Photo Credit: National Medical Products Administration, China.
New agreement strengthens collaboration in emerging medical technologies, including cell and gene therapy products.
Health Sciences Authority and National Medical Products Administration have signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen regulatory collaboration on health products and support faster access to innovative medical technologies in both countries.
The agreement was signed on May 11, 2026, in Beijing, China, and expands cooperation into emerging healthcare sectors such as cell, tissue, and gene therapy products.
The renewed MOU was signed by Adjunct Professor Dr Raymond Chua, Chief Executive Officer of Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), and Mr Huang Guo, Commissioner of China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).
The expanded collaboration aims to strengthen regulatory convergence between Singapore and China while improving opportunities for industry engagement and accelerating the development, evaluation, and market access of innovative therapeutics and medical technologies.
and Mr Huang Guo, Commissioner of the National Medical Products Administration, China, seventh from left, with delegates from HSA Singapore and NMPA China.
Photo Credit: National Medical Products Administration, China.
Both agencies will continue sharing regulatory information, best practices, and expertise, while also cooperating on inspections, product testing, and efforts to combat counterfeit, falsified, and substandard health products.
The renewed agreement builds on an earlier MOU signed in 2021, which covered areas such as chemical drugs, biological products, traditional Chinese medicines, medical devices, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and cosmetics.
Under the updated agreement, the scope now includes advanced medical innovations such as cell, tissue, and gene therapies, which are considered rapidly growing areas in healthcare and biotechnology.
The two regulatory authorities have maintained bilateral cooperation for more than two decades since their first MOU was signed in 2003 with China’s former State Food and Drug Administration, now known as the NMPA.
According to HSA, approximately 35 medicines and more than 1,000 medical devices manufactured in China are currently approved for use in Singapore.
Adjunct Professor Dr Raymond Chua said the renewed MOU reflects the strong partnership between both agencies and their shared commitment to enabling healthcare innovation while maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and efficacy.
He added that the expanded cooperation would help create a more agile and forward-looking regulatory environment capable of responding to the rapidly evolving global health products landscape and delivering innovative therapies to patients more quickly.
The strengthened partnership is also expected to reinforce Singapore’s role as an international regulatory hub for healthcare innovation and create new opportunities for researchers, developers, and healthcare companies operating across both markets.
Source: Health Sciences Authority, Singapore
