DUBAI, 25th October, 2026 (WAM) — The UAE is emerging as one of the region’s most advanced markets for clinical diagnostics, as investment in genomics, integrated laboratory networks, artificial intelligence (AI), regulation and reimbursement accelerates the transition from scientific innovation to routine patient care, according to new analysis for World Health Expo (WHX) 2027, which opens in Dubai on 25th January 2027.
The latest report in an exclusive WHX series with Frost & Sullivan, From Infrastructure to Innovation: The GCC’s Growing Influence on Clinical Diagnostics, forecasts that the global clinical diagnostics market will expand from US$115.7 billion in 2026 to US$152.1 billion by 2031, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 5.5 percent.
The report noted that what distinguishes the UAE is not simply its investment in advanced technologies, but the country’s ambition to build the capabilities required to deploy them at scale. By advancing genomics, laboratory infrastructure, AI-enabled diagnostics and reimbursement in parallel, these markets are creating a model for how healthcare systems can accelerate adoption, strengthen clinical decision-making and translate innovation into measurable patient impact.
The Middle East market is estimated at US$5.4 billion in 2026, while the UAE is building strength in molecular diagnostics, decentralised testing and AI-enabled pathology, giving it growing strategic importance within the sector.
A clear example of this progress is the country’s investment in genomic infrastructure, which is helping move precision medicine further into mainstream clinical practice. The Emirati Genome Programme is building population-level genomic datasets to support personalised healthcare and research, while Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi provides precision oncology services, next-generation sequencing, genetic counselling and hereditary cancer testing.
Genetic testing has also become part of routine preventive healthcare. Since January 2025, genetic testing has been mandatory for Emiratis as part of premarital screening, covering 570 genes associated with more than 840 genetic conditions. The report also notes that reimbursement has expanded to cover oncology next-generation sequencing and companion diagnostics in the UAE.
Frost & Sullivan forecasts the global molecular diagnostics segment will grow from US$26.9 billion in 2026 to US$36 billion by 2031, driven by oncology molecular profiling, companion diagnostics and infectious disease surveillance.
The UAE is also expanding access to diagnostics while strengthening the laboratory infrastructure behind it. PureHealth’s PureLab, the UAE’s largest integrated laboratory network, conducted 34 million tests in 2025, up 17 percent year-on-year from 29 million in 2024.
This combination of centralised laboratory capacity and testing closer to the patient reflects one of the most significant shifts in diagnostics globally. Frost & Sullivan forecasts point-of-care testing to grow from US$19.1 billion in 2026 to US$26.2 billion by 2031, representing annual growth of 6.4 percent, as rapid testing platforms increasingly move into urgent care, community and other settings outside the traditional laboratory.
Frost & Sullivan’s analysis also notes shifts in how diagnostic technologies are procured. Large hospital groups and integrated primary care networks are becoming increasingly important customers, while connectivity, remote quality monitoring and laboratory information system integration are now becoming baseline requirements in GCC tenders. These shifts are also reshaping how the laboratory industry connects with the wider healthcare market.
WHX takes place from 25th to 28th January 2027 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai and Dubai World Trade Centre, and is expected to welcome more than 90,000 attendees, 4,200 exhibitors and representatives from over 195 countries.
Source: Emirates News Agency