UAE a global hub for healthcare transformation and advancement

Sheikh Hasher Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated, inaugurated the 2023 edition of the PrecisionMed Exhibition & Summit (PMES) on Tuesday at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event, which started on Tuesday, will run until tomorrow.

Accompanied by dignitaries, Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum toured the exhibition and summit. As the Middle East’s leading event dedicated to advancing precision medicine, PMES provides a vital platform for key stakeholders, including regulators, providers, and researchers, to collaborate and drive further progress in healthcare throughout the region.

In a special recorded message at today’s opening of PMES 23, Sarah Al Amiri - Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Secretary-General of the Emirates Genome Council - explained that it was fitting for these stakeholders to gather in the Emirates given its role as a hub for healthcare transformation and advancement.

Al Amiri stated, “This gathering of scientists, physicians, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and investors is an important part of the evolution of healthcare and medical technology, and it is fitting that the industry is meeting here in the UAE, where technology, innovation and entrepreneurism converge. The last few years have shown just how rapidly medical advances can be made when governments, regulators, businesses, and researchers all move in the same direction. The world demonstrated when we are laser-focused on overcoming a common challenge, we can mobilise resources and capabilities to accelerate innovation and supercharge scientific development. Now - more than ever, we must draw on our combined strength to drive further progress in healthcare.”

Highlighting that the world’s population is set to hit 8.5 billion by 2030, placing even greater strain on public health, Al Amiri continued, “By investing in transformative healthcare solutions today, we can help create healthier, happier societies, even as populations expand. Precision medicine is one of the critical areas that will change how healthcare systems operate, enhance quality of life, and help achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”

Al Amiri also highlighted the UAE’s National Genome Strategy, launched in March of this year, which aims to develop capabilities and implement genome-based programmes over the next decade. “The strategy will lead to pioneering precision medicine applications that could transform public health, not only helping to provide the best healthcare and quality of life for people, but also providing significant opportunities for businesses and investors,” she added.

PMES 23 brings together key figures in healthcare, with talks focusing on the clinical applications of precision medicine in cancer, rare diseases, pharmacogenomics, and stem cell and gene therapies.

The programme also features talks and exhibits on the latest in advanced AI applications in personalised medicine, and how AI and other technological advances in precision medicine are directly helping patients’ journeys.

In his opening remarks, Dr Amin Hussein Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Health Regulation Sector at the UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), stated the future of medicine lies in precision medicine. “The medicine currently provided to patients is one treatment approach for various similar diseases. However, this approach may not always succeed in treating patients and could potentially lead to adverse reactions, negatively impacting their health,” he said.

“The medicine of the future will be highly personalised, taking into account specific patient factors such as their illnesses through the integration of gene therapy and genotype or phenotype analysis using blood tests,” he added.

Also appearing at the event, Dr. Thekra Hasan Mohamed, Director of Zayed Herbal Complex and Life Sciences Projects, noted that precision medicine is a medical approach that is revolutionizing the way patients are treated. “The UAE has recognised the tremendous potential of precision medicine and has embarked on a journey of integrating this approach into the country’s healthcare system. With the launch of the largest genomic study in the region, the Emirati Genome Programme, we aim to focus on using the latest technology and scientific discoveries to analyse genetic data, monitor health status, and provide personalized treatment and care plans for patients,” she added.

In his welcome to guests, Dr. Min S Park, Chief Science Officer and Director of Genomic Medicine at Sanimed International Labs and Management - who serves as Chairman of the PMES Scientific Committee - stated, “The opportunity for precision medicine in the Middle East is simply enormous, because it opens completely new preventive measures based on advanced basic research, technology innovation in automation, and AI, allowing the rapid discovery of screening, diagnostics, and treatment options ahead of time.

“Most of all, precision medicine can effectively address the region’s high frequencies of various genetic and non-genetic diseases. Toward achieving the goal, most of the GCC has been heavily investing in national programs, such as the Emirati Genome Program, which will improve the quality of patients’ lives tremendously.”

And finally, Kinjal Zaveri, CEO of One Health, a subsidiary of PureHealth Group - the largest integrated healthcare platform in the region, and Platinum Sponsor of PMES 23 - commented, “Our support of the PrecisionMed Exhibition & Summit reflects our group’s unwavering commitment to driving transformative change in healthcare. We are proud to be at the forefront of this movement, leveraging our group’s expertise, resources, and capabilities to showcase innovative and personalised healthcare solutions that positively impact patient outcomes and shape the healthcare landscape of tomorrow. We remain committed to contributing to the advancement of precision medicine in the region in line with our vision to unlock time for humankind by ensuring people live longer, fuller and healthier life.”

PMES 23 is supported by the UAE’s MoIAT, MoHAP, DoH Abu Dhabi, and the Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

WAM