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CC BY 4.0 · Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1814420
State of the Association

Gulf Association of Endocrinology and Diabetes in 2025

Authors

  • Wiam I. Hussein

    1   Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal Bahrain Hospital, Manama. Bahrain

  • Thamer Alessa 

    2   Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Jaber Al-Ahmed Hospital, Kuwait

Financial Support and Sponsorship Nil.
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The Gulf Association of Endocrinology and Diabetes (GAED) currently serves as the premier scientific platform for promoting excellence in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism throughout the Gulf region. Founded in 2012 on a foundation of collaboration and innovation, GAED embodies a cohesive community of physicians, researchers, and educators committed to enhancing patient outcomes and shaping the future of health care in the region.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Despite initially operating under a different name and later transitioning from the Gulf Chapter of American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) to the GAED, confusion persists regarding these two names in the Gulf region.

Our Journey: From Vision to Leadership (2012–2025)

  • 2012: A visionary group of endocrinologists, led by Dr. Wiam Hussein, established the AACE Gulf Chapter to enhance care standards and create a collaborative platform for specialists throughout the region.

  • 2013 to 2019: During this period, the chapter organized annual congresses, launched specialized training programs, and established its peer-reviewed scientific journal, thereby becoming a respected voice in endocrinology and diabetes in the region.

  • 2020: Following the dissolution of international AACE chapters, the Gulf Chapter transitioned into the GAED, which was officially registered in Dubai as an independent, nonprofit international organization. The congress was held virtually.

  • 2021: GAED hosted its first independent annual virtual congress, solidifying its position as a leading scientific hub in the region.

  • 2022: GAED successfully conducted its inaugural hybrid congress in Riyadh, marking a return to in-person scientific engagement while enhancing digital participation across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

  • 2023: The Muscat congress attracted over 1,200 attendees from the region and beyond, featuring more than 46 cutting-edge scientific sessions and an osteoporosis training program presented by global experts.

  • 2024: GAED “The Renaissance” expanded collaborative initiatives, improved the global visibility of its scientific journal, and reinforced its leadership in education, guidelines, and research. The congress took place in Abu Dhabi, the same city that hosted the first congress in 2013.

  • 2025 and beyond: GAED continues to drive innovation, cultivate international partnerships, and serve as the leading scientific authority in endocrinology and diabetes within the Gulf region.


Scientific Contributions

GAED has established its annual congress as the region's flagship scientific event, attracting global experts and showcasing the latest advancements in clinical endocrinology and diabetes care. Each year, the congress features:

  • Pre-congress sessions covering dedicated and focused clinical presentations.

  • Plenary lectures from world-leading authorities.

  • Parallel sessions covering adult and pediatric endocrinology.

  • Meet-the-expert symposia and interactive workshops.

  • Oral and poster presentations highlighting original research.

  • Awards and recognition for the best scientific contributions and the Ibn Sina award.

  • The Medal Lecture presented by the regional top researchers.

  • Debates started in 2024 with outstanding success and a plan to repeat annually.

In addition, GAED's Endocrine Review Course, which has been running for over a decade, remains a cornerstone of continuous medical education, delivering evidence-based updates and practical insights to physicians and fellows in training across the GCC.

GAED's Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice has become a respected scientific platform, enabling Gulf physicians and researchers to share their findings with the broader medical community. The journal continues to promote high-quality clinical research, systematic reviews, and innovations in the field of endocrinology and diabetes management.[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]


Future Strategies

Through the dedicated board members, the board of directors has put together strategic priorities for 2025, built on collaboration and excellence. Strategic priorities include:

  • Expanding regional and international partnerships: formed an affiliation with the European Society of Endocrinology and the Global Endocrine Leadership Coalition of the Endocrine Society in the United States, providing numerous benefits to the association and its members.

  • Strengthening webinar activities: offered a year-round series of webinars on various practical topics in endocrinology and diabetes.

  • Enhancing endorsements: increased GAED's endorsement of various congresses, local conferences, and regional guidelines.

  • Revamping the website: updated the website to provide a more interactive and accurate overview of the association's history and activities, including on-demand videos of all past congresses and webinars, as well as an Arabic version for community awareness.

  • Improving social media presence: focused on all social media platforms to enhance visibility, share updates about the association, and attract more followers and members.

  • Joint publications and studies: collaborated on publications and studies between GAED and other societies worldwide.

  • Establishing the Presidential Advisory Board: for the first time, an advisory board is formed, comprising past presidents of the association as lifetime members, thereby creating a permanent body of wisdom and expertise to guide future leadership.


Closing Remarks

As GAED enters 2026, its mission remains unequivocal: to serve as a guiding light of scientific leadership, empower health care professionals, and shape the future of endocrinology and diabetes care throughout the Gulf. Through annual congresses, flagship training programs, collaborative research, and advocacy efforts, GAED has established a platform that bridges science and practice, effectively addressing the region's most urgent health care challenges together.



Conflict of Interest

None declared.

Authors' Contributions

Equal.


Compliance with Ethical Principles

Not applicable.



Address for correspondence

Wiam I. Hussein, MD, FACE
Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal Bahrain Hospital
Manama
Bahrain   

Publication History

Article published online:
18 December 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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