To: Departments of Health of central-affiliated cities and provinces

Medical Examination & Treatment Administration has recently received enquiries from several Departments of Health about applicable regulations on management of massage services. Below are opinions of Medical Examination & Treatment Administration:

On November 12, 2018, the Government promulgated Decree No. 155/2018/ND-CP on amendments to conditions for certain business operations under management of the Ministry of Health, which abrogates Article 38 of the Government's Decree No. 109/2016/ND-CP dated July 01, 2016 on conditions for operation of massage parlours. This means, pursuant to Decree No. 155/2018/ND-CP, massage parlours are no longer required to send their notice of conformity to the Department of Health. Previously, Circular No. 41/2017/TT-BYT, which abrogated some legislative documents promulgated by the Minister of Health, also abrogate part of the conditions specified in Circular No. 11/2001/TT-BYT dated June 06, 2001 on conditions for provision of massage service.

Thus, massage service is no longer a conditional service and procedures for declaration of conformity of massage parlours are no longer under the management of the Ministry of Health. For this reason, Departments of Health will no longer carry out procedures for declaration of conformity of massage parlours.

However, some other regulations of Circular No. 11/2001/TT-BYT are still effective. The Legal Department of the Ministry of Health will include the rest of Circular No. 11/2001/TT-BYT in the draft annulment Circular to be promulgated in 2019.

For your reference and compliance./.