S'poreans can test for genetic condition causing high cholesterol levels under new programme

SINGAPORE - Eligible Singapore residents will be able to screen for a genetic condition which causes high cholesterol levels at a subsidised rate as part of a nationwide programme launching on June 30.
In a statement on June 19, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that the new genetic testing programme for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) comes amid broader efforts to enhance preventive care in Singapore.
The initiative aims to identify individuals with FH early and reduce the risk of premature heart disease with timely interventions.
FH is a hereditary condition that impacts the body's ability to process cholesterol, affecting roughly 20,000 people in Singapore.
People with the condition are up to 20 times more likely to experience heart attacks at a younger age compared with the general population.
In a Facebook post on June 19, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that the Government is looking to expand preventive care based on genetic testing to more diseases beyond FH.
'It is part of our longer term effort to develop predictive preventive care under Healthier SG,' he said.
As part of this effort, the ministry aims to open three genomic assessment centres (GACs) to ensure effective, efficient and sustainable delivery of genetic testing services within each healthcare cluster.
Genetics testing for FH at these centres will be subsidised for eligible Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs). They can also tap on MediSave to offset the cost.
Those referred to GACs will undergo:
Pre-test genetic counselling to understand potential outcomes and benefits before consenting to the test
Blood drawing and the genetic test
Post-test genetic counselling, to understand the implications of the results
The first GAC will be operated by SingHealth and located at the National Heart Centre. It will start accepting referrals from June 30.
This centre will serve all Singapore residents until additional centres open. GACs operated by National Healthcare Group and National University Health System will subsequently open to cater to residents' needs.
Immediate family members of those found with the condition are at risk and encouraged to undergo genetic testing, MOH said.
Known as cascade screening, this process enables early detection of FH within families.
It also allows for timelier intervention and treatment, such as advising them to adopt healthier lifestyles or starting on cholesterol-lowering therapies.
Under the programme, Singapore citizens and PRs with abnormally high cholesterol levels may be referred by their doctors for genetic testing.
Eligible Singaporeans and PRs can receive subsidies of up to 70 per cent for the costs, which include the genetic tests, pre-test and post-test counselling, and phlebotomy services.
Seniors from the Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation are also eligible for additional subsidies.
After subsidies, referred patients can expect to pay between $117 and $575. Those eligible for cascade screening can expect to pay between $53 and $253 after subsidies.
The MediSave500 and MediSave700 scheme can be used to further offset the cost of the genetic test after subsidies.
Patients who are 60 years old and above may also use Flexi-MediSave to further defray out of pocket costs.
Under a moratorium on genetic testing and insurance introduced by MOH and the Life Insurance Association Singapore (LIA) in 2021, life insurers here are banned from using predictive genetic test results in assessing the outcome of insurance applications, unless certain criteria are satisfied.
Insurers are also not allowed to use genetic test results from biomedical research or direct-to-consumer genetic test results.
MOH said it has worked with the LIA to amend the moratorium to disallow life insurers in Singapore to use the results of all genetic tests conducted under the national FH genetic testing programme.
They may, however, continue to request for individuals to disclose existing diagnosed conditions and family history.
The amended moratorium will take effect from June 30.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction
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'That might be helping a shortage but might be creating a new problem,' said Lumpkin, the former deputy commissioner. Last summer, a pair of FDA investigators arrived at another manufacturing plant in India that had a bustling production line. After more than a week at the Viatris factory, they left with a familiar list of safety and quality violations. The inspectors found that equipment wasn't clean and managers failed to thoroughly investigate unexplained discrepancies in test results. In a statement to ProPublica, Viatris said it immediately worked to resolve the FDA's concerns. 'Patient safety remains our primary and unwavering focus,' the company said. Just before Christmas, the FDA banned the facility from exporting drugs. Then the agency gave the factory a pass, and four of its drugs are still bound for the United States. Patricia Callahan and Vidya Krishnan contributed reporting, and Alice Crites contributed research. Medill Investigative Lab students Haajrah Gilani, Emma McNamee, Julian Andreone, Isabela Lisco, Aidan Johnstone, Megija Medne, Yiqing Wang, Phillip Powell, Gideon Pardo, Casey He, Lindsey Byman, Josh Sukoff, Kunjal Bastola, Shae Lake, Alyce Brown, Zhiyu Solstice Luo, Jessie Nguyen, Sinyi Au, Kate McQuarrie and Katherine Dailey contributed reporting.

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A woman is suing Singapore Airlines after she suffered a severe allergic reaction mid-flight, allegedly caused by a meal containing shrimp that was mistakenly served to her despite advance warnings. In her legal complaint, 41-year-old Manhattan resident Doreen Benary said she had informed the cabin crew of her shrimp allergy upon boarding flight SQ026 from Frankfurt to New York on 8 October 2024. But during the business class meal service, she claimed a crew member served her a meal containing shrimp, which she unknowingly ate. She only realised it after she "began to feel ill". A petition calling on the Government to mandate free tap water at food and beverage (F&B) outlets that already impose a 10 per cent service charge has gained traction. There are over 2,000 signatures as of 20 June. Launched on by Dr Yee Yucai, a consultant at Singapore General Hospital's Internal Medicine department, the petition argues that water is a "basic necessity". Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. A petition calling on the Government to mandate free tap water at food and beverage (F&B) outlets that already impose a 10 per cent service charge has gained traction. There are over 2,000 signatures as of 20 June. Launched on by Dr Yee Yucai, a consultant at Singapore General Hospital's Internal Medicine department, the petition argues that water is a "basic necessity". Dr Yee told AsiaOne that the petition came about he observed how food and beverage outlets seem to be "encouraging" diners to buy drinks to "boost profit margins". Dr Yee said: "The last straw that broke the camel's back for me was when I recently brought my family to an expensive buffet, about $60 per person. "And they had the audacity not to serve water and instead requiring us to pay an extra $5 for free-flow beverages. I thought it was going too far." This is not the first time the issue has surfaced, though. Members of Parliament from both sides of the aisle, have previously urged the Government to explore making free table water standard practice. In 2021, Christopher de Souza questioned "whether table water can be mandatorily made free-of-charge at F&B establishments" since Singapore's tap water is safe to drink. During the Budget debate in March, Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam urged the ministry to work with eateries, coffee shops and shopping malls to provide free or low-cost drinking water as a best practice. However, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu has pushed back, stating that while Singapore's tap water is safe, providing it still incurs costs, and thus cannot be mandated under the Environmental Public Health Act. For more on the free tap water petition, read here. A performance by local theatre company Wild Rice has been banned by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). The IMDA cited concerns that the revised script undermined Singapore's anti-drug policies and public trust in the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). The show, titled Homepar, was initially approved under an R18 rating, but IMDA said the final script submitted on 5 June contained substantial changes from the original version cleared on 21 April. They said, "The new material depicts and glamorises drug abuse and portrays an undercover CNB officer shielding abusers from detection." In a statement on Friday (June 20), IMDA said the new material was found to be in breach of the Arts Entertainment Classification Code (AECC). This was done in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs. For more on the banned Wild Rice performance, read here. A woman is suing Singapore Airlines after she suffered a severe allergic reaction mid-flight, allegedly caused by a meal containing shrimp that was mistakenly served to her despite advance warnings. In her legal complaint, 41-year-old Manhattan resident Doreen Benary said she had informed the cabin crew of her shrimp allergy upon boarding flight SQ026 from Frankfurt to New York on 8 October 2024. But during the business class meal service, she claimed a crew member served her a meal containing shrimp, which she unknowingly ate. She only realised it after she "began to feel ill". "Despite the aforesaid warnings, during the course of the subject flight's meal service, a member of [the] cabin crew served [Benary] a meal containing shrimp," the complaint read. Benary questioned the cabin crew member who admitted to the error and apologised. By then, her situation worsened and Benary was 'violently ill', prompting an emergency diversion to Paris. She was rushed to a hospital in France, then a second facility, where she reportedly underwent "painful emergency medical treatment". For more on the lawsuit against SIA, read here. A Chinese student, who had been studying at University College London, has been jailed for life after being found guilty of drugging and raping 10 women. Zhenhao Zou, 28, a PhD student was convicted of 11 counts of rape, including offences committed in both London and China between September 2019 and May 2023. Only two of his victims have so far been identified, and the other eight have yet to be traced. Zou filmed the assaults, which took place while the women were unconscious, and kept their belongings – including earrings, hair accessories, and lipstick – in what prosecutors called a 'trophy box'. Zou is sentenced to life with a minimum term of 24 years, and was labelled a "sexual predator" by Judge Rosina Cottage. She said that Zou 'planned and executed a campaign of rape', treating the women "callously" and as "sex toys" for his own pleasure, which had "devastating and long-term effects". For more on the Zhenhao Zou's sentence, read here. Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is set to visit Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang on Friday (20 June), in an attempt to repair ties with the military following a leaked phone call that has thrown her administration into crisis. In the call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, Paetongtarn referred to Boonsin – commander of forces in northeast Thailand – as her 'opponent' while discussing an ongoing border dispute. The remarks, which surfaced online earlier this week, triggered political backlash, prompting the withdrawal of key coalition partner Bhumjaithai and fuelling speculation about the government's future. Paetongtarn, who has been in office for less than a year, issued a formal apology on Thursday while flanked by army and police chiefs. For more on Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra's leaked phone call, read here. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is in discussions with insurer Great Eastern (GE) following the latter's decision to suspend the issuance of pre-authorisation certificates for Mount Elizabeth hospitals. In response to media queries, MOH stated that Integrated Shield Plan (IP) insurers "would have to ensure that policyholders continue to be able to access the full benefits of their policies in accordance with the terms and conditions for claims, as stated in their policy contracts". GE had notified its panel doctors earlier this week that it would temporarily halt the issuance of pre-authorisation certificates for Mount Elizabeth and Mount Elizabeth Novena hospitals from 17 June. The insurer high costs from the two hospitals, compared with other private hospitals, were the reason for the decision. GE clarified that the decision does not reflect on the quality of clinical care at Mount Elizabeth hospitals but that they were "prioritising facilities that deliver the same high-quality care with greater cost transparency and cost-effectiveness" A GE spokesperson told The Straits Times that the insurer "continues to be in active discussions with the hospital group involved and also the Ministry of Health on this topic". On the issue of IPs and additional coverage, MOH said in an email, "As these are commercial products, while MOH regulates the key parameters of IPs for financial sustainability, individual insurers' changes to administrative processes such as pre-authorisation framework and partnerships with private providers are based on their commercial and actuarial considerations." For more on the GE suspension of pre-authorisation certificates, read here. A cyclist who suffered a gunshot wound while riding in a gazetted area on 15 June may have taken steps to conceal his tracks from authorities. The 42-year-old man, identified as L, did not tell the police and National University Hospital (NUH) that he had been cycling near the Nee Soon live-firing range when he was hit by a projectile. According to checks by The Straits Times (ST) of the data on the Strava app, L entered the cycling trail from Chestnut Nature Park at about 9.50am on 15 June 15. He was with a group of about 10 cyclists at the time, and a regular riding partner identified as W. ST reported that W deleted details on Strava of his ride on 15 June 15. But, the route he took was mapped out on Garmin account, which is accessible to the public. After leaving Chestnut Nature Park, the pair entered the Woodcutter's Trail in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) at about 11am. The Ministry of Defence said in an earlier statement that the man was hit by a bullet slug at about 11.40am. The police said NUH alerted them at 11.55pm of the gunshot wound. In his initial interview with police investigators, L denied being anywhere near the restricted areas when he was injured. He only admitted to it the next day. W has privatised his Strava and Garmin accounts after the morning of 19 June. The cyclist is under investigation for wilful trespass. For more on the cyclist and the gazetted area, read here. Singapore Pools Toto draw for 19 June saw one lucky ticket take home the Group 1 prize of over $12.3 million. The single winning share amount of over $12.3 million is the third highest recorded by Singapore Pools behind $13.1 million in May 2024 and $13 million in October 2023. The winning numbers for Thursday's draw (19 June) are 1, 10, 37, 40, 47 and 45, with the additional number being 19. The winning ticket was bought from an NTUC FairPrice at Yew Tee Point (1 QuickPick System 7 Entry). For more on the Group 2 winning tickets, read here. Two Singaporean men were arrested in Thailand on 17 June, along with a Thai national, for their alleged roles in running a transnational vice syndicate, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Wednesday (19 June). The Singaporean suspects, aged 36 and 38, and the 50-year-old Thai man, were arrested in a joint cross-border operation between the SPF and the Royal Thai Police (RTP). The operation saw assets worth over 20 million baht (S$790,600) seized, including luxury condos, cash, mobile devices and SIM cards. The SPF also froze over S$1.26 million in suspected criminal proceeds held in a Singapore bank account belonging to the 38-year-old man. According to Thai media outlet Khaosod English, one of the Singaporean suspects was arrested upon arrival at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, while the other arrested at his residence in Thailand. Investigations started in 2023 and revealed that the syndicate allegedly recruited foreign women and deployed them to Singapore as vice workers. From April 2023 to May 2025, at least 76 such women linked to the operation have been arrested, and the SPF said the resulting investigations "established useful information" against the syndicate. Singapore's Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SAC) Yeo Yee Chuan said, "The SPF is committed to working closely with our regional partners, and we thank the RTP for their invaluable collaboration in dismantling this criminal network to prevent the exploitation of women, stem the scourge of transnational crimes and take affirmative actions against the laundering of criminal proceeds." For more on the arrests, read here. A petition calling on the Government to mandate free tap water at food and beverage (F&B) outlets that already impose a 10 per cent service charge has gained traction. There are over 2,000 signatures as of 20 June. Launched on by Dr Yee Yucai, a consultant at Singapore General Hospital's Internal Medicine department, the petition argues that water is a "basic necessity". Dr Yee told AsiaOne that the petition came about he observed how food and beverage outlets seem to be "encouraging" diners to buy drinks to "boost profit margins". Dr Yee said: "The last straw that broke the camel's back for me was when I recently brought my family to an expensive buffet, about $60 per person. "And they had the audacity not to serve water and instead requiring us to pay an extra $5 for free-flow beverages. I thought it was going too far." This is not the first time the issue has surfaced, though. Members of Parliament from both sides of the aisle, have previously urged the Government to explore making free table water standard practice. In 2021, Christopher de Souza questioned "whether table water can be mandatorily made free-of-charge at F&B establishments" since Singapore's tap water is safe to drink. During the Budget debate in March, Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam urged the ministry to work with eateries, coffee shops and shopping malls to provide free or low-cost drinking water as a best practice. However, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu has pushed back, stating that while Singapore's tap water is safe, providing it still incurs costs, and thus cannot be mandated under the Environmental Public Health Act. For more on the free tap water petition, read here. A performance by local theatre company Wild Rice has been banned by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). The IMDA cited concerns that the revised script undermined Singapore's anti-drug policies and public trust in the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). The show, titled Homepar, was initially approved under an R18 rating, but IMDA said the final script submitted on 5 June contained substantial changes from the original version cleared on 21 April. They said, "The new material depicts and glamorises drug abuse and portrays an undercover CNB officer shielding abusers from detection." In a statement on Friday (June 20), IMDA said the new material was found to be in breach of the Arts Entertainment Classification Code (AECC). This was done in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs. For more on the banned Wild Rice performance, read here. A woman is suing Singapore Airlines after she suffered a severe allergic reaction mid-flight, allegedly caused by a meal containing shrimp that was mistakenly served to her despite advance warnings. In her legal complaint, 41-year-old Manhattan resident Doreen Benary said she had informed the cabin crew of her shrimp allergy upon boarding flight SQ026 from Frankfurt to New York on 8 October 2024. But during the business class meal service, she claimed a crew member served her a meal containing shrimp, which she unknowingly ate. She only realised it after she "began to feel ill". "Despite the aforesaid warnings, during the course of the subject flight's meal service, a member of [the] cabin crew served [Benary] a meal containing shrimp," the complaint read. Benary questioned the cabin crew member who admitted to the error and apologised. By then, her situation worsened and Benary was 'violently ill', prompting an emergency diversion to Paris. She was rushed to a hospital in France, then a second facility, where she reportedly underwent "painful emergency medical treatment". For more on the lawsuit against SIA, read here. A Chinese student, who had been studying at University College London, has been jailed for life after being found guilty of drugging and raping 10 women. Zhenhao Zou, 28, a PhD student was convicted of 11 counts of rape, including offences committed in both London and China between September 2019 and May 2023. Only two of his victims have so far been identified, and the other eight have yet to be traced. Zou filmed the assaults, which took place while the women were unconscious, and kept their belongings – including earrings, hair accessories, and lipstick – in what prosecutors called a 'trophy box'. Zou is sentenced to life with a minimum term of 24 years, and was labelled a "sexual predator" by Judge Rosina Cottage. She said that Zou 'planned and executed a campaign of rape', treating the women "callously" and as "sex toys" for his own pleasure, which had "devastating and long-term effects". For more on the Zhenhao Zou's sentence, read here. Thailand Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is set to visit Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang on Friday (20 June), in an attempt to repair ties with the military following a leaked phone call that has thrown her administration into crisis. In the call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, Paetongtarn referred to Boonsin – commander of forces in northeast Thailand – as her 'opponent' while discussing an ongoing border dispute. The remarks, which surfaced online earlier this week, triggered political backlash, prompting the withdrawal of key coalition partner Bhumjaithai and fuelling speculation about the government's future. Paetongtarn, who has been in office for less than a year, issued a formal apology on Thursday while flanked by army and police chiefs. For more on Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra's leaked phone call, read here. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is in discussions with insurer Great Eastern (GE) following the latter's decision to suspend the issuance of pre-authorisation certificates for Mount Elizabeth hospitals. In response to media queries, MOH stated that Integrated Shield Plan (IP) insurers "would have to ensure that policyholders continue to be able to access the full benefits of their policies in accordance with the terms and conditions for claims, as stated in their policy contracts". GE had notified its panel doctors earlier this week that it would temporarily halt the issuance of pre-authorisation certificates for Mount Elizabeth and Mount Elizabeth Novena hospitals from 17 June. The insurer high costs from the two hospitals, compared with other private hospitals, were the reason for the decision. GE clarified that the decision does not reflect on the quality of clinical care at Mount Elizabeth hospitals but that they were "prioritising facilities that deliver the same high-quality care with greater cost transparency and cost-effectiveness" A GE spokesperson told The Straits Times that the insurer "continues to be in active discussions with the hospital group involved and also the Ministry of Health on this topic". On the issue of IPs and additional coverage, MOH said in an email, "As these are commercial products, while MOH regulates the key parameters of IPs for financial sustainability, individual insurers' changes to administrative processes such as pre-authorisation framework and partnerships with private providers are based on their commercial and actuarial considerations." For more on the GE suspension of pre-authorisation certificates, read here. A cyclist who suffered a gunshot wound while riding in a gazetted area on 15 June may have taken steps to conceal his tracks from authorities. The 42-year-old man, identified as L, did not tell the police and National University Hospital (NUH) that he had been cycling near the Nee Soon live-firing range when he was hit by a projectile. According to checks by The Straits Times (ST) of the data on the Strava app, L entered the cycling trail from Chestnut Nature Park at about 9.50am on 15 June 15. He was with a group of about 10 cyclists at the time, and a regular riding partner identified as W. ST reported that W deleted details on Strava of his ride on 15 June 15. But, the route he took was mapped out on Garmin account, which is accessible to the public. After leaving Chestnut Nature Park, the pair entered the Woodcutter's Trail in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) at about 11am. The Ministry of Defence said in an earlier statement that the man was hit by a bullet slug at about 11.40am. The police said NUH alerted them at 11.55pm of the gunshot wound. In his initial interview with police investigators, L denied being anywhere near the restricted areas when he was injured. He only admitted to it the next day. W has privatised his Strava and Garmin accounts after the morning of 19 June. The cyclist is under investigation for wilful trespass. For more on the cyclist and the gazetted area, read here. Singapore Pools Toto draw for 19 June saw one lucky ticket take home the Group 1 prize of over $12.3 million. The single winning share amount of over $12.3 million is the third highest recorded by Singapore Pools behind $13.1 million in May 2024 and $13 million in October 2023. The winning numbers for Thursday's draw (19 June) are 1, 10, 37, 40, 47 and 45, with the additional number being 19. The winning ticket was bought from an NTUC FairPrice at Yew Tee Point (1 QuickPick System 7 Entry). For more on the Group 2 winning tickets, read here. Two Singaporean men were arrested in Thailand on 17 June, along with a Thai national, for their alleged roles in running a transnational vice syndicate, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Wednesday (19 June). The Singaporean suspects, aged 36 and 38, and the 50-year-old Thai man, were arrested in a joint cross-border operation between the SPF and the Royal Thai Police (RTP). The operation saw assets worth over 20 million baht (S$790,600) seized, including luxury condos, cash, mobile devices and SIM cards. The SPF also froze over S$1.26 million in suspected criminal proceeds held in a Singapore bank account belonging to the 38-year-old man. According to Thai media outlet Khaosod English, one of the Singaporean suspects was arrested upon arrival at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, while the other arrested at his residence in Thailand. Investigations started in 2023 and revealed that the syndicate allegedly recruited foreign women and deployed them to Singapore as vice workers. From April 2023 to May 2025, at least 76 such women linked to the operation have been arrested, and the SPF said the resulting investigations "established useful information" against the syndicate. Singapore's Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SAC) Yeo Yee Chuan said, "The SPF is committed to working closely with our regional partners, and we thank the RTP for their invaluable collaboration in dismantling this criminal network to prevent the exploitation of women, stem the scourge of transnational crimes and take affirmative actions against the laundering of criminal proceeds." For more on the arrests, read here.