§ 31B — Restrictions on use of protected title

31B.—(1) A person who advertises, or causes to be advertised a healthcare service and in the advertisement refers to any person who is not a specified person (called in this section the subject person) by a protected title must include in the advertisement —(a)

the subject person’s educational qualification in relation to the use of the protected title whenever the protected title is used in the advertisement;

(b)

where the subject person’s educational qualification mentioned in paragraph (a) is not a medical or dental qualification — a disclaimer stating that fact; and

(c)

where the subject person has a medical or dental qualification — a disclaimer stating that the subject person does not hold a valid practising certificate under the Medical Registration Act 1997 or the Dental Registration Act 1999, as the case may be.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —(a)

to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both; and

(b)

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $1,000 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.

(3) In this section —“advertisement” includes any notice, circular, pamphlet, label, wrapper or other document, any announcement made orally or by any means of producing or transmitting light or sound and any other form of advertising;

“medical or dental qualification” means any degree, diploma or other qualification that is recognised or approved in any jurisdiction to enable or entitle the holder of the degree, diploma or qualification to practise as a medical practitioner or dentist (as the case may be) in that jurisdiction;

“protected title” means the title “Doctor”, or any abbreviation or derivative of that title, in any language;

“specified person” means an individual who is —(a)

an allied health professional who is registered under the Allied Health Professions Act 2011 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(b)

a dentist or an oral health therapist who is registered under the Dental Registration Act 1999 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(c)

a medical practitioner who is registered under the Medical Registration Act 1997 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(d)

a nurse or midwife who is registered, or an enrolled nurse who is enrolled, under the Nurses and Midwives Act 1999 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(e)

an optometrist or optician who is registered under the Optometrists and Opticians Act 2007 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(f)

a pharmacist who is registered under the Pharmacists Registration Act 2007 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act; or

(g)

a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who is registered under the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act 2000 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act.[Act 11 of 2023 wef 26/06/2023]

—(1) A person who advertises, or causes to be advertised a healthcare service and in the advertisement refers to any person who is not a specified person (called in this section the subject person) by a protected title must include in the advertisement —(a)

the subject person’s educational qualification in relation to the use of the protected title whenever the protected title is used in the advertisement;

(b)

where the subject person’s educational qualification mentioned in paragraph (a) is not a medical or dental qualification — a disclaimer stating that fact; and

(c)

where the subject person has a medical or dental qualification — a disclaimer stating that the subject person does not hold a valid practising certificate under the Medical Registration Act 1997 or the Dental Registration Act 1999, as the case may be.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —(a)

to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both; and

(b)

in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $1,000 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.

(3) In this section —“advertisement” includes any notice, circular, pamphlet, label, wrapper or other document, any announcement made orally or by any means of producing or transmitting light or sound and any other form of advertising;

“medical or dental qualification” means any degree, diploma or other qualification that is recognised or approved in any jurisdiction to enable or entitle the holder of the degree, diploma or qualification to practise as a medical practitioner or dentist (as the case may be) in that jurisdiction;

“protected title” means the title “Doctor”, or any abbreviation or derivative of that title, in any language;

“specified person” means an individual who is —(a)

an allied health professional who is registered under the Allied Health Professions Act 2011 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(b)

a dentist or an oral health therapist who is registered under the Dental Registration Act 1999 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(c)

a medical practitioner who is registered under the Medical Registration Act 1997 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(d)

a nurse or midwife who is registered, or an enrolled nurse who is enrolled, under the Nurses and Midwives Act 1999 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(e)

an optometrist or optician who is registered under the Optometrists and Opticians Act 2007 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act;

(f)

a pharmacist who is registered under the Pharmacists Registration Act 2007 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act; or

(g)

a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who is registered under the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Act 2000 and holds a valid practising certificate under that Act.[Act 11 of 2023 wef 26/06/2023]