Clinic Marketing in Singapore: MOH Advertising Rules Explained
How Singapore GP, dental, aesthetic, TCM and physio clinics can market within MOH, SMC and PDPA rules, plus what works: Google profiles, content and booking.
Frequently asked questions
Can a clinic in Singapore advertise discounts or promotions?
Not in its advertising. MOH's guidance under the Healthcare Services (Advertisement) Regulations treats words like 'discount', 'promotion', 'offer', 'free' and 'complimentary', time-limited prices and 'as low as' pricing as soliciting. A licensed clinic may list the exact, final price of a service with no comparison to an original price, and may only tell patients about packages or payment plans at the point of payment.
Can a Singapore clinic post patient testimonials or before-and-after photos?
Before-and-after photos, and even 'after-only' photos, are banned in advertising under regulation 5 of the HCS (Advertisement) Regulations, though they may be shown to a patient during a consultation. Testimonials are banned in advertising too, with a narrow exception: an unpaid, unedited review given directly to the clinic may be shown in the clinic, on its own website or on its own social media, but not reproduced elsewhere.
Are Google reviews allowed for clinics in Singapore?
MOH says unpaid reviews that patients post on third-party platforms on their own initiative are not advertising and are unlikely to breach the Act. What clinics must not do is pay, reward or pressure anyone for reviews. The SMC and dental codes also say practitioners must not ask or induce patients to write positive testimonials, so avoid review-request campaigns.
Do the MOH advertising rules apply to TCM and physiotherapy clinics?
Not the HCS (Advertisement) Regulations. MOH says those apply only to licensable healthcare services such as outpatient medical and dental clinics, and that TCM, physiotherapy and chiropractic are non-licensable. TCM practitioners must follow the TCM Practitioners Board's ethical code, registered physiotherapists follow the Allied Health Professions Council's code, and non-licensed providers may not advertise claims to treat medical conditions.
Can a clinic send WhatsApp marketing messages to patients in Singapore?
Only with prior written consent. MOH says licensed clinics must not push advertising by SMS, WhatsApp or other messaging apps without the recipient's prior written consent, and the PDPA's Do Not Call rules apply to marketing messages too. A message sent solely to remind a patient of an appointment is, per the PDPC, unlikely to count as a marketing message.
How much does a clinic enquiry from Google or Meta ads cost in Singapore?
As a directional benchmark, healthcare and eldercare enquiries in Singapore typically cost around SGD 20 to 45 each in ad spend. That is media cost only, not an agency fee, and it varies with the service, area and how well your landing page and booking flow work.
An insight from Rampage Connect — a Singapore digital marketing and web studio. Contact: hello@rampageconnect.com