Dubai: The 12th edition of the International Family Medicine Conference and Exhibition (IFM 2025) successfully concluded in Dubai, bringing together 50 leading brands from the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors and featuring over 45 expert speakers across three days, alongside more than 120 poster presentations.
According to Emirates News Agency, the conference was designed for family medicine practitioners, general practitioners, and healthcare professionals, offering specialised sessions on topics such as gut health, functional and integrative medicine, genetics in family medicine, liver and kidney diseases, the use of artificial intelligence to ease diagnostic workload, palliative care, and self-care for healthcare providers. This year, mental health emerged as a key pillar of public health, reflecting its growing global importance and the need to integrate mental wellbeing into family medicine.
Amb. Dr. Abdulsalam AlMadani, Roving Ambassador of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) for the GCC Region and Chairman of IFM, announced that the 2026 edition will be held in partnership with DUPHAT. He emphasized the commitment to advancing family medicine across the region, focusing on developing primary healthcare systems, promoting knowledge exchange, and fostering collaboration across institutions to empower practitioners, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen public health infrastructure in the GCC and beyond.
The upcoming conference will prioritize critical and emerging topics such as mental health, microbiology, and gut health, which are essential for advancing family medicine and improving overall patient care. The sessions aim to equip healthcare professionals with practical insights and evidence-based approaches to address these pressing health challenges effectively.
Dr. Ibtesam AL Bastaki, Scientific Chair of the IFM Scientific Committee, highlighted the importance of family medicine in community health and preventive care. The 2026 edition, in partnership with DUPHAT, will focus on enhancing practitioners’ skills and advancing primary healthcare to build a stronger and healthier community.
By assembling leading experts, researchers, and practitioners, IFM 2025 reinforced its role as a vital platform for advancing primary healthcare, promoting holistic wellbeing, and addressing evolving health priorities globally.
Additionally, DUPHAT 2026, scheduled for next March, will introduce a new theme, ‘Reformulating The Future of Pharma.’ It will feature five segments: Pharma, Parapharma, Vitashow, TECH, and Startups, comprehensively representing the pharmaceutical value chain. For the first time, DUPHAT will host the VITASHOW Nutrition Conference, focusing on clinical and applied nutrition, enhancing knowledge exchange and innovation in the field.
DUPHAT and IFM are organized by INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions Org., a member of INDEX Holding, known for delivering high-profile healthcare and pharmaceutical events in the region.