Singapore is considered a country with one of the most efficient and widespread healthcare systems globally. The country’s healthcare scheme is also efficiently financed since it is publicly-funded and patients finance their healthcare through government subsidies, national health insurances, and compulsory savings. The country’s comprehensive healthcare also involves complementary and alternative medicine, and this includes chiropractic practice.
Present since the 1990s, chiropractic treatments in Singapore have been a significant form of alternative medicine, and with organisations such as the Chiropractic Association (Singapore), it is continually striving to improve the practice. But as much as the Chiropractic Association in Singapore makes every effort to ensure that all chiropractors are abiding their codes and guidelines, they are still calling for regulations that streamline the clients’ safety and guarantee chiropractors’ professionalism.
Chiropractic Practice in Singapore
According to the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Singapore, chiropractors are not considered medical practitioners. Chiropractic practice is considered as complementary and alternative medicine in Singapore; that is why chiropractors are also excluded from the allied health professional field. Even so, the Chiropractic Association (Singapore) provided a scope of practice, code of ethics, and advertising guidelines that chiropractors can refer to when it comes to their clinical practices.
Is There a Need for Regulations?
The chiropractic practice in Singapore is self-regulated. Thus, codes and guidelines are only provided by organisations like the Chiropractic Association. The Ministry of Health notes that self-regulation is enough for the chiropractic practice since it is considered complementary and alternative medicine.
Many chiropractors provide services that meet the highest professional standards. However, some chiropractors tend to stray away, especially when they start to become more profit-based. These profit-based chiropractors begin to market chiropractic treatments as packages that would require the client to pay forty to ninety visits, and they would pressure their clients by claiming that the client’s condition is much worse than it is.
What Can We Do Currently?
The Chiropractic Association has voiced their concern to the Ministry of Health. However, the MOH continues to hold the jurisdiction that chiropractic treatments in Singapore should still be self-regulated.
Nonetheless, the Chiropractic Association continues to rally for better chiropractic treatments. They have also made their code of ethics and advertising guidelines available on their side, and they highly encourage every chiropractor in the country to abide by these guidelines.
Potential clients are encouraged to forward any questionable advertisements or treatment packages to the Consumers Association of Singapore. Clients are also advised to practice due diligence to ensure that the chiropractor is reputable.
It is reassuring that many chiropractic organisations in Singapore, including the Chiropractic Association, continually strive for the chiropractic practice’s streamlined regulation. It signals that they prioritise their clients’ health and well-being, and they do not want their clients to be subjected to any harm. With their efforts in mind, clients should also try to help them by forwarding questionable chiropractors to appropriate offices. With chiropractors and clients working together, we can ensure that the chiropractic practice would serve the betterment of many Singaporean’s health.
