ABU DHABI, 15th June, 2021
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice
President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has approved
the formation of UAE Genomics Council to provide a
world-class healthcare system.
The new council, to be headed by H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin
Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi
Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive
Office, will regulate, oversee and guide the implementation
of the Emirati Genome Programme into the healthcare system
across the country.
Incorporating genomics into the healthcare ecosystem is part
of the UAE’s efforts to carry out therapeutic and
preventative programmes that help reduce the prevalence of
genetic disorders, disabilities and mortality rates.
The council will oversee the execution of government
genomics programmes and propose legislations to govern the
field in coordination with health regulators across the
country. It will regulate data acquisition and storage and
establish a system for issuing ethics and consent approvals
for all genomics programmes.
As part of its role in governing multiple novel programmes,
including the national biobanking programme, the council
will support technology start-ups and companies and build
partnerships with world-leading technology firms to drive
cutting-edge genomics research.
Among the council’s responsibilities is supporting new
innovative therapies for rare and chronic diseases and
developing technical training and graduate programmes and
knowledge incubators to build the next generation of omics
professionals.
Council members include Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of
Cabinet Affairs; Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of
Health and Prevention; Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for
Advanced Technology; Omar AlOlama, Minister of State for
Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work
Applications; Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman
of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; Awad Saghir Al
Ketbi, Director-General of the Dubai Health Authority; Dr.
Amer Ahmad Sharif, Vice Chancellor of Mohammed Bin Rashid
University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Professor Dr.
Eric Xing, President at Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI;
and George Church, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical
School.