Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit Concludes with Research Partnerships and New Programmes to Advance Prevention and Health Innovation

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026 concluded with agreements and initiatives spanning drug discovery, clinical research, preventive and reproductive health, alongside research and entrepreneurship programmes that will sustain collaboration beyond the Summit.

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Held from 20–22 October, the Summit attracted more than 17,300 visitors from 85 countries. It brought together health leaders, researchers, policymakers, investors and innovators to examine the practical steps needed to connect scientific advances with healthcare delivery and strengthen capabilities for identifying risks and intervening earlier.

The Summit is the annual flagship gathering of Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi, curated and convened by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) together with Founding Partners PureHealth, M42, Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi (IHLAD) and Mubadala Bio.

H.E. Dr Noura Khamis Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, said: “The Summit’s outcomes reflect Abu Dhabi’s ability to bring scientific, clinical and regulatory expertise together around shared health priorities, connecting that expertise through partnerships and programmes that sustain progress throughout the year. Our role is to enable researchers, healthcare providers and innovators to develop and evaluate solutions, building the evidence needed for their responsible application. Through the agreements, publications and programmes announced, we continue to expand opportunities for collaboration that support prevention and improve care in line with the needs of individuals and communities.”

Partnerships to advance drug discovery and clinical research

During the Summit, DoH signed an agreement with Isomorphic Labs to advance AI-enabled drug discovery, alongside an agreement with AstraZeneca and Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to expand clinical research, with up to 30 clinical trials envisaged by 2030. These agreements support collaboration among researchers, life sciences companies and healthcare institutions, enabling research ideas to be developed and their potential applications explored and evaluated in clinical settings. DoH also launched its AI Clinician Framework to guide research and lay the foundations for the future regulation of autonomous AI clinical practice. It also launched a Trusted Research Environment, enabling research using health and genomic data within a secure environment.

These initiatives build on Abu Dhabi’s data infrastructure, clinical expertise and regulatory capabilities to support research and the responsible evaluation of emerging technologies.

Research in prevention and women’s health

DoH signed an agreement with WHOOP for a two-year preventive health research programme using wearable data. A joint study between DoH and ŌURA will also examine whether data from wearable devices can identify early warning signs of premature birth. Reproductive health partnerships included collaboration among DoH, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Paterna to advance research; ART Fertility Clinics and Conceivable to explore AI applications in IVF; and collaboration with Merck to strengthen specialist education and professional development.

Publications to inform health policy and practice

Future Health released four whitepapers covering genomics and rare diseases, therapeutics, fertility, and embedding wearable technologies into the future of health and wellbeing, developed with EY, Strategy&, PwC Middle East and Deloitte respectively. The first three form part of the Abu Dhabi Blueprints series. Together, the four publications explore how scientific knowledge and technology can support prevention, earlier intervention and personalised care. The publications provide analysis and recommendations to inform policy and health system development, examining the scientific and practical requirements for the wider adoption of emerging technologies and knowledge.

New opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs

Future Health opened Expressions of Interest for the second edition of the Future Health Impact Challenge. The Summit also premiered a documentary following the inaugural winners as they apply their solutions in communities around the world. The inaugural Challenge was delivered in collaboration with MIT Solve. Future Health also launched its Entrepreneurship Programme with Bridge for Billions. The programme will initially support around 50 health entrepreneurs across Africa and Asia, helping them develop businesses that respond to community needs and strengthen their sustainability and impact.

Selected participants will have the opportunity to connect with Abu Dhabi’s health innovation ecosystem at a later stage.

Year-round collaboration

The Summit featured 130 speakers across 45 sessions examining how AI, genomics, wearable technologies and investment can support prevention and improve care. Under the theme “To Sense Is to Predict”, discussions focused on the requirements for implementation, from scientific evidence and clinical evaluation to infrastructure and financing. The agreements and programmes announced create opportunities for continued work in research, clinical evaluation and entrepreneurship. Through its year-round activities, Future Health will continue to connect partners across longevity and precision medicine, digital health and AI, health system resilience and sustainability, and investment in life sciences.

Future Health invites researchers, innovators, investors and healthcare institutions to explore opportunities to participate in its programmes and collaborate through the initiatives announced during the Summit.

For more information, visit www.futurehealthinitiative.ae.

About Future Health – A Global Initiative by Abu Dhabi

Future Health is a year-round platform for global collaboration and transformative health innovation, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

Bringing together health researchers, policymakers, business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs from across disciplines and geographies, Future Health drives collective action to strengthen health systems and unlock longer, healthier lives for all.

Through a year-round programme of research insights, publications, impact initiatives, Challenges, R&D funding, and cross-sector convenings, Future Health advances progress across four focus areas: longevity and precision medicine, health systems and sustainability, digital health and AI, and investment in life sciences.

Future Health is curated and convened by the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi and its Founding Partners: PureHealth, M42, Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi, and Mubadala Bio. Mediclinic Middle East serves as Strategic Partner and Burjeel Holdings as Associate Partner.

For more information, visit www.futurehealthinitiative.ae⁠ and follow Future Health on: X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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