Will MOH be working with HSA to ensure direct-to-consumer products comply with HCSA regulations? E.g., direct-to-consumer companies are able to advertise before/after photos & run promotions
Advertisements of health and medicinal products, including those issued by direct-to-consumer companies, are regulated by HSA under relevant legislation such as the MASA or the Health Products Act (HPA). For example, if companies advertise a product to treat conditions, they are subject to MASA. For therapeutic products such as pharmacy-only medicines and over-the-counter medicines, companies are required to comply with the advertisement requirements under the HPA. Additionally, advertisements of prescription-only medicines directed at the general public are prohibited under the HPA.
If HCSA licensees collaborate with such companies to market the products, then the licensees can also be held accountable under the HCS (Advertisement) Regulations for advertising the service that utilises the product.
Related questions
Do Healthcare Service (Advertisement) Regulations (HCS (Advertisement) Regulations) cover advertisements of non-licensable healthcare services (e.g. Traditional Chinese Medicine, physiotherapy, chiropractic)?
Are there provisions to prevent a licensee from using names of MOH's related agencies in their advertisement? For example, can licensees use terms like “MOH’s Healthier SG” or "HSA's XXXX Program" when advertising their healthcare services?
How would the advertising controls affect a non-HCSA licensee who collaborates with a licensee (e.g., a medical device supplier collaborates with a medical/dental clinic) and wishes to advertise its relationship with the licensee?
Will a licensee of an aesthetic practice be subject to the HCS (Advertisement) Regulations if an advertisement is made in conjunction with the sale of face creams?
