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TCM Practitioners Registration 中医执业者的注册规管

The Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act, which was passed in Parliament in 2000, requires all TCM practitioners to be registered with the TCM Practitioners Board.

The registration of TCM Practitioners began in 2001 with the registration of acupuncturists. This was followed by the registration of TCM physicians from 2002. From January 2004, all who practise TCM are required to be registered with the TCM Practitioners Board and possess a valid practising certificate. From December 2005, Chinese Medicinal Materials dispensers who graduated from the Chinese Medicinal Materials (CMM) Training course (Intermediate module) are voluntarily listed with the TCM Practitioners Board.

For more information on TCM practitioner’s registration requirements, please refer to TCM Practitioners Board website.

Licensing Requirements for the Provision of TCM Services 提供中医服务的执照要求

TCM clinics are currently not licenced. However, all TCM practitioners are required to be registered with the TCM Practitioners Board under the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act. TCM clinic service providers should also ensure that all TCM services, including acupuncture, tuina, cupping etc., are provided only by registered TCM practitioners holding a valid practicing certificate, who are also bound by the Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines for TCM practitioners.

TCM clinic service providers should remind their TCM practitioners to update their place of practice with the TCM Practitioners Board once they start practice in a new TCM clinic.

TCM clinic service providers must obtain a Massage Establishment (ME) licence from the Singapore Police Force if they provide massage or manipulative services performed by anyone who is not a registered TCM practitioner, e.g. massage therapist or masseur.

*Important: Please note that the display of a TCM practitioner's registration or practicing certificate at the TCM clinic premises does not exempt the establishment from requiring a ME licence. The exemption only applies when the registered TCM practitioner personally performs the massage or manipulative therapy services. To apply for a ME licence, please visit the Singapore Police Force website.

Apart from the above, TCM clinic service providers should also check with other regulatory agencies (e.g. Housing Development Board, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority etc.) on business-related licences required to set up a TCM clinic.

Chinese Medicines Regulation 中药管理

All Chinese Proprietary Medicines (CPM) i.e. products in the finished dosage forms (e.g. tablet, capsule, liquid) are regulated by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and must comply with a set of safety and quality criteria before they are allowed to be sold in Singapore. In addition, CPM dealers (importers, wholesale dealers and manufacturers) are also required to be licensed by HSA. The sale or use of suspicious CPM should be reported to HSA at Tel 6866 3485 for further investigation. For information on the regulation of Chinese Proprietary Medicines and Raw Medicinal Herbs, please refer to the HSA's website on Complementary Health Products.

Safety Information on Health Products 医疗保健产品安全信息

Consumers are encouraged to exercise discretion and caution in their purchase and use of health products for their individual needs, and to seek advice from relevant healthcare professional or registered TCM practitioner when in doubt. HSA also advises consumers to only buy health products from reliable and reputable sources, and to also do a search on the approved CPM in Singapore at the following HSA webpage: https://eservice.hsa.gov.sg/prism/common/enquirepublic/SearchCPProduct.do?action=load.

To read about product safety alerts, product recalls, adverse drug reactions news bulletin and safety-related amendments made to the local package inserts, please refer to Health Sciences Authority website.