Abu Dhabi, UAE, 12 November 2024: M42, a global health leader powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and technology, has called on healthcare, technology and academic leaders to join it in the battle against disease by shifting the focus of the healthcare industry from sickness to prevention, in a keynote speech by its Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer, Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, at the Longevity Forum.
Noting that humanity is facing “severe threats to health” and nations all around the world are under crippling strain with the rising burden of healthcare spending – with estimates reaching US$10 trillion by 2026 – Al Nowais emphasized the unsustainable nature of the current sickness model and called on global leaders to come together to forge greater collaboration on AI and genomics to progress the prevention agenda.
Speaking at the 7th Annual Longevity Forum, along with Jim Mellon, Co-founder of The Longevity Forum and Richard Meddings, NHS Chair, Al Nowais introduced the audience to how M42 is developing AI algorithms and solutions and integrating them into patient care to help disrupt traditional healthcare models. as Along with M42’s open-access clinical large language model called Med42 and pioneering AI-powered chest X-ray for early detection of tuberculosis, Al Nowais also detailed how M42’s Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi – where Al Nowais also serves as Chairman – is integrating AI into endoscopic colon screening with algorithms analyzing endoscopic images and videos to identify abnormalities, lesions and potential signs of cancer to help doctors create personalized treatment plans and remove precancerous polyps. “The key here is early detection and diagnosis, and then prevention,” he said.
“With AI, we’re increasingly able to take vast amounts of data—from patient records, lifestyle factors and genetic information—and use it to identify high-risk individuals long before symptoms arise.”
On genetic testing and genomics, Al Nowais hailed these as “the most transformative developments in preventative medicine” enabling healthcare practitioners to “look into the future and to make early interventions that are tailored to a patient’s unique DNA.”
Presenting a case study of how M42 is remodeling the healthcare system to one that drives early diagnosis and preventative action, Al Nowais mentioned a 36-year-old female patient who had a family history of colon cancer and whose mother had a mutation in her MLH1 gene, which is associated with Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that significantly increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Al Nowais detailed how with genetic testing, while the results came back negative for the MLH1 gene, the patient was positive for a BRCA1 gene mutation, which is associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Due to M42’s advancements in this area, the patient was able to identify a risk early on and is receiving increased observations and risk-reducing interventions for cancer prevention.
Calling on global leaders to join forces, Al Nowais further commented, “Together, we can march for the benefit of our people and the world. Health is a universal human right and preventative care is critical to reducing the immense health disparities that exist globally. As we push the boundaries of innovation, we must ensure that these advancements are accessible to everyone—regardless of geography or economic status. The democratization of care is vital for global health.
“The message is clear: the future of the world is in healthcare, and the future of healthcare is prevention, and the future of prevention is collaboration. We must work together, across borders and sectors, to pool our knowledge and resources. The stakes are too high for us to act in silos. Whether we’re talking about sharing genomics data, developing AI-driven models of care, or reforming outdated systems, we literally cannot afford to work alone.
“Prevention is the battleground where diseases must be fought if we are to have any chance of transforming healthcare and benefitting humanity. I ask you to join the fight!”
The 7th edition of the Annual Longevity Forum will cover a wide range of topics including new technologies, applications and research that support preventative medicine and health. James Sibley, Group Chief Financial Officer of M42, will be moderating a panel discussion titled, ‘Healthcare systems around the world’. This session will explore comparative healthcare systems worldwide, emphasizing diverse models, technology integration, healthcare equity and the unique challenges in delivering patient-centered care. With a global audience of healthcare professionals, policymakers and innovators, this discussion will set the stage for thought leadership on sustainable, integrated healthcare solutions and the transformative role of technology in advancing patient outcomes. Furthermore, Dr. Tiago Magalhaes, Vice President of Bioinformatics at M42, will be presenting on what lies at the intersection of precision medicine, research and translational medicine during the Science Summit at the University of Oxford.
M42 combines data-centric technologies and technical capabilities with world-class, human-centric patient care. Its Omics Centre of Excellence is the largest outside the U.S. and facilitates the research and sequencing for the Emirati Genome Programme (EGP) in collaboration with Khalifa University. The joint efforts of the government and M42 have led to the collection of almost 600,000 genome samples. M42 is thus committed in its integrated approach to delivering its promise of making the highest quality of care accessible to patients in the UAE and globally.
To learn more about the Annual Longevity Forum visit, https://thelongevityforum.com/annual-forum
About M42
M42 is a global tech-enabled health powerhouse committed to the sustainable future of health. The Abu Dhabi-headquartered company is transforming lives through innovative solutions that are solving the world’s most critical health and diagnostic challenges. By harnessing unique medical and data-centric technologies, including genomics and AI, M42 is delivering the highest level of personalized, precise, and preventative health solutions to impactfully disrupt the global health landscape.
M42 has over 20,000 employees and more than 450 facilities in 26 countries. Established in 2022, following the coming together of G42 Healthcare and Mubadala Health, M42 combines leading health technologies with state-of-the-art healthcare facilities to deliver world-class health solutions, services and care.
The M42 group includes Diaverum, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Imperial College London Diabetes Centre and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, among others.