The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), the regulator of the healthcare sector in the Emirate, alongside the Institute for Healthier Living Abu Dhabi (IHLAD), hosted the first-ever Healthy Longevity Innovation Forum on April 4, 2025. This significant event brought together a distinguished assembly of global experts, healthcare leaders, and policymakers, including officials from the DoH and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), as well as members of the IHLAD Board.

The forum aimed to provide a crucial platform for discussing advanced research, innovative healthcare solutions, and policy frameworks designed to promote healthier, longer lives in the UAE and beyond. The event reinforced the Department’s commitment to transforming healthcare in response to the needs of a modern aging population.

Under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Shahrukh Hashmi, the Division Director for Medical Research and Development at DoH, a research session featured notable figures such as Dr. Eric Verdin, President and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Professor Andrea Maier, Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Longevity at the National University of Singapore, and Professor Evelyne Bischof from the Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences.

These experts engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including advanced longevity medicine, digital biomarkers, and precision health interventions, setting the stage for potential breakthroughs that could significantly improve healthcare outcomes and the quality of life for residents of the Emirate and beyond.

Dr. Nicole Sirotin, the CEO of IHLAD, highlighted the urgency of their mission, stating that research is essential for the community’s growth. She pointed out the current lack of sufficient evidence in diagnostics and therapeutics for healthy longevity, emphasizing their goal to ethically develop this new specialty. In collaboration with DoH, IHLAD aims to foster high-level partnerships to shape the future of health.

Dr. Fayeza Alyafei, Executive Director of the Healthcare Quality Sector at DoH, remarked that healthy longevity is a fundamental aspect of their strategic vision for healthcare in the Emirate. She noted that the Department continuously collaborates with esteemed partners across the ecosystem to create a proactive, prevention-focused model of care.

The forum also featured public sessions that offered insights into the ambitious vision driving this initiative. High-impact panels and keynote addresses delved into the transformative potential of AI and digital health in healthy longevity medicine, as well as advancements in biological age measurement and the importance of preventive and precision medicine. Discussions focused on translating these innovations into real benefits for the community.

A recurring theme at the forum was the shift from merely treating diseases to actively promoting health and well-being throughout life. Participants discussed the need to base healthy longevity medicine on understanding the hallmarks of aging, addressing root causes of age-related decline rather than merely responding to diseases as they arise. This aligns with the Healthy Longevity Vision 2030, which commits to giving more to the world than it takes.

The Healthy Longevity Innovation Forum is not just a starting point—it’s a catalyst for advancing Abu Dhabi’s commitment to becoming a global leader in healthy longevity research and innovation. This initiative is crucial for enhancing life quality and empowering individuals to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.