UAE commits to national rules, research agenda for traditional medicine

The United Arab Emirates announced four national commitments on traditional, complementary and integrative medicine at the opening of the second Al Shifaa Summit for Integrative Medicine in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The commitments, set out by the UAE Integrative Medicine Council, cover national rules and clinical guidelines, the country's first research agenda for integrative medicine, the training of health workers, and international cooperation. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported the announcement on October 21 and said it is aligned with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

The UAE's announcement sets out to build one national framework for a field that covers many different systems, from Emirati traditional medicine to therapies that came from other parts of the world. Its stated aim is that treatments offered to patients should meet the tests of safety, effectiveness and scientific evidence, the same tests applied to conventional care.

The word that runs through all four commitments is evidence. The council says the new guidelines will focus on treatments that are safe, effective and supported by scientific evidence, and the research agenda is meant to guide studies on approaches that combine traditional practices with conventional care. WHO has described the commitments as aligned with its Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, its plan for this field for the ten years to 2034.

For Ayurveda, the step matters because the UAE is one of the places outside India where the system is formally recognised. The federal government portal lists Ayurveda among the traditional, complementary and alternative medicine fields that are licensed, and the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi publishes a scope of practice that includes a separate section for Ayurveda practitioners. National guidelines and a research agenda could, over time, shape what Ayurveda clinics in the country may offer, how their products are checked, and what training their practitioners need.

The announcement does not by itself change any treatment rule today. The council has not yet published the text of the guidelines or a full timeline, and the details of how each discipline will be assessed are still to come.

Short-term: Practitioners and clinics of traditional and complementary medicine in the UAE, including Ayurveda centres, will watch for draft guidelines and any change in licensing or clinical standards.

Long-term: If the guidelines and research agenda are carried through, treatments that are offered in the UAE will be expected to show stronger scientific support, and practitioners may face clearer training requirements. The move also adds the UAE to the countries working along the lines of the WHO strategy.

Who is affected: Licensed traditional medicine practitioners in the UAE, among them Ayurveda practitioners; patients who use these therapies; conventional doctors who refer to or work alongside them; and makers of traditional medicine products sold in the country.

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