Clinical Research
Roundtables UAE
A neutral platform convening relevant stakeholders in the UAE clinical research ecosystem to discuss, share perspectives and drive meaningful change.
Learn moreOur Purpose
To advance clinical research excellence in the UAE through open dialogue, collaboration and collective action.
Multi-stakeholder collaboration
Bringing together the entire ecosystem for collective impact.
Open dialogue & trust
Creating a safe space for honest conversations.
Actionable insights & solutions
Turning shared insights into practical progress.
Shared commitment to impact
Uniting around a common goal: better research, better outcomes.
What is the Clinical Research Roundtable?
The UAE Clinical Research Roundtables bring senior decision-makers together four times a year to advance the country's clinical research ecosystem — one focused theme at a time. They are designed to support the ecosystem broadly, including government priorities, not only industry needs.
Curated
Invite-only, private working-session dinners with senior leaders across the ecosystem.
Thematic
Each roundtable focuses on strategic themes with actionable discussion topics.
Cumulative
Outputs inform regulators, translate into actions, and achievements are shared at the annual flagship event in December 2026.
The 08+ groups we convene from.
Each roundtable is curated around its theme — the room flexes with the problem being discussed, so not every group is at every table.
Invitees participate in their personal and expert capacity — not as institutional representatives, unless explicitly mandated to.
- 01RegulatorsEDE, DoH, DHA, MoHAP
- 02Hospitals & health systemsPublic and private
- 03AcademiaUniversities & research centres
- 04Industry sponsorsPharma & biotech
- 05CROs & service providersOperational backbone
- 06InvestorsVC, sovereign, corporate
- 07Government & policyNational & emirate-level
- 08Patient associationsAdvocacy & community voice
A clear model — independent by design.
- 01Annual agenda
The CRR team drafts the year's agenda and aligns it with the ecosystem partner hosting the roundtables.
- 02Theme-led curation
Each roundtable is built around a specific theme. The room flexes with the topic, so only the most relevant stakeholders are invited.
- 03Per-seat participation
Contributors and guests are identified and invited on a per-seat basis.
- 04Independent execution
The core team drafts and owns each agenda. Partners support delivery without controlling the conversation.
Why this matters — and why now.
The UAE has world-class hospitals, an ambitious life-sciences agenda, and regulators actively modernising. But there's still work to do to connect the ecosystem, attract sponsors and champion clinical research in the UAE.
- Regulatory momentum
- UAE regulators are actively signalling openness to faster, more modern approval pathways. The window to help shape that framework is now.
- Hospital readiness
- Major UAE centres are building world-class research capacity — and shaping what 'trial-ready' looks like for the region.
- Sponsor demand
- Global sponsors are actively seeking Middle East data and more diverse trial populations — the UAE is positioned to deliver both.
- Strategic alignment
- From UAE Vision 2031 to the national innovation and life-sciences agenda, the country's strategy, capital and infrastructure are pulling in one direction: clinical research as a national priority.
The 2026 programme at a glance.
Four roundtables. One annual event. A national platform.
The UAE Clinical Research Event.
An in-person evening dinner bringing together participants from the year's roundtables, alongside the wider ecosystem, to consolidate key findings and shape the 2027 agenda.
Public release of the 2026 findings and the national platform.
Regulators, hospitals, sponsors and investors in one room.
Public commitments and the published 2027 thematic roadmap.