Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The UAE Integrative Medicine Council (UAEIMC) has announced the second edition of Al Shifaa Summit for Integrative Medicine, taking place from 20 to 22 October 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. The summit will bring together leading local and international experts to exchange knowledge and explore scientific evidence and emerging innovations contributing to the continued development of integrative medicine and its practices.
Al Shifaa Summit is an initiative of the UAEIMC and will take place as part of Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit 2026. With its 2026 theme 'To Sense is to Predict', Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit will bring together leaders, experts and innovators from across the global health sector.
Within this setting, Al Shifaa Summit will provide a dedicated platform to explore traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine practices, examine the relationship between inherited knowledge and scientific evidence, and consider how the field can advance safely and responsibly.
The 2026 programme will explore the evolution of integrative medicine, from traditional knowledge and scientific foundations through to research, education, innovation and practical application. Its research and innovation section will focus on four areas: higher education and training; research and clinical evidence; applied innovation and solutions; and innovation, artificial intelligence and the future of integrative medicine.
Sheikha Salama bint Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairperson of the UAE Integrative Medicine Council, said: “The UAE Integrative Medicine Council continues its efforts to advance integrative medicine in the UAE, supporting the integration of traditional and complementary practices within the UAE’s healthcare ecosystem, while contributing to the field’s development internationally and strengthening connections among stakeholders across the sector.”
“Integrative medicine draws on knowledge rooted in diverse traditions, disciplines and medical approaches. Al Shifaa Summit for Integrative Medicine creates a platform for these perspectives to come together and for established approaches to be examined, while opening new opportunities for research, education and collaboration. This exchange is underpinned by a shared commitment to scientific evidence and the highest standards of quality and safety, helping to strengthen confidence in the field and support its continued development in the UAE and around the world,” she added.
The summit will convene policymakers, healthcare leaders and practitioners, researchers, academics, innovators and industry representatives from the UAE
and internationally. Participants will exchange perspectives and experiences, and examine how research, education, policy, clinical practice and technology can contribute to the responsible advancement of integrative medicine.
The 2026 edition follows the inaugural Al Shifaa Summit held last year, which welcomed more than 25 experts from across the integrative medicine field.
By connecting expertise from across the integrative medicine ecosystem, the summit will create opportunities to identify shared priorities and areas for future cooperation. It will also contribute to regional and international discussions on the field, and reinforce the UAE’s role as a centre for dialogue and collaboration in integrative medicine.
