SINGAPORE, 8 January 2026 – Singapore has officially established a new National Mirror Working Group (NMWG) for ISO Technical Committee 249 Subcommittee 1, marking a significant step forward in the nation’s participation in developing global standards for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
The inaugural meeting brought together a diverse coalition of industry leaders, regulatory experts, academics, and practitioners to chart Singapore’s role in international TCM standardisation efforts. Notably, the group features a younger generation of TCM professionals—a refreshing shift in an industry traditionally led by more senior practitioners.
“It’s very nice to see the younger generation of managers, practitioners, and stakeholders coming here with long-term vision,” remarked one senior member during the meeting, highlighting the group’s forward-looking composition.
Strategic Commitment to Active Participation
In a unanimous decision, the newly formed working group voted to retain Singapore’s Participating (P) membership status at the ISO level, signalling the nation’s intent to actively shape global TCM standards rather than simply observe from the sidelines.
“This is about ensuring Singapore’s voice is heard as international TCM standards evolve,” said Ms Celine Tan, Deputy Director of Standards at Enterprise Singapore. “These standards will impact local TCM scene from product safety and quality control to international trade and regulatory harmonisation.”
Bridging Industry Challenges Through Standardisation
The meeting highlighted pressing challenges facing Singapore’s TCM sector, including supply chain quality inconsistencies, varying heavy metal testing requirements across jurisdictions, and classification ambiguities between food, health supplements, and complementary medicine products.
“Standardisation could provide a common framework that makes cross-border trade more efficient and helps ensure product safety,” noted one manufacturer during discussions.
Five Focus Areas for Global TCM Standards
The working group will monitor and contribute to international standards development across five specialised areas:
- Quality and safety of raw materials – covering seeds, herbs, botanical identification, and testing methods
- Manufactured TCM products – addressing extraction methods, manufacturing processes, and quality control
- Acupuncture needles – ensuring sterility, mechanical properties, and safe use protocols
- Medical devices – including cupping equipment, diagnostic devices, and moxibustion apparatus
- Terminology and informatics – developing coding systems for electronic health records integration and standardised TCM vocabulary
Members expressed particular interest in terminology standards, which could support Singapore’s push toward integrative medicine and standardised research proposal evaluation.
Collaborative Approach for Long-Term Impact
The NMWG operates under the Technical Committee for Complementary Medicine and Health Products, with secretariat support from Duke-NUS Centre of Regulatory Excellence – Standards Development Organisation (CoRE-SDO). The group comprises representatives from:
- Manufacturing and pharmaceutical companies
- Academic and research institutions
- Regulatory bodies including the Health Sciences Authority
- Industry associations
- Healthcare technology innovators
- Enterprise Singapore
“We’re taking a measured approach,” explained Ms Yang Fan, Head of CoRE-SDO. “Members will explore the ISO portal, familiarise themselves with standards under development, and identify areas where Singapore can contribute most effectively.”
New Leadership for TCM Standards Development
Associate Professor Linda Zhong (left) and Dr Hong Yan (right), both from Nanyang Technological University, have been elected as Convenor and Deputy Convenor of the NMWG respectively. Their appointments bring renewed academic expertise to guide the development of TCM-related standards.
The group will reconvene in May 2026 to review progress and determine which international working groups warrant deeper engagement.
Global Context and Future Outlook
With 125 published ISO standards in the TCM domain and 68 currently under development, ISO efforts are accelerating rapidly. Countries like China use these standards to support market access and smart manufacturing, while nations such as Australia leverage them for regulatory compliance and practitioner education.
For Singapore, strategic participation could yield multiple benefits: enhanced international credibility for locally produced TCM products, improved regulatory clarity, better supply chain quality assurance, and alignment with the nation’s push toward integrative healthcare under the Healthier SG initiative.
The NMWG’s formation represents a collaborative effort between government, industry, and academia to ensure Singapore remains at the forefront of TCM innovation while upholding the highest standards of safety and quality.