Singapore legislation
Regulation 11
of Healthcare Services (Assisted Reproduction Service) Regulations 2023
Regulation 11
No employment or engagement of unqualified persons
Subregulation 1
Subject to paragraph (3), a licensee must not permit or deploy any personnel to practise medicine or do any act as a medical practitioner in the provision of the assisted reproduction service unless the personnel —
is a medical practitioner registered under section 20(1) or (2) of the Medical Registration Act 1997 as a fully registered medical practitioner and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;
is a medical practitioner registered under section 22 of the Medical Registration Act 1997 as a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology;
has at least 18 months of training in the provision of a relevant assisted reproduction service, during which the medical practitioner is trained in all of the following:
reproductive endocrinology, particularly in the use of ovulation‑inducing agents and hormonal control of the menstrual cycle;
ultrasound‑guided oocyte collection techniques;
gynaecological endoscopy;
oocyte and embryo transfer;
has at least 6 months of practical hands‑on experience under the supervision of an experienced assisted reproduction practitioner, in the provision of a relevant assisted reproduction service;
has satisfactorily performed at least 20 oocyte collection procedures and 20 embryo transfers under the supervision of an experienced assisted reproduction practitioner;
has attended at least one course or seminar on assisted reproduction; and
has been assessed by the Clinical Governance Officer to possess the competencies required to practise medicine or do any act as a medical practitioner without the supervision of an experienced assisted reproduction practitioner.
Subregulation 2
Subject to paragraph (4), a licensee must not permit or deploy any personnel to carry out any embryology procedure unless the personnel —
holds a Bachelor of Science degree or an equivalent qualification;
has at least 6 months of practical hands‑on experience in carrying out the embryology procedures under the supervision of an experienced embryologist;
has satisfactorily performed at least 50 each of every embryology procedure under the supervision of an experienced embryologist;
has attended at least one course or seminar on assisted reproduction; and
has been assessed by the Clinical Governance Officer to possess the competencies required to carry out embryology procedures without the supervision of an experienced embryologist.
Subregulation 3
Despite paragraph (1), a licensee may permit or deploy a medical practitioner to practise medicine or do any act as a medical practitioner in the provision of the assisted reproduction service if the medical practitioner does so under the supervision of an experienced assisted reproduction practitioner.
Subregulation 4
Despite paragraph (2), a licensee may permit or deploy a personnel who holds a Bachelor of Science degree or an equivalent qualification to carry out an embryology procedure if the personnel does so under the supervision of an experienced embryologist.
Subregulation 5
In this regulation —
Definition
“experienced assisted reproduction practitioner” means a qualified assisted reproduction practitioner who —
has at least 6 months of independent practical hands‑on experience in the provision of a relevant assisted reproduction service after completing the period of practical hands‑on experience under the supervision of an experienced assisted reproduction practitioner mentioned in paragraph (1)(d); and
has been assessed by a Clinical Governance Officer to possess the competencies required to practise medicine, perform any assisted reproduction procedure or do any act as an assisted reproduction practitioner in the provision of the assisted reproduction service independently;
Definition
“experienced embryologist” means a qualified embryologist who —
has at least 3 years of practical hands-on experience in carrying out the embryology procedures with a relevant assisted reproduction service; and
has been assessed by a Clinical Governance Officer to possess the competencies required to carry out embryology procedures independently.