Health Products (Cell, Tissue and Gene Therapy Products) Regulations 2021

Source: Singapore Statutes Online | Archived by Legal Wires


No. S 104
Health Products Act
(CHAPTER 122D)
Health Products
(Cell, Tissue and Gene Therapy Products)
Regulations 2021
In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 45, 71(1) and 72(1) of the Health Products Act, the Health Sciences Authority, with the approval of the Minister for Health, makes the following Regulations:
PART 1
PRELIMINARY
Citation and commencement
1.  These Regulations are the Health Products (Cell, Tissue and Gene Therapy Products) Regulations 2021 and come into operation on 1 March 2021.
Definitions
2.—(1)  In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“active substance”, in relation to a CTGT product, means a substance that —
(a)is usable in the manufacture of the CTGT product as an active constituent; and
(b)achieves its intended action by pharmacological, immunological, physiological, metabolic or physical means;
“administer”, in relation to a substance or an article, means to give or apply it to a human being, whether —
(a)orally;
(b)by injection or by introduction into the body in any other way; or
(c)by external application, whether by direct contact with the body or not;
“appropriate non‑proprietary name”, in relation to an active substance in a CTGT product, means —
(a)the name or a synonym of the active substance described in the relevant monograph appearing in the latest edition of any specified publication; or
(b)in any other case, its international non‑proprietary name or the accepted scientific name or other name descriptive of the true nature of the active substance;
“approved conveyance”, “approved permanent premises” and “permanent premises” have the meanings given by section 2(1) of the Healthcare Services Act 2020;
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“Authority’s website” means the Authority’s website at http://www.hsa.gov.sg;
“autologous”, in relation to a CTGT product, means a CTGT product that contains cells or tissues that are obtained only from the patient to whom the CTGT product is to be administered;
“business name”, in relation to a healthcare service licensee, means the name under which the healthcare service licensee is authorised by a licence under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 to carry on the business of providing a licensable healthcare service;
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“Class 1 CTGT product” means a CTGT product that —
(a)is the result of only minimal manipulation of human cell or tissue;
(b)is intended for homologous use;
(c)is not combined or used with —
(i)a health product categorised as a therapeutic product in the First Schedule to the Act; or
(ii)a health product categorised as a medical device in the First Schedule to the Act; and
(d)is assigned by the Authority as a Class 1 CTGT product due to a lower health risk to a user of the product;
“Class 2 CTGT product” means a CTGT product other than a Class 1 CTGT product;
“container”, in relation to a CTGT product, means an article or a packaging immediately covering the CTGT product, including any bottle, ampoule, blister pack, sachet, dial dispenser pack, strip pack, syringe, tube, vessel, vial, wrapper or other similar article, but does not include —
(a)an article for ingestion; or
(b)an outer package or other packaging in which the container is further enclosed;
“CTGT product” means a health product categorised as a cell, tissue or gene therapy product in the First Schedule to the Act;
“dispense”, in relation to a CTGT product, means to prepare and supply the CTGT product to a patient, where the preparation and supply is made by —
(a)a qualified practitioner or a person acting under the supervision of a qualified practitioner; or
(b)a qualified pharmacist or a person acting under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist;
“expiry date”, for a CTGT product, means the date after which, or the month and year after the end of which, the CTGT product should not be administered;
“Good Distribution Practice Standard for Medical Devices” means any of the following as shown on the Authority’s website:
(a)the Singapore Standard for Good Distribution Practice for Medical Devices — Requirements (SS 620);
(b)any other good distribution practice standard for medical devices that is approved by the Authority;
“Good Manufacturing Practice Standard” means any of the following as shown on the Authority’s website:
(a)the Good Manufacturing Practice Standard for CTGT products issued by the Authority;
(b)any other good manufacturing practice standard that is approved by the Authority;
“Good Tissue Practice” means the Authority’s tissue banking guidelines as shown on the Authority’s website;
[Deleted by S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
[Deleted by S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“healthcare service licensee” means a person who holds a licence under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 to provide a licensable healthcare service;
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“homologous use” means the use of a CTGT product to repair, reconstruct, replace or supplement the cells or tissue of an individual (called the recipient) if the CTGT product performs the same basic function or functions in the recipient as the original cells or tissue in the donor in the same anatomical or histological environment;
“international non‑proprietary name”, for an active substance of a CTGT product, means a name which has been selected by the World Health Organization as a recommended international non‑proprietary name for the active substance;
“ISO 13485” means the 2016 edition of the publication ISO 13485, Medical Devices — Quality Management Systems — Requirements for Regulatory Purposes, published by the International Organization for Standardization;
“known importer” means a person who has given notice to the Authority under regulation 7 to import a CTGT product until the notice is refused, withdrawn or cancelled;
“known manufacturer” means a person who has given notice to the Authority under regulation 4 to manufacture a CTGT product until the notice is refused, withdrawn or cancelled;
“known wholesaler” means a person who has given notice to the Authority under regulation 10 to supply by wholesale a CTGT product until the notice is refused, withdrawn or cancelled;
[Deleted by S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“licensable healthcare service” has the meaning given by section 3(1) of the Healthcare Services Act 2020;
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“licensed importer” means the holder of an importer’s licence;
“licensed manufacturer” means the holder of a manufacturer’s licence;
“licensed retail pharmacy” means the premises specified in a pharmacy licence;
“licensed wholesaler” means the holder of a wholesaler’s licence;
“licensee”, in relation to a CTGT product, means a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer or licensed wholesaler;
[Deleted by S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“minimal manipulation” means processing a cell or tissue (but not a gene) by way of any process so that the biological characteristics or functions of the cell or the structural properties of the tissue (as the case may be) are not altered, such as by —
(a)cutting or sizing;
(b)grinding;
(c)shaping;
(d)centrifugation;
(e)soaking in an antibiotic or antimicrobial solution;
(f)sterilization or irradiation;
(g)cell separation, concentration or purification;
(h)filtration;
(i)lyophilisation;
(j)freezing;
(k)cryopreservation; or
(l)vitrification;
“non‑clinical purpose” means any purpose not involving any application of a CTGT product on, or administration of a CTGT product to, humans;
[Deleted by S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
[Deleted by S 801/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
[Deleted by S 801/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
“personnel”, in relation to a healthcare service licensee providing a licensable healthcare service, means any individual employed or engaged by the healthcare service licensee to assist the healthcare service licensee in providing the licensable healthcare service;
[S 801/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
“proper handling and storage requirement”, in relation to an applicant for a licence connected with a CTGT product or a manufacturer or an importer of a CTGT product, means a requirement to provide and maintain, or ensure the provision and maintenance of, adequate and suitable staff, premises, equipment and facilities for the proper handling and storage of the CTGT product so as to prevent the deterioration of the CTGT product while it is in the ownership, possession or control of the applicant, manufacturer or importer;
“proprietary name” means a word or words used in connection with the sale or supply of a CTGT product for the purpose of indicating that the CTGT product is the product of a particular person who manufactures, selects the name of, certifies or deals with the CTGT product, or offers it for sale or supply;
“qualified practitioner” means —
(a)a registered medical practitioner under the Medical Registration Act 1997; or
[S 437/2023 wef 31/12/2021]
(b)a registered dentist under the Dental Registration Act 1999 whose name appears in the first division of the Register of Dentists maintained and kept under section 13(1)(a) of that Act;
[S 437/2023 wef 31/12/2021]
“relevant fee” means a fee specified in the First Schedule to the Health Products (Fees) Regulations 2022 (G.N. No. S 450/2022);
[S 451/2022 wef 01/07/2022]
“remote service kiosk” has the meaning given by regulation 2(1) of the Healthcare Services (Outpatient Medical Service) Regulations 2023 (G.N. No. S 410/2023);
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“specified premises” means —
(a)in the case of a licence — the premises specified in the licence; or
(b)in the case of a notice given to the Authority under regulation 4, 7 or 10 — the premises specified in the notice;
“specified publication” means any of the following:
(a)the British Pharmacopoeia;
(b)the European Pharmacopoeia;
(c)the United States Pharmacopoeia and the National Formulary;
(d)any other publication that is specified on the Authority’s website;
“supply by retail sale” means sale by retail and includes exposure or display as an invitation to treat;
“temporary premises” means any premises other than permanent premises;
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“traceability”, in relation to a CTGT product, means —
(a)the ability to locate and identify the CTGT product and its starting and raw materials at any point in time during its manufacture, import, supply or administration, including the sourcing, procurement, processing, testing, packaging, storage, transport, delivery and disposal of the CTGT product;
(b)the ability to identify the donor and tissue bank, blood bank or manufacturing facility that receives, processes or stores any cells or tissue that the CTGT product contains;
(c)the ability to locate and identify all data relating to any raw material or other substance that comes into contact with any cells or tissue that the CTGT product contains; and
(d)the ability to identify the person who is —
(i)administered, dispensed or supplied the CTGT product at a licensed retail pharmacy or any approved permanent premises, temporary premises or approved conveyance of a healthcare service licensee; or
[S 801/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
(ii)dispensed or supplied the CTGT product by a healthcare service licensee using a remote service kiosk or by delivery to the person;
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
“trade description” means any description, statement or indication which, directly or indirectly and by any means given, relates to any of the following matters in respect of a CTGT product:
(a)the quantity, liquid volume or weight of the CTGT product;
(b)the method of manufacture, production or processing of the CTGT product;
(c)the characteristics, formulation or specifications of the CTGT product;
(d)the fitness for purpose (including expiry date), dosage strength or intended purpose of the CTGT product;
(e)any physical characteristics or presentation of the CTGT product not mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d);
(f)the testing of the CTGT product by any person and the results of the test;
(g)the approval of the CTGT product by any person or its conformity with a product description approved by any person;
(h)the place or date of manufacture, production or processing of the CTGT product;
(i)the name of the person who manufactured, produced or processed the CTGT product.
(2)  For the purposes of these Regulations, a prescription of a CTGT product is valid only if the prescription —
(a)is in writing and signed by a qualified practitioner; and
(b)contains all the following particulars:
(i)the date of the prescription;
(ii)the name and address of the qualified practitioner giving the prescription;
(iii)the name, identity card or other identification document number, and contact details, of the patient to whom the prescription relates;
(iv)the name and total amount of the prescribed CTGT product to be supplied to, and the dose to be taken by, the patient;
(v)where the qualified practitioner giving the prescription intends for the prescription to be repeated, an indication of the number of times, and the time period between which, the prescribed CTGT product may be supplied;
(vi)where the prescription is given by a registered dentist, a declaration by the registered dentist that the prescription is for dental treatment only.
Clinical research CTGT products excluded
3.  These Regulations do not apply to or in relation to any CTGT product that is clinical research material as defined in regulation 2(1) of the Health Products (Clinical Research Materials) Regulations 2016 (G.N. No. S 332/2016).
PART 2
CTGT PRODUCT MANUFACTURE —
LICENSING AND EXCEPTIONS
Division 1 — Exceptions to need for licence
Manufacturing minimally manipulated CTGT products
4.—(1)  For the purposes of section 12(1) of the Act, a manufacturer’s licence is not required for the manufacture of a CTGT product that is a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue if carried out by a person —
(a)who is the holder of a manufacturer’s licence for any CTGT product;
(b)who is manufacturing the CTGT product not for any supply to the public but solely for —
(i)the purpose of scientific education or research and development; or
(ii)a non‑clinical purpose; or
(c)who gives or has given notice to the Authority in accordance with paragraph (2) in relation to a CTGT product that is a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue and that notice is not refused, withdrawn or cancelled under these Regulations.
(2)  The notice required by paragraph (1)(c) for a CTGT product that is a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue must —
(a)be in the form and manner specified on the Authority’s website;
(b)be accompanied by the following information in writing:
(i)the particulars of the person giving the notice as required by the Authority;
(ii)a description of the CTGT product to which the notice relates;
(iii)a statement of the manufacture involved;
(iv)the premises where the manufacture is to be carried out; and
(c)be accompanied by the relevant fee.
[S 451/2022 wef 01/07/2022]
Manufacturing other CTGT products for research or non‑clinical purposes
5.—(1)  For the purposes of section 12(1) of the Act, a manufacturer’s licence is not required for the manufacture of a CTGT product that is not a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue if that product —
(a)is not manufactured for any supply to the public; and
(b)is manufactured solely for —
(i)the purpose of scientific education or research and development; or
(ii)a non‑clinical purpose.
(2)  A manufacturer of a CTGT product that is mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) is not required to maintain records of manufacture in compliance with regulation 32.
Division 2 — Licences
Requirements for manufacturer’s licence for CTGT products
6.  For the purposes of section 24(2)(a)(i) of the Act, an applicant for a manufacturer’s licence for the manufacture of a CTGT product that is not a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue must be able —
(a)to provide and maintain, or ensure the provision and maintenance of, the staff, premises, equipment and facilities that are necessary for all of the following:
(i)carrying out the manufacture of the CTGT product to be authorised by the licence;
(ii)the proper handling, storage and distribution of the CTGT product so as to prevent the deterioration of the CTGT product while it is in the applicant’s ownership, possession or control;
(b)to conduct all manufacturing operations in such a way as to ensure that the CTGT product is of the correct identity and conforms with the applicable standards of quality for that CTGT product; and
(c)to comply with the Good Manufacturing Practice Standard in relation to the manufacture of the CTGT product.
PART 3
CTGT PRODUCT IMPORT — LICENSING AND EXCEPTIONS
Division 1 — Exceptions to need for licence
Importing minimally manipulated CTGT products
7.—(1)  For the purposes of section 13(1) of the Act, an importer’s licence is not required for the import of a CTGT product that is a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue if carried out by a person —
(a)who is the holder of an importer’s licence or a manufacturer’s licence for any CTGT product;
(b)who is the holder of a wholesaler’s licence for any CTGT product; or
(c)who gives or has given notice to the Authority in accordance with paragraph (2) in relation to a CTGT product that is a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue and that notice is not refused, withdrawn or cancelled under these Regulations.
(2)  The notice required by paragraph (1)(c) for a CTGT product that is a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue must —
(a)be in the form and manner specified on the Authority’s website;
(b)be accompanied by the following information in writing:
(i)the particulars of the person giving the notice as required by the Authority;
(ii)a description of the CTGT product to which the notice relates;
(iii)a statement of the import involved;
(iv)the premises where the CTGT product is to be stored; and
(c)be accompanied by the relevant fee.
[S 451/2022 wef 01/07/2022]
Importing to manufacture CTGT products
8.  For the purposes of section 13(1) of the Act, an importer’s licence is not required for the import of a health product where —
(a)the health product is required for the purpose of carrying out the manufacture of a CTGT product; and
(b)the import is carried out by a person who is the holder of a manufacturer’s licence for that CTGT product or a known manufacturer for the manufacture of that CTGT product.
Division 2 — Licences
Requirements for importer’s licence for CTGT products
9.  For the purposes of section 24(2)(a)(i) of the Act, the applicant for an importer’s licence for the import of a CTGT product that is not a result of only minimal manipulation of cell or tissue must be able —
(a)to ensure that —
(i)in the case of an unregistered CTGT product, the product is imported on behalf of a healthcare service licensee pursuant to a valid prescription given by a qualified practitioner (who is a personnel of the healthcare service licensee) for administration to a patient of the healthcare service licensee;
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
[S 801/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
(ii)in the case of an unregistered CTGT product, the product is imported —
(A)by a healthcare service licensee on the written instructions of a qualified practitioner (who is a personnel of the healthcare service licensee) for administration to a patient of the healthcare service licensee; or
[S 437/2023 wef 26/06/2023]
[S 801/2023 wef 18/12/2023]
(B)by the holder of a pharmacy licence that is for administration to a patient of a qualified practitioner pursuant to a valid prescription given by the qualified practitioner;
(iii)the CTGT product is intended to be supplied solely for the purpose of scientific education or research and development, or for a non‑clinical purpose;
(iv)the CTGT product is imported solely for the purpose of export;
(v)the CTGT product is authorised for import by the registrant of the CTGT product; or
(vi)the CTGT product is in all respects the same as a registered CTGT product, the registrant of which has not authorised the applicant to import that CTGT product;
(b)to comply with the proper handling and storage requirement, if the CTGT product is imported in accordance with paragraph (a)(i), (iii), (iv), (v) or (vi); and
(c)to comply with the requirements in the Authority’s Guidance Notes on Good Distribution Practice, if the CTGT product is imported in accordance with paragraph (a)(i), (v) or (vi).
 
Made on 15 February 2021.
KANDIAH SATKUNANANTHAM
Chairman,
Health Sciences Authority,
Singapore.
[401:04/01-000; AG/LEGIS/SL/122D/2015/15 Vol. 3]
(To be presented to Parliament under section 72(5) of the Health Products Act).

Archived for legal research. Authoritative version at sso.agc.gov.sg.