The Biomedical and Health Standards Committee (BHSC) convened its 14th meeting on 24 January 2025, bringing together key leaders in healthcare industry, biomedical research, and regulatory affairs. The discussions, opened by Chair Dr Yong Chern Chet, centred on strategic initiatives to align Singapore’s health standards with global advancements, particularly in precision medicine, artificial intelligence (AI), and healthcare sustainability.
Driving Forward AI and Precision Medicine Standards
A significant milestone was the launch of the Focus Group on AI in Healthcare (FG-AI), with Associate Professor Liu Nan elected as Convenor. After months of rigorous evaluation, the group identified two ISO standards for adoption and endorsed drafting a new AI-focused standard. Additionally, plans are underway to form three more focus groups on precision medicine, health informatics, and safety in health supplements, reflecting BHSC’s proactive stance in emerging fields and public safety.
Expanding the Standards Framework
BHSC currently oversees 65 health and biomedical standards, with ongoing efforts to review 17 existing ones. Key upcoming publications include:
• Two new IEC standards for AI in healthcare, focusing on security, privacy, and bias mitigation.
• A groundbreaking standard for Faecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT) Processing Protocol, currently forming its expert working group.
• A clinical data interoperability standard to enhance Singapore’s National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system.
• A next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based oncology standard, marking Singapore’s first international standard in the biomedical sector.
Stronger Industry Engagement & Leadership Development
Recognising the need for broader industry representation, BHSC highlighted gaps in leadership, particularly in health supplements, and proposed targeted leadership election. Female leadership in technical committees currently stands at 20%, prompting discussions on fostering greater diversity.
Additionally, BHSC reaffirmed its commitment to international engagement, having hosted the 26th ISO TC 212 WG4 meeting on microbiology and molecular diagnostics and sent representatives on a USA precision medicine study trip.
A Year of Recognition and Growth
As the meeting concluded, outstanding contributors were honored for their dedication to BHSC’s mission.
Plans for 2025 include high-profile launch events, public outreach efforts, and continued collaboration with global standardisation bodies.
With a clear vision and strong leadership, BHSC is poised to cement Singapore’s role as a global hub for biomedical innovation and regulatory excellence.