The Dubai Longevity Authority: What Law No. 17 of 2026 Means for Patients
Dubai has created a dedicated regulator for longevity medicine. Here's a plain-English guide to the DLA, how it coordinates with the DHA, and what patients should look for in a longevity clinic today.
A new regulator for a new discipline
In 2026, Dubai issued Law No. 17 establishing the Dubai Longevity Authority — a dedicated regulator for longevity, wellness and advanced healthcare in the emirate. The Authority sits within the Dubai Economy & Tourism framework, with His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed as President and His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri as Chairman.
It is one of the first regulators anywhere in the world with an explicit remit over longevity as a discipline — not just the healthcare that overlaps with it. That matters, because longevity has for years existed in a grey zone between medicine and wellness marketing.
What the Authority actually regulates
The DLA's remit is broad by design: research and development, clinical trials, manufacturing of longevity-related therapeutics and diagnostics, and the clinics and practitioners who deliver longevity services to patients. In effect, it covers the full value chain from lab to patient.
For patients, the most relevant part is the clinic layer. As DLA guidance is published, we expect clearer definitions of what a longevity clinic is, what biomarker programmes should minimally include, and what claims can and cannot be made in marketing.
How this coordinates with the DHA
The Dubai Longevity Authority does not replace the Dubai Health Authority. The DHA continues to license clinicians and healthcare facilities under existing law. The DLA adds a longevity-specific regulatory layer, coordinating with the DHA on standards that apply specifically to this category of care.
In practical terms: a Dubai longevity clinic should be DHA-licensed today and should meet additional DLA-specific standards as they are published. The two frameworks are complementary, not competing.
What patients should look for now
Until the full DLA framework is published, the markers of a serious Dubai longevity clinic remain the same as the markers of good preventive medicine anywhere: a DHA-licensed facility, clinicians with recognised training, an evidence-based approach to biomarkers and lifestyle, and continuity of care with a named doctor over multiple years.
Be sceptical of clinics whose model rests on marketing categories that the evidence base does not support — luxury IV drips as anti-ageing, exotic proprietary protocols without published outcomes, or one-off assessments with no follow-up. These are the areas most likely to come under DLA scrutiny.
Aafiyah's position
Aafiyah Care Clinic is a DHA-licensed British-led private GP practice in Business Bay. Our longevity model is deliberately unglamorous — a named British-trained GP, an annual comprehensive biomarker panel, structured lifestyle medicine and early detection, delivered continuously over years.
This is the model the primary-care evidence base most consistently supports and, in our view, the model any longevity-specific regulation is most likely to build on. As the DLA publishes formal guidance we will align to any additional standards it introduces.
Read our full explainer at /longevity/what-is-the-dubai-longevity-authority, or book an annual review with a named British GP.
Frequently asked
Do I need to check if a Dubai clinic is licensed by the DLA?
The DLA framework is being rolled out. Today, the primary check is that the clinic is DHA-licensed and its clinicians hold recognised medical qualifications. As the DLA publishes licensing categories, we recommend confirming clinics meet those additional standards.
Will the DLA regulate wellness IV drips and supplements?
The Authority's remit covers longevity-related therapeutics, diagnostics and clinical services — which is likely to include claims made about IV drips and supplements as longevity interventions. Formal guidance is expected as the framework rolls out.
Book a consultation on WhatsApp
Speak with a British-trained GP at Aafiyah Care Clinic, Unit G09, Churchill Executive Towers, Business Bay, Dubai. We reply directly on WhatsApp — clinic visits and home visits available across Dubai.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppMedical disclaimer: The information in this article is provided for general educational and informational purposes only, in line with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) guidance. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a DHA-licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any healthcare plan.