Abu Dhabi expands fertility industry to become 'IVF capital of the world'

Health companies in Abu Dhabi are merging with the goal of making Abu Dhabi the "IVF capital of the world."

Key Takeaways:

• M42 and Olive Rock Partners are exchanging ownership of major health care assets in the United Arab Emirates, which has major implications for the Abu Dhabi fertility industry.

• Their goal is to expand IVF in Abu Dhabi, and it is being openly treated as a business venture, not as something that impacts human lives.

• This will likely only further add to the commodification of human beings in the Abu Dhabi fertility industry.

The Details:

The ambition of Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to become the “IVF capital of the world” is picking up momentum with a spate of high-profile strategic deals and corporate alliances that hope to impact the fertility landscape in the UAE. 

Global health company M42 and private equity firm Olive Rock Partners have decided to exchange ownership of major UAE health care assets, giving Olive Rock full sway over HealthPlus IVF and Women’s Health Abu Dhabi, including its pharmacy and genetics laboratory. In turn,  M42 is poised to fully take over United Eastern Medical Services (UEMS), a UAE healthcare provider that includes Danat Al Emarat hospital, Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, HealthPlus Family Health, HealthPlus Diabetes and Endocrinology and HealthPlus Diabetes Pharmacy. 

"This strategic realignment is a purposeful step in M42’s growth journey," Dimitris Moulavasilis, group CEO of M42, said. "It simplifies our structure, strengthens alignment across our care delivery assets and enhances integration for elevated system-level performance.”

Abdullah Shahin, founding partner at Olive Rock Partners, said, "We see enormous opportunity to advance fertility and women’s health," yet IVF actually has the potential to do harm to women's health.

IVF, with its high fees and repeat cycles, has been widely regarded to be a massive driver of revenue — but as Live Action News recently reported:

... IVF is... linked to an increased risk of hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes mellitus.

In addition, the children created through IVF who do survive are at risk of premature birth as well as multiple health conditions, including low birth weight, higher blood pressure, hormonal imbalances and advanced bone age, cardiovascular issues and cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, childhood leukemia, and even infertility. 

Restorative reproductive medicine-based treatments reportedly have a higher success rate than IVF.

Zoom In:

Another new collaboration between Olive Rock Partners and Cedro Strategy has been portrayed as a means to expedite Abu Dhabi’s IVF industry.

Olive Rock Partners is a Middle Eastern private equity firm, and Cedro Strategy is a consultancy known for scaling health care investments. Now they are teaming up to appeal to global fertility specialists, genetic testing startups, and lab innovators. The UAE's Vision 2030 plan is to increase its global medical influence. The companies hope to boost the growth of fertility clinics and reproductive biotech ventures across the UAE. 

In response to the announcement of the joint venture, Shahin further stated:

"HealthPlus IVF & Women’s Health represents a unique opportunity to build a next-generation fertility and women’s health platform for Abu Dhabi and the broader region. As we embark on this new chapter, our work with Cedro Strategy reflects our shared commitment to disciplined execution and long-term value creation. Our vision is fully aligned with Abu Dhabi’s ambition to attract world-class capabilities in fertility care, and we look forward to unlocking the full potential of this platform."    

Such a development towards fueling the IVF industry is disturbing, given that it is premised on the commodification and destruction of actual human being in their embryonic state. The vision of a global IVF hub is not a neutral health care strategy; it is a decision with moral implications. 

Why It Matters:

The tone of these business alliances is one of opportunity and innovation, but there is no mention of the moral implications.

The UAE is primarily Muslim. According to Teb Med Tourism, IVF is generally permitted in Islam “as long as it is carried out between a husband and wife in a valid marriage and complies with regulations that uphold the sanctity of marriage and safeguard family heritage.”

Yet, because IVF is regarded to “jeopardize ancestry and resemble the illegal act of adultery,” the practice is “not allowed for unmarried couples.” Teb Med Tourism also added that Islamic beliefs “forbid IVF for same-sex couples because they believe that reproduction is only acceptable when a man and a woman are legally married, protecting family structure and ancestry.”

However, ethical problems remain, especially when laboratories, genetic screening, and private equity money are tightly woven into the earliest stages of human existence. The business model that Olive Rock and Cedro are hoping to leverage is premised on this pipeline of “manufactured” laboratory embryos whose fate would be judged by patient desires and economic calculations.

When companies and investors talk about  “regional leadership” and “clinical excellence,” pro-life advocates must challenge such business-speak by questioning the notion of higher pregnancy rates at the expense of weeding out the “undesirable” embryos.

Abu Dhabi’s fertility ecosystem could easily slide into an eugenist mindset, and Abu Dhabi’s dream to become the “IVF capital of the world” would be littered with unwanted and discarded embryos. 

Can You Be Pro-Life And Support IVF?

The Bottom Line:

The question for policymakers and clinicians is whether any nation should seek to become the IVF capital of the world.