Abu Dhabi gathers global leaders to shape the future of healthcare

The Future Health Summit Abu Dhabi 2026 opened on Tuesday in the UAE capital, bringing together a distinguished group of global healthcare leaders, experts, policymakers, innovators and investors to explore the future of healthcare. The summit is examining solutions and technologies that can help develop healthcare systems better equipped to predict health risks, prevent diseases and enhance quality of life.

Held from October 20 to 22 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the summit is being held under the theme “Towards Proactive, Predictive Healthcare Systems.” It is expected to welcome representatives from 100 countries, around 130 speakers at the forum and more than 175 exhibitors, creating opportunities for knowledge exchange and international partnerships across healthcare, science, technology and investment.

The summit highlights the shift away from traditional healthcare models, which focus on treating diseases after they emerge, towards proactive approaches that harness data and advanced analytics to identify health risks early, intervene before conditions worsen, and develop more precise, personalised treatment and prevention solutions.

Summit sessions are exploring how artificial intelligence (AI), genomics, advanced diagnostics and health data can improve disease prediction, advance precision and personalised medicine, extend healthy life expectancy, and support more resilient and sustainable healthcare systems. Discussions are also focusing on accelerating investment in medical research and innovation.

Future Health, a global initiative from Abu Dhabi, has released a new white paper titled Integrating Wearables into the Future of Health and Wellbeing. The paper examines how wearable technologies can support and enable healthcare models that are more preventive, personalised and continuous.

The white paper sets out a five-pillar framework for the next phase of wearable-enabled healthcare. Its five pillars cover technology and interoperability; data governance and privacy; enabling regulatory frameworks and supportive policies; adoption by individuals and clinical practitioners; and partnerships and ecosystem-wide innovation.

Together, these pillars address the technological, regulatory, clinical and institutional considerations required to integrate wearable technologies safely and at scale into Abu Dhabi’s healthcare ecosystem.

Commenting on the initiative, Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “Wearable technologies provide us with more continuous insights into our health and create new opportunities to identify risks at an earlier stage. Their value extends beyond individual health readings, with much of their untapped potential lying in connecting these insights to the healthcare system. This can support early intervention and help people enjoy a better quality of life for longer.”

She added: “Abu Dhabi has successfully established a strong foundation for advancing digital health, and our focus is now on ensuring that these new sources of health insights are translated into effective, practical action. Through this white paper, the Future Health initiative provides a practical framework demonstrating how wearable technologies can support this transformation at scale.”

Abu Dhabi has already established several of the foundations needed to advance this ambition. Through its Sehatna app, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi integrates data from wearable devices with longitudinal health records through the Malaffi health information exchange platform to calculate a personalised Health Age Index. This gives users a better understanding of the clinical and lifestyle factors influencing their health.

Alongside e-prescriptions and the Emirati Genome Programme, these initiatives create opportunities to connect continuous health data with Abu Dhabi’s broader efforts to strengthen preventive and personalised care, empowering individuals to lead healthier and longer lives.

The Future Health Summit Abu Dhabi 2026 also saw the announcement of the availability of innovative gene therapy using CRISPR-Cas9 technology at Yas Clinic – Khalifa City, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre. The development marks a significant medical milestone that reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for innovation and advanced therapies.

Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Hulaiga, Consultant in Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at Yas Clinic, said: “CRISPR is one of the most significant scientific discoveries of the modern era and was recognised with the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. The technology enables highly precise DNA editing, opening up new possibilities for treating genetic diseases at their source rather than merely managing their symptoms.”

On the opening day of Future Health Summit Abu Dhabi 2026, UAE-based pharmaceutical manufacturer Adcan Pharma and MS Pharma, a leading regional biopharmaceutical company, announced a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the domestic manufacturing of biosimilars and other pharmaceutical products in the UAE.

The partnership establishes a framework for local manufacturing, packaging, testing and batch release of biosimilars, injectable medicines and oral solid dosage forms within the UAE. Particular emphasis is being placed on biosimilars, reflecting the growing importance of advanced biological therapies in addressing complex and chronic diseases.

Dr Foukyoun Sennis, Chief Executive Officer of Adcan Pharma, said the partnership with MS Pharma represented a pivotal step towards strengthening pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities in the UAE.

Under the partnership, Adcan will become the first laboratory in the country capable of carrying out all the quality-control testing procedures required for monoclonal antibodies, marking a significant milestone in developing domestic expertise, technology and testing capabilities for biosimilars.

Through collaboration and knowledge exchange, the two companies aim to progressively expand local capabilities, improve patient access to treatments and contribute to building a more resilient and sustainable pharmaceutical industry.