Across the world, nearly three million people live with multiple sclerosis, a condition in which the immune system attacks a protective sheath surrounding nerve cells, often causing gradually worsening disability.
A study last year described the UAE as a “medium to high-risk area”, where the disease, commonly known as MS, shows “a steady increase” in prevalence – but the country is pushing ahead with new potential therapies.
Clinicians have announced the results of the first series of stem cell transplants for MS in the UAE, reporting that some patients have improved disability scores 12 months after treatment, and that none worsened.
The study’s lead author, Dr Ruqqia Mir of Yas Clinic Khalifa City, run by Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre, said she and her colleagues were “very encouraged by the results”, although a longer follow-up is needed.
“In a condition such as multiple sclerosis, where disability often progressively worsens o
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