Healthcare

Regulatory, commercial and liability advice for healthcare providers and professionals.

Healthcare and life sciences businesses operate within a closely regulated environment where patient care, scientific innovation and commercial priorities must remain aligned. We advise healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, laboratories, investors and other industry participants throughout the UAE.

Our work covers market entry, licensing, acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial agreements, product distribution, regulatory compliance, clinical research, data protection and sector-related disputes. Advice is tailored to the client’s activities, operating model and stage of development.

Regulatory requirements may vary according to the product, service, business activity and emirate concerned. We help clients coordinate federal and local requirements, manage regulatory risk and establish structures capable of supporting compliant and sustainable growth.

What we do

• Facility and professional licensing — Applications, renewals and variations for hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and individual practitioners before MOHAP, the DHA, the DOH and the free-zone regulators, including scope-of-practice and professional title questions.
• Medical malpractice defence — Defence of negligence claims before the medical liability committees and the courts. The committee stage is decisive, and it is where the technical case has to be made properly, not on appeal.
• Disciplinary and regulatory proceedings — Representation of practitioners facing investigation, suspension or revocation, and of facilities facing audit findings, penalties or closure orders.
• Patient data and confidentiality — Compliance with health information and data protection requirements, including records retention, disclosure, consent and the cross-border transfer of patient data.
• Provider and physician agreements — Employment and engagement agreements for physicians, management services agreements, clinical services contracts and revenue-sharing arrangements.
• Insurance and payer disputes — Claims, reimbursement and network disputes with insurers and third-party administrators, including denied, downcoded and delayed claims.
• Pharmaceuticals and medical devices — Product registration, import and distribution agreements, promotional compliance, and regulatory approvals for devices and health technology.
• Clinical research — Trial agreements, ethics and regulatory approvals, informed consent documentation, and ownership of intellectual property arising from research.
• Healthcare transactions — Acquisitions of clinics and clinic groups, joint ventures, and the licensing and credentialing diligence that must sit alongside the corporate work.

Who we act for

Hospitals and clinic groups, individual practitioners, insurers and third-party administrators, pharmaceutical and device companies, and healthcare investors.

Common questions

A patient has filed a complaint against me. What happens next?

The matter is generally referred to a medical liability committee, which assesses whether the standard of care was met. Its finding shapes everything that follows, so it should not be faced unrepresented.

Can I hold licences in more than one emirate?

Generally yes, but each regulator licenses separately and the requirements differ. Holding one licence does not entitle you to practise under another.

May we share patient records with an insurer?

Only so far as necessary and permitted, and with appropriate consent. Blanket disclosure is a common and serious compliance failure.

What diligence is needed to buy a clinic?

Corporate diligence plus licensing, practitioner credentialing, insurer contracts, outstanding complaints and any regulatory findings. The regulatory position often matters more than the balance sheet.