Unlicensed Healthcare Services and Professionals

Thinking of an injection to look good? You might be scarred for life or worse…

Unregistered persons are not trained to provide safe or effective care. They may even use dangerous products in their treatments. These may lead to hospitalisation, lifelong scarring, infections and even death. Using these services can worsen your, or your loved ones’ medical conditions, and delay timely treatment.

If you have any doubts over the procedures or the person providing it, talk to your regular doctor or dentist.

Beware of these signs!

• Medical procedures, especially invasive ones like injections, should only be done by a registered healthcare professional.
• If you can’t find the name of the healthcare premises on the Ministry of Health (MOH) Directory.
• If the person claims to be:
  • A doctor, but you can’t find his or her name on the Singapore Medical Council’s Register; or
  • A dentist, but you can’t find his or her name on the Singapore Dental Council’s Register.

What is the harm?

• The products may contain dangerous ingredients.

  These persons may offer false and illegal health products containing dangerous and harmful ingredients. These can cause serious side effects or complications such as diarrhoea, headache, pain, skin rashes, swelling of hands and feet, vomiting – and even death. Using these products can worsen your, or your loved ones’ medical conditions, and delay timely treatment.

• The procedure may go wrong, and the advice may cause you more harm.

  Unregistered persons are not trained to provide care that is safe or effective. In the case of ‘beauty’ injections, they may result in lifelong scarring or worse. Treatment and procedures by these persons can worsen your, or your loved ones’ medical conditions, and delay timely treatment.

• If anything goes wrong, you may not be able to find the seller.

  It is easy for anyone to claim they are registered, trained, or set up a seemingly real shop. It is almost impossible to keep track of these suspicious sellers as their sites may pop up one day only to disappear the next. So, you may not be able to contact them for help, send a complaint or even get your money back.

Protect yourself and your loved ones

• Don’t place price or convenience over your health, so think twice when purchasing for your health.
• Buy your medicines from licensed clinics, pharmacies and established retail stores.
• Before agreeing to the treatments, check that they are being done by a registered healthcare professional or at a licensed healthcare premises.
• Always talk to your doctor or dentist if you have questions about your, or your loved ones’ health.

See more tips here!

What to do when problems arise?

• If you develop a side effect, stop taking the health product or discontinue the treatment immediately, and see your regular doctor or dentist.
• If you are not sure about a health product or service, consult a doctor or dentist before buying it.
• Help us combat false and illegal health products and services here.

What else should you know?

Healthcare professionals must be registered: To practise in Singapore, doctors and dentists must be registered with the Singapore Medical Council and Singapore Dental Council respectively. Other healthcare professionals (e.g. pharmacists,  nurses and allied health professionals) must be registered with their respective Councils and Professional Boards.

Healthcare premises must be licensed: In Singapore, healthcare premises (such as hospitals, medical and dental clinics) are licensed by MOH. MOH regularly checks and ensures that the healthcare premises are safe, so patients are protected.

You can search all registered healthcare professionals and licensed healthcare premises below:

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