Abu Dhabi: The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH) in collaboration with Pfizer Gulf hosted a specialised workshop titled 'Harnessing the Power of Real World Data in Healthcare Research,' as part of the strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two entities in 2024.
According to Emirates News Agency, the MoU underscores a shared commitment to strengthening Abu Dhabi's position as a global hub for healthcare innovation by advancing real world data (RWD) capabilities and enabling data-driven, evidence-based decision-making.
The workshop brought together more than 60 researchers, data scientists, pharmacists, and healthcare professionals from across Abu Dhabi's leading hospitals and academic institutions. They explored how real-world evidence (RWE) can be leveraged to advance research, improve health outcomes, and enable more personalized care.
The event served as a platform to foster knowledge exchange and scientific dialogue, supporting Abu Dhabi's ambition to become a global centre for health and life sciences. Through the MoU, Pfizer and DoH are working jointly to enhance real-world data capabilities, focusing on driving local evidence generation and building research capacity that addresses both national and global healthcare priorities.
Dr. Nadine Tarcha, Medical Director at Pfizer Gulf, emphasized the company's role in shaping the future of healthcare research through meaningful partnerships. She stated, 'At Pfizer, we believe real-world data is key to generating insights that complement clinical trials and accelerate patient-centred innovation. Through this collaboration with the Department of Health, we aim to empower local research, strengthen evidence generation, and improve access to better health outcomes.'
The workshop agenda included a range of expert-led discussions on the use of RWD from national databases, differences between RWE and traditional clinical trials, study design and bias, regulatory considerations, and governance models for data access.
A panel discussion was also held featuring representatives from the Department of Health, the UAE Genome Programme, M42, and global Pfizer RWE leaders to explore the potential of Abu Dhabi's Trusted Research Environment in advancing scientific discovery.
This initiative is part of a broader effort under the MoU to foster long-term public-private partnerships that enhance Abu Dhabi's global competitiveness in biomedical research, genomics, and precision medicine. It reinforces both entities' commitment to advancing data-driven solutions that improve health outcomes in the UAE and beyond.