The Emirates Genome Council adopts a new genetic examination package that includes newborn tests

His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, chaired the meeting of the Emirates Council for Genome.

The meeting dealt with the council’s plans to enhance the priority of accurate medicine initiatives that effectively employ genetic data in upgrading public health outcomes in the UAE, and contributes to raising the efficiency of the health care system, stimulating cognitive and economic growth in this vital sector, and establishing the state’s position as an advanced global center in careful medicine.

His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed the keenness of the rational leadership to continue to improve the health and quality of the lives of community members, noting His Highness the importance of research and development efforts in the fields of precise medicine, preventive care, improving and promoting healthy age, and the contributions of these qualitative efforts in achieving concrete and sustainable results in raising the level of public health.

His Highness praised all the efforts that contribute to enhancing the UAE’s position in the lead in the leading countries in the field of genome research and their practical applications.

-New programs for genetic examination
During the meeting, His Highness adopted a new genetic examination package, with the aim of expanding the benefit of genomic data and accelerating the adoption of genetic health care services in the UAE.

This package includes the genetic examinations program for newborns, and aims to early detection of treatment for infants, through the evaluation of 733 gene associated with more than 800 genetic cases.

The package includes the additional genetic tests program for adults involved in the Emirati genome program, with the aim of identifying the genetic cases that can be diagnosed and dealt with early, by evaluating 94 gene associated with more than 50 genetic cases.

It also includes fertile fertility programs, including the evaluation of 186 gene associated with more than 130 genetic cases, and the provision of treatment solutions and personal medical recommendations for couples.

The package also includes the cardiovascular tests program, which provides accurate genetic diagnosis and the treatments allocated to it, and supports prevention and early detection, by evaluating more than 800 genes linked to more than 100 genetic cases.

– Study of the Emirati reference genome “Telomer to Telomer” (T2T)

During the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reviewed, during the meeting, the outputs of the Emirati genome study, “Telomer to Telomer” (T2T), which was carried out under the supervision of the Health Department – Abu Dhabi in cooperation with Khalifa University and the “M42” group, with the aim of bridging important gaps in the genomic data, and providing a comprehensive reference source that supports accurate medicine research, enhancing the procedure of comparisons Accurate with global genomic references, with the aim of developing specialized research in diseases and pharmaceutical genome, as well as developing specialized treatment solutions that meet the health needs of Emirati society.

– The developments of the comprehensive genetic test program for those coming to marriage
His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan also reviewed the developments of the genetic test for those coming to marriage, which was launched and executed at the national level from January 1, 2025, under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, in cooperation with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Health Authority, the Emirates Health Services Corporation, and a number of strategic partners.

Since its launch, the program has provided support to 2,428 of those coming to marriage, as the percentage of genetic compatibility among them reached more than 92%, by conducting accurate genetic checks for 570 genes linked to more than 840 genetic disorders.

The program also provided genetic consulting sessions for couples whose results showed their need for further support, to assess possible genetic risk factors, and to provide studied solutions that support the decision -making process on family planning.

The program aims to enhance public health and the quality of community members, and protect future generations from genetic diseases.

– Progress made in the Emirati genome program
His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reviewed the latest developments in the Emirati genome program, which succeeded in collecting more than 700,000 genetic samples from the country’s citizens, achieving remarkable progress towards his strategic goal by reaching one million samples.

The program also enabled, recently, to collect 100,000 additional genetic samples from participants of multiple nationalities, as part of a new qualitative initiative implemented in cooperation with the “M42” group to take advantage of the advanced capabilities of the UAE in the field of genome. This new initiative contributes to bridging important gaps in genetic data at the global level, and providing accurate scientific visions about genetic mutations that affect more than 2.5 billion people from different races, with the aim of enhancing international cooperation in the fields of accurate medicine research and solutions.

The Emirati genome program is one of the main national projects within the national genome strategy, as it contributes to a qualitative shift in health care services in the country, by providing high -quality genetic data, which helps researchers, doctors and scientists to identify genetic diseases, understand the nature of genetic mutations, and predict genetic preparation for some diseases, and developing effective personal health care plans for Emirati community.

The meeting was attended by Muhammad Abdullah Al -Qarqawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; And Sarah bint Youssef Al -Amiri, Minister of Education; And Omar Sultan Al -Ulama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and remote work applications; Mansour Ibrahim Al -Mansoori, Head of the Health Department – Abu Dhabi; Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary -General of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; And Dr. Amer Ahmed Al -Sharif, Executive Director of Dubai Health and Director of Mohammed Bin Rashid University for Medicine and Health Sciences; And Dr. Youssef Mohamed Al -Serkal, Director General of the Emirates Health Services Corporation.