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Ministry of Health

7. Regulation of human biomedical research

The Human Biomedical Research Act was enacted to clarify responsibilities in human biomedical research to prioritise participant safety and welfare.

Last updated on 6 October 2026

What is the Human Biomedical Research Act (HBRA)?

The Human Biomedical Research Act (HBRA) was enacted in 2015 to provide clarity on the roles and responsibilities of individuals and body corporates involved in human biomedical research and the handling of human tissue for use in research, in order to ensure that the health, welfare, and safety of research participants remain a paramount consideration at all times.

Through the legislation, the Ministry of Health (MOH) strives to ensure that human biomedical research and tissue banking activities carried out in Singapore follow the law and principles of good clinical practice relating to ethics and science to protect the safety and welfare of research subjects and tissue donors.

If you have any questions or concerns about your compliance with the HBRA, please write in to MOH at the following email address hbr_enquiries@moh.gov.sg.

Links to decision tools

  1. Is my study Human Biomedical Research? (opens in new tab)

  2. Am I handling human tissue and conducting tissue banking activities regulated under the Human Tissue Framework? (opens in new tab)

  3. Continuing Human Biomedical Research Beyond 1 November 2019 (opens in new tab)

About the Act

  1. Human Biomedical Research Act 2015 (opens in new tab)

  2. Human Biomedical Research Regulations 2017 (opens in new tab)

  3. Human Biomedical Research (Restricted Research) Regulations 2017 (opens in new tab)

  4. Human Biomedical Research (Tissue Banking) Regulations 2019 (opens in new tab)

  5. Human Biomedical Research (Tissue Banking and Notification – Exemption) Regulations 2019 (opens in new tab)

  6. Human Biomedical Research (Requirements for Appropriate Consent – Exemption) Regulations 2019 (opens in new tab)

HBRA Guidance Documents

HBRA Guidance Documents for Reference

S/N

Name

1

Frequently Asked Questions [PDF file, 312 KB] (opens in new tab)

2

Overview of Human Biomedical Research Framework [PDF file, 3.5 MB] (opens in new tab)

3

Overview of Human Tissue Framework (updated July 2021) [PDF, 4MB] (opens in new tab)

4

Table Differentiating Research from Research-like Activities [PDF, 110 KB] (opens in new tab)

5

Ethical Code on Charging Research Subjects [PDF, 417 KB] (opens in new tab)

6

Reflection on Transition [PDF, 1.9 MB] (opens in new tab)

7

Guidance on Prohibition against Commercial Trading of Human Tissue [PDF, 360 KB] (opens in new tab)

8

Guide on the Requirement of Appropriate Consent for the Conduct of HBR and Handling of Human Tissue [PDF, 864 KB] (opens in new tab)

MOH Circulars

MOH Circulars for Research Institutions (RI) and Tissue Banks (TB) Notified to MOH

S/N

Name

1

Guidance on Charging of Research Subjects (opens in new tab)

Infographics

List of HBRA Infographics

S/N

Name

1

HBRA SOC Infographics [PDF, 384 KB] (opens in new tab)

2

HBRA SAE Infographics [PDF, 791 KB] (opens in new tab)

List of Research Institutions (RI) and Tissue Banks (TB) Notified to MOH

List of RIs and TBs Notified to MOH

S/N

Name

1

Research Institutions Notified to the MOH [PDF, 83KB] (opens in new tab)

2

Tissue Banks Notified to the MOH [PDF, 83KB] (opens in new tab)

Tissue and Research Application System (TIARAS) Guidance Documents

List of TIARAS Guidance Documents

S/N

Name

1

A Guide to TIARAS [PDF, 473 KB] (opens in new tab)

2

TIARAS Screenshots for Notifications (Research Institution) [PDF, 5.8 MB] (opens in new tab)

3

TIARAS Screenshots for Declaration of Compliance and Updates to TIARAS (Research Institution) [PDF, 2.1 MB] (opens in new tab)

4

TIARAS Screenshots for Notifications (Tissue Bank) [PDF, 4.4 MB] (opens in new tab)

5

TIARAS Screenshots for Declaration of Compliance and Updates to TIARAS (Tissue Bank) [PDF, 2.5 MB] (opens in new tab)