Singapore: In a shocking move, the Chinese regulatory agency has issued a ban on online medical diagnosis which had recently emerged as a major industry in China. The country's health regulators have asked hospitals and doctors, not to provide any medical diagnostic service online or prescribe drugs.

Announcing the decision, Ms Song Shuli, spokeswoman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), said the move will help in curbing malpractices and improving healthcare as online diagnosis services were also provided by people who are not qualified to practice medicine and incapable of handling face-to-face diagnosis.

Ms Shuli however elaborated that the ban will not cover e-medicine services already provided in the country in cooperation with a few selected hospitals. "Medical diagnoses should not be carried out on the Internet. Hospitals can offer online medical advice, but they should not make a diagnosis or give treatment," she added.