Dubai approves 2026 strategy and budget for Longevity Authority

Dubai is moving ahead with plans to establish itself as a global hub for longevity, wellness, and advanced healthcare, with a new strategy aimed at bringing together regulation, investment, scientific research, and innovation.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, has approved the strategy and operating budget of the Dubai Longevity Authority (DLA) following its inaugural board meeting.

The approval moves the authority from its establishment phase into implementation, as it seeks to develop a regulatory ecosystem for the Longevity, Wellness and Advanced Health sector.

“Dubai’s development model places people’s health, wellbeing and quality of life at the heart of its priorities,” Sheikh Hamdan said.

He added that the strategy aims to bring together innovation, talent, investment, and regulation to support scientific discoveries and turn them into solutions that can help people live longer, healthier lives.

Dubai established the DLA under Law No. 17 of 2026, with Sheikh Hamdan serving as its president and Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, as chairman. The authority is mandated to regulate activities across the sector, spanning research and clinical trials, manufacturing, delivery, and commercialisation.

The initiative also supports the objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and Dubai Social Agenda 33, which include strengthening the emirate’s quality of life and healthy life expectancy.

The DLA’s board has approved a strategy and operating budget focused on accelerating regulatory development, pilot programmes, and market activity.

Since its establishment, the authority has been developing its governance model and laying the groundwork for an activity-based licensing framework, minimum standards, and enforcement mechanisms.

Central to its plans is a Minimum Viable Product programme, which will provide a controlled environment for selected companies and innovators to test and scale new solutions under regulatory supervision.

The authority is also looking beyond regulation to develop a broader ecosystem around longevity and advanced health, with investment, intellectual property, talent, and infrastructure among its priorities.

Almarri said the approvals would allow the authority to accelerate its phased roadmap toward licensed activity and institutional investment, while seeking measurable improvements in healthspan and lifespan.

The next phase will see the DLA expand its regulatory capabilities and advance the pilot programme in partnership with government entities and federal authorities. It will also focus on strategic partnerships, attracting investment, and developing frameworks around data and intellectual property.

The wider goal is to create a regulated market that can attract companies, researchers, investors, and talent working across life sciences, biotechnology, medical innovation, wellness, and longevity.

When announcing the authority in June, the Dubai government said it would use a science-driven and risk-proportionate regulatory framework to oversee longevity-related therapies and innovations, while seeking to attract investment and specialised talent to the emirate.