On 28 April 2021 the United Arab Emirates (UAE) federal government issued Ministerial Decision No. 51 of 2021 (the Decision) to clarify when health information may be stored or transferred outside of the UAE. The Decision should pave the way for many domestic and overseas healthcare service providers to continue processing, storing, and transferring health information outside of the UAE. The Decision follows last year’s publication of a follow-up resolution (Cabinet Resolution No. 32 of 2020).

This Client Alert lists the exemptions to the default position established in 2019 that health information must be kept within the UAE and provides an analysis on the implications for businesses.