The three regulators in plain English
DHA governs Dubai healthcare facilities and professionals. DOH governs Abu Dhabi. MOHAP covers the Northern Emirates and federal-level oversight. A multi-emirate clinic group operates under all three.
What you can and can't say
Can: facility name, licensed services, doctor credentials, location/hours, generic patient education. Can't: superlatives ('best', 'leading'), guaranteed outcomes, comparative claims against competitors, before/after without explicit consent and approvals, inducements that compromise clinical judgement.
Building a compliant patient acquisition engine
Pre-approved creative library, regulator-aware briefs, a clinical reviewer in the workflow before publish, consent management on every form, and quarterly audit trails. NS MOM ships this end-to-end for UAE clinics.
Frequently asked
Do social media posts need DHA approval?＋
Promotional or service-related posts yes; pure educational content has more latitude but should still be reviewed.
Can we use influencers for clinic marketing?＋
Yes, but influencers must disclose, must not make clinical claims, and content must be pre-approved per regulator.
Is WhatsApp Business marketing regulated?＋
Yes: patient communications via WhatsApp fall under both PDPL and the healthcare regulator's advertising rules.
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