links to visit on clinical research?-LH

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At October 12, 2007 10:41 pm  

  • "Angry dr, do you have any links to visit on clinical research?-LH"

    No, I don't. What sort of information are you looking for?

    By Blogger angry doc, At October 13, 2007 11:44 am  

  • What it is like doing clinical research work. Had googled but unsure how real it is-LH

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At October 14, 2007 11:04 am  

  • From my experience 'clinical research' spans a broad specturm. It can mean experimental surgery involving animals and cadavers first then real subjects, statistical work like validating what 'normal' range of results for certain indices is in local population, drug trials, to stem-cell research.

    Really depends on what you are interested in.

    By Blogger angry doc, At October 14, 2007 7:43 pm  

  • more on drug trials,googled info says no need to be done by med-trained/health sciences trained pple (altho' very much preferred).wants to know how feasible to go into this if person is not health sciences trained. or having interested is not enough-LH

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At October 15, 2007 9:42 am  

  • As a protocol designer, data cruncher, or subject? :)

    By Blogger angry doc, At October 16, 2007 5:53 pm  

  • Hi,"As a protocol designer, data cruncher, or subject?" means?
    what is Protocol designer ? Data cruncher-ok the one that analyses the statistics-rite.
    Subject refers to? the guinea pig?
    *that's why I need to ask around who can I find out more from*-LH

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At October 17, 2007 2:39 pm  

  • I think you're going to need someone more qualified than me to advise you...

    May I recommend Leng Hiong at Fresh Brainz? :)

    By Blogger angry doc, At October 17, 2007 4:56 pm  

  • Angry dr, thanks, you have been helpful.appreciate that. Who is this person and how to get in touch?..-LH

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At October 17, 2007 5:40 pm  

  • goggled..signpost points to http://freshbrainz.blogspot.com..correct rite-LH

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At October 17, 2007 6:01 pm  

  • Yup. One of the blogs I link to. :)

    By Blogger angry doc, At October 17, 2007 6:24 pm  

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