Health Sciences Authority to have more powers and manpower under proposed new law

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SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) could be given more regulatory and investigative powers, under proposed new laws to transfer and consolidate certain healthcare processes.

Under the Health Sciences Authority (Amendment) and Other Matters Bill introduced in Parliament on Aug 4, powers to administer and enforce the Biological Agents and Toxins Act, and the Human Biomedical Research Act would be transferred from the director-general of health at the Ministry of Health (MOH) to the chief executive of HSA.

If passed, this means that HSA’s chief executive and his agency will be tasked to regulate the conduct of human biomedical research, as well as the possession, use and import of biological agents.

Powers to administer nine other Acts will also be transferred, including the Infectious Diseases Act, MediShield Life Scheme Act and Termination of Pregnancy Act.

To ensure that HSA can perform these functions, the relevant employees, property and assets from MOH will also be transferred to HSA.

MOH departments to be transferred to HSA include the divisions in charge of regulatory compliance, regulatory transformation, as well as surveillance and enforcement.

This means HSA would take on regulatory functions to oversee and manage the licensing of healthcare services to ensure patient safety and public interest.

Healthcare service providers which have to apply for licenses include acute and community hospitals, blood banks, medical transport service providers, dialysis centres and nursing homes.

HSA would also need to push for regulatory transformation to deal with new risks in the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, such as safeguarding the cybersecurity of connected medical devices.

Other roles that the authority would also take on is investigating offences and taking enforcement action.

An example of this was how MOH previously conducted audits on cord blood banking company Cordlife and found lapses in its storage of cord blood units. This led to a suspension of Cordlife’s license to take on new business.

The Bill made clear that transfer of these employees does not constitute retrenchment or redundancy, and does not affect their remuneration and leave rights.

Currently, HSA is the authority regulating health products, including medicines, cosmetic products, medical devices and tobacco products. It also manages the national blood bank, transfusion medicine and forensic medicine expertise; and provides forensic and analytical laboratory services.

Support functions of healthcare professional boards set to be transferred to HSA

In addition to the regulatory functions, the secretariat of healthcare professional boards is expected to be transferred to HSA.

Since 2020, the secretariat has been supporting about 11 healthcare professional boards such as the Singapore Medical Council and Singapore Dental Council. This includes communications, corporate services and legal advice.

The registration and regulation of healthcare professionals will continue to be governed by the autonomous and independent professional boards.

The Amendment Bill was introduced in Parliament by Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam, on behalf of Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung.

Besides the HSA Act, the Bill also seeks to amend other Acts such as the Human Biomedical Research Act and the Healthcare Services Act.

One of the proposed amendments will empower HSA’s chief executive to appoint auxiliary authorised officers, who may exercise certain enforcement powers such as entering and inspecting premises with consent during normal business hours.

However, these officers do not have the powers to conduct searches, or test, examine or remove items such as equipment and blood samples found on the premises.

The Bill is expected to be debated at the next Parliament sitting.