As of 2025, Stem cell therapy is legal in Singapore, but only in very specific cases.

It’s allowed for treating blood cancers using a patient’s own stem cells (a standard procedure), and for three other approved uses: repairing knee cartilage, healing severe burns, and treating certain eye injuries. 

Outside of these, stem cell treatments like those for joint pain, anti-aging, or other conditions are not legally allowed unless they’re part of a government-approved clinical trial. We’ll go into more detail below, but you can learn more in the HSA’s regulatory guidelines for cell and gene therapies published by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority.

We also break down what treatments similar to Stem Cell treatments are allowed in Singapore and what other nearby countries you can visit if you’re living in Singapore.

2025 Stem Cell Therapy Regulations in Singapore

Stem cell therapy is strictly regulated in Singapore and only a small number of treatments are legally allowed.

What Stem Cell Treatments are allowed in Singapore?

Blood Cancers & Three approved Stem Cell treatments are allowed in Singapore. We break them down here:

1. Blood cancers:
   • Stem cell transplants using a patient’s own cells (called autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplants) are a standard treatment for conditions like leukemia.
2. Three approved regenerative uses, Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) allows:
   • Cartilage repair in the knee using your own cartilage cells which are cultured. Note, cartilage cells (aka chondrocytes) are NOT the same as Mesenchymal cells taken from Bone marrow or fat.
   • Skin grafting for severe burns using cultured skin cells
   • Cornea repair in the eye after severe burns using your own limbal stem cells.

These are the only treatments that doctors in Singapore can legally offer outside of a clinical trial.
(Source: MOH Directive on Cell, Tissue, and Gene Therapy Products)

Best Stem Cell Therapy clinics in South East Asia

We don’t let any clinic just sign up or pay to be listed.

We speak to every clinic directly and review their medical team, the treatments they offer, how their stem cells are sourced and how they follow up with patients after treatment.

We also review licensing documents to confirm they meet the legal and medical standards of the country they operate in. For example, whether cells are processed in a GMP-certified facility or if they provide documentation on stem cell quality.

Clinics must also agree to let us collect and publish independent patient reviews. Both positive and negative.

Why Use Alt Treatment?

We don’t just list clinics, we help you choose the right one, get the best pricing and support you through the entire journey. For free.

Compare with Confidence: Get clinic matches based on your condition, location, and budget.

Ask the Right Questions: Know what to ask before committing

Save on Treatment: Unlock exclusive discounts on vetted clinics and follow-up care.

We’re With You After Treatment: We check in post-treatment and help resolve any issues.

Travel & Visa Help: Need to travel for care? We can help with logistics, documents, and local tips.

Found a Clinic Elsewhere? We’ll check their licensing and track record for you, free of charge.

No Strings Attached: Even if you choose a clinic we don’t partner with, we’re still here to help you make the best decision.

What Stem Cell treatments are NOT legal in Singapore

Most other stem cell therapies are not legal in Singapore for general medical use, including:

• Anti-aging or cosmetic treatments
• Joint pain or arthritis stem cell injections (unless part of an approved trial)
• Neurological conditions like autism or stroke recovery
  

Doctors in Singapore are not allowed to offer unapproved stem cell therapies as routine treatments. They can only do so in two situations:

• As part of a government-approved clinical trial
• Or in rare, last-resort cases under special MOH oversight

This restriction is outlined in both the MOH’s regulatory framework and the Singapore Medical Council’s ethical guidelines.

In February 2025, Member of Parliament Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Health whether Singapore would approve stem cell therapy as a mainstream treatment for cartilage repair.

The Ministry replied that stem cell therapies remain investigational due to a lack of consistent clinical and cost-effectiveness data, and that Singaporeans should be cautious when seeking such treatments overseas. The full exchange was published in a Parliamentary reply by MOH.

This table summarizes legal & illegal stem cell treatments in Singapore:

Who Regulates Stem Cell Therapy in Singapore?

The MOH, HSA & a group of professional boards regulate Stem Cell therapy in Singapore.

Singapore uses a multi-agency system:

• MOH: Ministry of Health licenses clinics, approves research, and sets ethical boundaries.
• HSA (Health Sciences Authority): Reviews and approves any stem cell products, regulates clinical trials, and enforces bans on misleading “stem cell” products or supplements. They mention it specifically in this article.
• Professional Boards (e.g. Singapore Medical Council): Ensure doctors follow ethical codes and do not misuse experimental treatments.

How much do Stem cell Treatments cost in Singapore?

Traditional Stem Cell Treatments aren’t allowed in Singapore but prices for approved treatments are expensive.

Hospitals & clinics don’t put general prices out there & a lot it will depend on the severity of your condition. 

Rather than give a general estimate, we’re working on getting the exact prices for you, bear with us! If you’re looking at prices globally, our article on Prices for Stem Cell therapy in different countries might be useful!

Can I get financial help with treatments?

Yes, if you’re a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, you may be eligible for MOH subsidies on approved cell-based therapies like MACI (for knee cartilage repair) or cultured skin grafts (for burn wounds).

The Ministry of Health provides subsidies for Cell, Tissue, and Gene Therapy Products (CTGTPs) that are:

• Clinically proven
  
• Cost-effective
  
• Used in public hospitals for the right medical conditions (called “approved indications”. Treatments in private clinics aren’t covered)

If you qualify:

• Singapore Citizens can get up to 75% off, capped at $150,000.
  
• Permanent Residents can get up to 22.5%, capped at $45,000.
  
• The exact amount depends on your monthly household income per person (PCHI).
  
• If you’ve already done a means test (like for CHAS or subsidised care), you don’t need to apply, it’s automatic.
  
• In special cases, extra support may be granted upon appeal.
  
• Learn more from the Ministry of Health’s official subsidy guidelines here

What are the best countries for Stem Cell Therapy close to Singapore?

Japan & South Korea are two of the best & most regulated countries for Stem Cell Therapy globally. India & Thailand are also close, much cheaper, but regulations & quality enforcement are a lot more lax.

If you’re willing to travel further abroad, Colombia & Panama are also options. We’ve put together an article on the Best countries for Stem Cell Therapy if you’re exploring other countries.

Singapore Vs Japan, South Korea, Thailand & Colombia for Stem Cell Treatments

We’ve broken down key differences between key countries in this table below:

Do I need a Visa to get Stem Cell Therapy?

To visit the countries above, visa requirements for Singaporean’s vary. We’ve covered it below in this table:

How do I know which clinics in Singapore can legally offer Autologous chondrocytes (ACI or MACI) for Knee Cartilage Repair ?

You need to check if they are MOH licensed, approved to handle Cell based Therapies & offer the full ACI procedure. Here’s a more detailed checklist:

1. MOH-Licensed for Orthopaedic Surgery
   The clinic or hospital must be licensed by the Ministry of Health to perform arthroscopy or orthopaedic surgical procedures.
2. Approved to Handle Cell-Based Therapies
   They must work with a GMP-certified lab (for culturing chondrocytes) or have a licensed in-house facility approved under HCSA and HSA regulations.
3. Offers the Full ACI Procedure, Not Just Injections
   The treatment must involve:
   • Cartilage biopsy
   • Lab-based cell culture
   • Surgical implantation of cultured cells
     (Injections of “stem cells” or BMAC are not substitutes and are not approved.)
4. Optional Check:
   Make sure the orthopaedic surgeon is SMC-registered and has relevant experience with cartilage repair.
   

What is Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation?

ACI and MACI help regrow knee cartilage using your own cells. Singapore made ACI fully legal & started regulating it in 2021.

Doctors take a small sample of healthy cartilage, grow the cells in a lab, then place them back into the damaged area. These cells are already specialized to produce cartilage, so once placed in the joint, they begin to create new cartilage tissue over time.

The goal is to restore the damaged surface with hyaline-like cartilage, which is smoother and more durable than scar tissue from other treatments like microfracture.

This process is gradual, but over months, it can fill in the defect with tissue that closely mimics your original cartilage.

ACI is different to stem cell therapy because it uses cartilage cells that directly build new cartilage. While stem cell therapy relies on immature cells that may help by releasing healing signals, not necessarily by becoming cartilage themselves.

How do I know which clinics in Singapore can legally offer Autologous Epidermal Cell Therapy for Burn Wounds? 

Similar to ACI clinics, you have check if they are MOH licensed & approved to handle Cell based Therapies. This checklist goes into more detail: 

1. Check MOH’s Healthcare Institution Directory (HCIS):
   Confirm clinic/hospital holds relevant surgical or burn care licence.
2. Ask About Their Cell Handling:
   Confirm the clinic uses a GMP-certified lab for epidermal cell culture.
   If using in-house lab, ask if it’s certified under CTGTP regulations.
3. Verify Regulatory Oversight:
   Inquire whether the clinic’s cell therapy protocols are aligned with HSA CTGTP guidance
   

What is Autologous Epidermal Cell Therapy for Burn Wounds?

Autologous Epidermal Cell Therapy  is when doctors take a piece of your skin, grow more skin cells in the lab and graft or apply them onto the burn site to help your skin regrow. No needles, no systemic delivery. It became legally recognized in Singapore when the CTGTP Regulations became effective on 1 March 2021.

It’s different from stem cell therapy because it uses a mix of mature skin cells and natural skin stem cells to regrow the surface of the skin, while stem cell therapy typically involves isolating and injecting stem cells to repair or regenerate deeper tissues inside the body.

What is Autologous Limbal Epithelial Cell Therapy?

Autologous limbal epithelial cell therapy is a treatment that helps people regrow the surface of their eye after it’s been badly damaged by burns or trauma.

Doctors take a small sample of healthy cells from the edge of your other eye, grow more of them in a lab, and then place them onto the injured eye. These cells help rebuild a clear, smooth surface, which can restore vision and reduce pain.

Latest Stem Cell Therapy Advancements in Singapore 2025

In April 2024, SCG Cell Therapy and Singapore’s A*STAR launched joint laboratories to develop GMP-grade induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) therapies.

The collaboration, supported by nearly S$30 million under the RIE2025 national research plan, aims to translate lab-based iPSC research into scalable, off-the-shelf cellular immunotherapies for patients.

It also includes a talent program to train future specialists in GMP-compliant stem cell manufacturing. The announcement was published in a press release by SCG and A*STAR.