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Singapore Medical Council

Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines and Handbook on Medical Ethics

SMC Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines (2002 and 2016 editions) and Handbook on Medical Ethics (2016 edition)

Last updated 7 April 2025

The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines (ECEG) were last revised in 2002. Since then, medical practice in Singapore has evolved to become more complex, with advanced technology, innovative communication means, new modalities of treatment, a wide range of organisational as well as business models in medicine and changing expectations of the community we serve. To better address and to enable practitioners to navigate the ethical issues encountered in modern medical practice, the SMC has revised and updated the ECEG and the revised ECEG is now referred to as the 2016 edition of the SMC ECEG (2016 ECEG).

The 2016 ECEG is accompanied by an educational resource that is called the SMC Handbook on Medical Ethics (2016 HME). This 2016 HME contains additional material that elaborates on the 2016 ECEG, explains its application and provides advice on the best practices. You are encouraged to read the 2016 HME to know more about medical ethics.

The 2016 ECEG has come into force on 1 January 2017 (except for Guideline H3(7) which will only come into force on 1 July 2017).

Click on the hyperlinks to download the following documents: