UAE to Require Premarital Genetic Testing
Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on Wednesday, December 25, that genetic testing will be mandatory for all Emirati couples as part of pre-marital screening from January 2025.
This comes on the heels of directives from the Emirates Genome Council, which were approved during the recent UAE government’s annual meetings.
In a statement, the decision represents a paradigm shift in the country’s healthcare sector, aiming to protect the health of future generations while ensuring that Emirati families benefit from long-term health and a high quality of life.
This initiative demonstrates the UAE’s determination to become a global leader in healthcare innovation, particularly in the fields of genetic disease prevention and reproductive medicine.
This approach is expected to make a significant contribution to sustainable healthcare development in line with the UAE Centennial Vision 2071.
The test covers 570 genes associated with more than 840 medical conditions and will help couples make informed decisions based on their health when planning a family.
In October, mandatory genetic testing for Emirati couples in Abu Dhabi began to detect and prevent genetic conditions.