An introduction brokered by Healthcare World has developed into a partnership between Re:Cognition Health and M42
Patients in the UAE will have greater access to specialist brain and memory care through a new partnership whose origins lie in a Healthcare World introduction.
Re:Cognition Health, a Healthcare World client, has partnered with Mubadala Health Dubai (MHD) and Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre, both part of M42, to establish its first clinical presence in the Middle East. The agreement was signed during Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, with the first phase launched in Dubai and a second phase planned for Al Ain.
The relationship began when Healthcare World Managing Director Steve Gardner brought the organisations together during an online event. That introduction opened a conversation between Dr Emer MacSweeney, CEO and Medical Director of Re:Cognition Health, and Dr Laila Abdel Wareth of M42 about combining international clinical expertise with established UAE diagnostic capabilities.
The agreement marks Re:Cognition Health’s first clinical presence in the region. It brings the organization’s expertise in memory, cognitive, neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions into M42’s multidisciplinary clinical and imaging network, creating a coordinated route from initial assessment to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care.
Expertise closer to home
For Re:Cognition Health, the development responds to demand from Middle Eastern patients already travelling to its London clinic. The organisation brings more than 15 years of experience in assessing and treating cognitive, neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions, with centres across the UK, US and Ireland.
“We already see many patients from the Middle East in our London clinic, so we understand the demand for highly specialised brain and mind care and the importance of bringing that expertise closer to home,” says Dr MacSweeney. “The UAE has built an ambitious healthcare ecosystem that embraces innovation, and M42 gives us an exceptional platform to contribute to it.”
The partnership brings that experience into local facilities, combining specialist clinical expertise from Re:Cognition Health with multidisciplinary services at Mubadala Health Dubai and imaging capabilities at Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre.
“TMIC’s molecular imaging capabilities will play an important role in supporting accurate diagnosis and treatment planning for patients in Al Ain and the wider Abu Dhabi region,” Dr. Laila Abdelwareth, CEO of Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre, says. “By connecting these capabilities with MHD’s clinical infrastructure and Re:Cognition Health’s specialist expertise, we are building a more connected model of memory and brain health care across the UAE.”
A connected diagnostic pathway
The initial service will focus on memory concerns, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Patients will receive a specialist consultation and clinical assessment, with further investigations recommended according to their needs.
These may include blood tests, MRI, amyloid PET imaging, cerebrospinal fluid analysis or genetic testing. Results will inform an individual care plan, taking account of diagnosis, medical history and treatment eligibility.
For eligible patients with early Alzheimer’s disease, options may include disease-modifying therapies, subject to clinical assessment and regulatory requirements. Specialist oversight and safety monitoring will form part of the treatment pathway.
Specialist laboratory testing through the National Reference Laboratory at M42 will complement molecular imaging at Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre. Together with clinical services at Mubadala Health Dubai, these capabilities are intended to support a connected pathway from initial assessment through diagnosis to treatment.
Access to those capabilities is particularly relevant as treatments such as Kisunla and Leqembi increase the importance of accurate diagnosis and appropriate patient selection, accompanied by continued monitoring.
Support for patients and families
The development also strengthens existing clinical provision at Mubadala Health Dubai, helping families understand the causes of cognitive changes and their options for care.
“At Mubadala Health Dubai, we are committed to bringing world-class expertise and innovative care pathways to our patients,” says CEO Dr Moza Ajaif Al Zaabi. “Our collaboration with Re:Cognition Health and Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre represents a significant step forward in strengthening memory and brain health services in the UAE.”
The connection between assessment and diagnostics is central to that ambition. Families need clarity about where to seek help and what happens after a diagnosis. The partnership is intended to bring those stages together across the participating services, with specialist support available through established local facilities.
Wider brain and mind services
Neurodevelopmental services will be introduced in phases, beginning with telemedicine consultations in Dubai. Drawing on established programmes at Re:Cognition Health, they will support assessment and management of conditions including ADHD and autism. Re:Cognition Health sees this work as complementary to the UAE’s focus on strengthening mental health services, alongside demand among parents and educators for access to experienced practitioners.
The staged approach gives the partners scope to develop services around local needs while drawing on expertise established internationally. For Re:Cognition Health, the choice of partner was closely linked to the facilities and diagnostic support required.
“Our decision to work with M42 was very deliberate,” says Dr MacSweeney. “They understand the UAE healthcare landscape, have excellent facilities and the advanced diagnostic capabilities we need, and they share our ambition to improve the health and longevity of the people we serve.”
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