With a specialised team of regulatory affairs experts and over 1,000 completed registrations across Asian markets, we provide customised and accelerated solutions to help your products achieve market access while meeting all necessary regulatory requirements for registration, import, and supply.

Our regulatory team provides support for your company throughout the product lifecycle, ensuring compliance with regulations through vital and strategic advice from product development to commercialisation.

Our Services

Registration

Launch

Post Launch

We offer a comprehensive suite of end-to-end regulatory services, covering medical devices, therapeutic products, active ingredients, radioactive materials, poisons, and controlled drugs. Each service is tailored to meet our clients’ specific requirements.

Our experienced team understands the complexities of the regulatory landscape and works closely with clients to ensure compliance and uphold the highest safety standards for every product. Whether you require support for radioactive transportation or access to our distribution centre, you can explore our full range of regulatory services below.

What Kind of Service Are You Looking For?

Regulatory Intelligence

With access to comprehensive regulatory database, we keep abreast of any developments in global regulatory requirements, interpret their impact on products, and provide timely updates and insights to help our clients make informed decisions and implement the most effective strategy to address regulatory needs for each product.

Pre-Submission Capabilities

We develop a solid pre-submission strategy with our expert guidance by conducting thorough assessments of regulatory requirements and determine submission routes, offering strategic recommendations to optimize your submission process and enhance the likelihood of regulatory approval.

Consultation with Health Authorities

We facilitate and conduct consultations with regulatory agencies to gather feedback on regulatory readiness prior to submission of registration ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations and fostering a collaborative approach to compliance, expediting product approval and market access.

Product Registrations and Submissions

Streamline regulatory submission process with our specialised comprehensive end to end regulatory services. From pre-market submission to attainment of pre-market approval, we facilitate timely and compliant submission of dossiers and fulfilment of queries from regulatory authorities.

Pharmacovigilance Expertise

Our Pharmacovigilance services include adverse events (AE) reporting to regulatory authorities, literature screening, regulatory surveillance audits and provide support for global pharmacovigilance requirements to improve benefits-risk ratio on marketed medication and ensure patients safety.

Labelling and Packaging Compliance

Our meticulous review and verification services ensure compliance with regulations on relabeling and packaging. We assess product labelling and packaging materials to ensure alignment with regulatory requirements, minimizing the risk of non-compliance and regulatory scrutiny.

Post Approval Services

Our post approval services ensure ongoing compliance and product integrity. We assist with management of post-approval changes, including product design modifications and intended use updates, as well as license renewals and dossier maintenance, to maintain regulatory compliance and support continued market access.

Country-Specific Regulatory Information

Risk Classification

In Singapore, there are four risk classes of medical devices. The risk classification of a medical device is dependent on:

1.

General Medical Devices

Depends on a number of factors eg. Duration of medical device contact with body, degree of invasiveness, whether the medical device delivers medicinal products or energy to the patient, whether they are intended to have a biological effect on the patient and local versus systemic effects.

ClassRisk LevelExample
ALow RiskWheelchairs, Tongue depressors
BLow-moderate RiskHypodermic needles, Suction equipment
CModerate-high RiskVentilators, Bone fixation plates
DHigh RiskHeart valves, Implantable defibrillators

Table 1: Classification system for General Medical Devices

2.

In-Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices

Depends on intended purpose, technical expertise of intended user (lay person or healthcare professional), importance of information to the diagnosis (sole determinant or one of several), impact of result to the individual and/or to public health.

ClassRisk LevelExample
ALow Individual Risk and Low Public Health RiskSpecimen receptacle
BModerate Individual Risk and/or Low Public Health RiskVitamin B12, Pregnancy self testing,
Anti-Nuclear Antibody, Urine test strips
CHigh Individual Risk and/or Moderate Public Health RiskBlood glucose self testing, HLA typing, PSA screening, Rubella IgM
DHigh Individual Risk and High Public Health RiskHIV blood donor screening, 
HIV diagnostic kit

Table 2: Classification system for IVD Medical Devices

Software as Medical Devices (SaMD)

Depends on state of patient’s healthcare situation or condition, significance of information provided by SaMD to healthcare decision.

Non-IVD SaMD Risk Classification Table
State of healthcare situation or conditionSignificance of information provided by SaMD to healthcare decision
Treat or diagnoseDrive clinical / patient managementInform clinical / patient management
CriticalCCB
SeriousCBA
Non-seriousBA*A

*SaMD will be classified as Class B if they are intended to analyse, measure or monitor a vital physiological process or anatomical structure images

Forms of SoftwareExamples
Software embedded in medical devices
  • Imaging software in diagnostic ultrasound system
  • Software to deliver pacing/defibrillation in a pacemaker/ ICD
Standalone software
  • Image processing software that run on general purpose computer(s) or workstation(s) for the reviewing and diagnosis of x-ray images
Standalone mobile applications
  • Mobile application running on a mobile computing device that is intended to remotely monitor a patient’s vital signs
Web-based software
  • A software application that can be accessed through a web browser where users are able to upload patient images for diagnostic purpose without installation on their computing device

HSA Medical device risk classification tool

Learn more


Class A medical devices:

Exempted from registration but requires listing/product notification on HSA Class A database prior to import and supply

Class B-D medical devices:
Product registration or Special Access Route (SAR) is required prior to import and supply.

Registration

1.

Determine Risk Classification

Determine if the medical device is a Class A, B, C or D medical device based on HSA’s criteria

2.

Determine Type of Registration Evaluation Route

Full Route
  • No prior approval from HSA’s reference agencies
Abridged Route
  • At least one approval from HSA’s reference agencies
Immediate (Class B) Route
  • At least one approval from HSA’s reference agencies and
  • 3 years marketing history without any safety issue, withdrawal, or rejection (IBR Condition 1)
OR
  • At least two approvals from HSA’s reference agencies and
  • No safety issues, withdrawal, or rejection (IBR Condition 2)
Expedited (Class C & D) Route
  • At least one approval from HSA’s reference agencies and
  • 3 years marketing history without any safety issue, withdrawal, or rejection (ECR-1)
OR
  • At least two approvals from HSA’s reference agencies and
  • No withdrawal or rejection (ECR-2/EDR)
Immediate (Class C) Route [Solely for standalone medical mobile application]
  • At least one approval from HSA’s reference agencies and
  • No safety issues, withdrawal, or rejection
No.RA AuthoritiesReference Countries
1

United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA)

  • 510K clearance
  • De Novo
  • Pre-market Approval (PMA)
USA
2Australia Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Device Registration LicenceAustralia
3Health Canada (HC) Device Registration LicenceCanada
4

Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)

  • Pre-market Certification (Ninsho)
  • Pre-market Approval (Shonin)
Japan
5

European Union Notified Bodies (EU NB)EC Certificates issued according to:

Class B:
  • Directive 93/42/EEC Annex II section 3 or Annex V for Class IIa
  • Medical Device Regulation (MDR) Annex IX Chapter I and Chapter III or MDR Annex XI PART A for Class IIa
  • Directive 98/79/EC Annex IV or Annex V with Annex VII for List B and self-testing IVDs
  • In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulation (IVDR) Annex IX Chapter I and Chapter III for Class B IVD
Class C & D:
  • Directive 93/42/EEC Annex II section 3 or Annex III coupled with Annex V of MDD for Class IIb
  • Medical Device Regulation (MDR) Annex IX Chapter I and Chapter III, including assessment of technical documentation for implantables, or MDR Annex X coupled with Annex XI PART A for Class IIb
  • Directive 93/42/EEC Annex II section 3 and 4 for Class III
  • Medical Device Regulation (MDR) Annex IX Chapter I and Chapter III, including assessment of the technical documentation for Class III
  • Directive 90/385/EEC Annex II section 3 and 4 for Active Implantable Medical Devices (Note: Directive 90/385/EEC is incorporated into MDR and active implantable medical device is Class III under MDR)
  • Directive 98/79/EC Annex IV including sections 4 and 6 for List A IVDs
  • IVDR Annex IX Chapter I and Chapter III, including assessment of technical documentation for Class D IVD
  • Directive 98/79/EC Annex IV or Annex V with Annex VII for List B and self-testing IVDs
  • In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Device Regulation (IVDR) Annex IX Chapter I and Chapter III, including assessment of technical documentation for companion diagnostics, self-testing & near-patient testing devices, or IVDR Annex X coupled with Annex XI (except section 5) for Class C IVD
European Union

Class B, C and D medical devices that are classified and approved/cleared as Class I or class II exempt in the above reference agencies do not qualify for abridged, expedited or immediate routes based on these approvals.

3.

Collect Documents for Registration

No.DOCUMENTS (softcopy)HSA TemplateRemarks
1Letter of authorization (Annex 1) 
2Annex 2 List of Configurations 
3Proof of reference agency’s approval Not required for full route
4Proof of marketing history (Annex 2)Required for IBR (Condition 1) & ECR-1
5Declaration of no safety issues globally (Annex 3)Required for IBR, ECR-1 & ICR
6Executive Summary  
7Essential principles checklist and Declaration of conformityNot required for IBR & ICR
8Device description  
9Design verification and validation documents Not required for IBR route
10Clinical evidence  
11Proposed device labelling  
12Risk analysis Not required for IBR & ICR
13Manufacturer Information (site’s name and address)  
14Proof of QMS (eg. ISO13485/MDSAP certificate etc)  
15Manufacturing Process – flow chart Not required for IBR, ICR & Class B Abridged
16Justification for an unmet clinical need Only required for Priority review scheme 1
Additional requirements for SaMD:

For SaMD, there are additional specific requirements for the following sections of the registration dossier:

  • Essential Principles for safety and performance of medical devices
  • Labelling requirements
  • Software versioning and traceability
  • Software verification and validation
  • Clinical Evidence
  • Risk Management
  • Supporting documents for Cybersecurity


Additional requirements for Artificial Intelligence Medical Devices (AI-MD):

The following additional regulatory considerations will be applicable to medical services incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology from a medical device regulatory standpoint.

The following additional information are required to be submitted for pre-market registration of AI-MDs, in addition to the list of documents stated above:

  • AI-MD Dataset
  • AI-MD Model
  • AI-MD Performance and Clinical Evaluation
  • AI-MD Deployment
4.

Submit registration to HSA and address input requests until approval

Submit complete registration dossier to HSA and work closely with product owner to address potential input requests from HSA until product registration approval is obtained.

Registration

1.

Determine Risk Classification


New drug application

  • NDA-1: For the first strength of a product containing a new chemical/biological entity
  • NDA-2: For the first strength of a product
    1. containing a new combination of registered chemical or biological entities
    2. containing registered chemical or biological entity(ies) in a new dosage form, new presentation, or new formulation
    3. containing registered chemical or biological entity(ies) for use by a new route of administration or
    4. containing registered chemical or biological entity(ies) for new indication(s), dosage recommendation(s) and/or patient population(s).
  • NDA-3: For subsequent strength(s) of a product that has been registered or has been submitted as an NDA-1 or NDA-2


Generic drug application

(Generic product: A product that is the same as a Singapore-registered product with respect to composition of active ingredients, dosage form and clinical indication.)
  • GDA-1: For the first strength of a generic chemical product.
  • GDA-2: For subsequent strength(s) of the generic chemical product that has been registered or submitted as GDA-1.
2.

Determine Type of Registration Evaluation Route

  • Full (NDA): No prior approval from any regulatory agencies
  • Abridged (NDA/GDA): Approval from at least one drug regulatory agency
  • Verification (NDA/GDA): Approval from at least two of HSA’s reference agencies
  • Verification-CECA (GDA): Applies to any generic product manufactured in India which has approval from HSA’s reference agencies

List of HSA’s reference regulatory agencies:

No.RA AuthoritiesReference
1United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA)USA
2Australia Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)Australia
3Health Canada (HC)Canada
4UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (UK MHRA) via national procedure or as Reference Member State via Mutual Recognition Procedure or Decentralised Procedure on or prior to 31 January 2020United Kingdom
5European Medicines Agency (EMA) via the Centralised ProcedureEuropean Union
6SwissmedicSwitzerland
3.

Collect Documents for Registration

No.DocumentsLocation in
ICH CTDACTD
1Administrative Documents and Product InformationModule 1Part I
2Common Technical Document Overview and SummariesModule 2Incorporated in Parts II, III and IV
3Quality documentsModule 3Part II
4Non-clinical documentsModule 4Part III
5Clinical documentsModule 5Part IV
4.

Submit registration to HSA and address input requests until approval

Submit complete registration dossier to HSA and work closely with product owner to address potential input requests from HSA until product registration approval is obtained.
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