24 September 2019, UAE: The Department of Health Abu Dhabi recently authorized Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women and Children, part of United Eastern Medical Services (UEMedical), to conduct clinical human subject research as an accredited Scientific Medical Research Center in Abu Dhabi.
This accreditation comes in line with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi strategies in supporting clinical research and supporting healthcare providers to spearhead in conducting scientific research related to humans; ensuring safety, responsibility and ethics in this field in compliance with the medical liability law. The Department obligates all operating facilities in the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi that are accredited as research centers to form an Ethical committee for scientific research.
Dr. Asma Al Mannaei, Healthcare Quality Division Director at Department of Health Abu Dhabi said, “The Department of Health Abu Dhabi supports scientific and medical research on different medical issues in the local community, and encourages healthcare providers to play a role in clinical research abiding with the ethics of research. Accrediting healthcare providers to conduct clinical research will support our mission in elevating public health, enhancing healthcare services provided, promoting general wellbeing amongst the communities, contributing in increasing the efficiency of treatment and limiting chronic diseases on the long run.”
Mr. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, CEO and Managing Director of United Eastern Medical Services (UEMedical), the parent organization of Danat Al Emarat Hospital, emphasized on the importance of this accreditation, which qualifies the hospital’s different departments to conduct scientific and medical research through numerous studies on medical and diagnostic results, and laboratory samples after obtaining the consent of patients, in accordance with the approved protocols of the research ethics committee.
“This accreditation showcases the Department of Health Abu Dhabi’s vision in the field of research and their support towards medical facilities to actively participate in scientific and clinical research, thus improving medical services and identifying public health issues, which also results in opening new horizons for new innovative treatments and diagnosis tools. This will also provide a proper academic environment for our medical and nursing staff, which is also supported by our clinical partnerships with leading international healthcare providers such as The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Canada, Moorfields Eye Hospital London, University College London Hospitals and others,” Mr. Al Shorafa added.
Dr. Essam El Shamma, Senior Medical Advisor to the Board at UEMedical clarified that the hospital’s management formed a Research Ethics Committee to approve and supervise the research conducted in the hospital. This committee also provides our clinicians with intensive training courses on ethics of scientific research, monitors the development and results of research and provides reports to the Department of Health ensuring protection and safety of patients and the ethical conduct of all human-related research activities, which we aim to also publish in international medical journals.
“This accreditation will also showcase the medical competencies of our clinicians in different specializations. Danat Al Emarat will also participate in international scientific research in collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi that will be presented in international medical conferences,” Dr. El Shamma added.
From his side, Mr. Mariano Gonzalez, CEO of Danat Al Emarat Hospital said, “Danat Al Emarat Hospital has advanced departments that support scientific research, including internationally-accredited laboratories, the neonatal intensive care unit, fetal medicine unit, minimally invasive gynecology, bariatric surgery, pediatric neurology, pediatric gastroenterology and pediatric surgery and many other subspecialties. We also collaborate with our sister facility, Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi for retinopathy of prematurity screening for all premature babies and newborns, in addition to our early screening programs including heart problems in newborns; which we aim to include as one of our research studies.”
“The hospital is committed towards conducting scientific and clinical research according to international clinical protocols that are approved in Abu Dhabi; to achieve the desired outcomes and to promote Abu Dhabi as a leader in the field of innovation and scientific research,” Mr. Gonzalez concluded.