Lawrenceville, NJ, USA, Apr 03: ISPOR The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research has announced the publication of a special themed section in Value in Health Regional Issues, presenting a comprehensive body of research aimed at advancing value-based healthcare across the Arabian Gulf and the wider Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Published in the March 2026 issue, the collection of nine research papers—guest edited by Paul Revill, Sara Al-Dallal, and Anderson Stanciole—explores how evolving healthcare systems and policy reforms are shaping outcomes across the region.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates—have seen rapid economic growth, positioning them among the world’s highest-income nations. However, the broader MENA region continues to face disparities, including areas affected by conflict, fragility, and unmet healthcare needs.
“When we launched the call for papers, our aim was to understand how dynamic health financing and reform agendas are catalyzing change across the region and shaping global conversations on value-based healthcare,” the guest editors noted. “These studies collectively strengthen the regional evidence base and guide how health economics can inform policy in complex health systems.”
Key Research Themes
The themed section is structured around three major focus areas:
1. Saudi Arabia: A Health System in Transition
The research highlights ongoing healthcare reforms in Saudi Arabia, including challenges such as the economic burden of schizophrenia, balancing cost-effective generic medicines with high-cost innovations like targeted cancer therapies, and improving patient-reported outcomes in chronic disease care.
2. Evolving Mortality and Health Needs Across MENA
Studies examine shifting disease burdens across the MENA region, where cancer and cardiovascular diseases are leading causes of death. Research from Jordan reveals that while maternal mortality rates are declining, the economic and social impact remains significant.
3. Addressing Broader Determinants of Health
The research also explores public health challenges beyond clinical care, including child malnutrition in Yemen and the potential impact of fiscal policies—such as food and beverage taxation—on reducing noncommunicable diseases in Saudi Arabia.
Driving Future Healthcare Priorities
According to the editors, the findings point to several priorities for strengthening value-based healthcare across the region:
- Increased investment in health economics research and infrastructure
- Stronger institutional frameworks, including health technology assessment
- Better integration of healthcare data for informed decision-making
- Enhanced regional and global collaboration for shared learning and best practices
“Shared learning and the collective pursuit of best practices will be critical to improving health outcomes across the Gulf and wider MENA region,” the editors added.
This special issue underscores the growing role of health economics in shaping policy, improving healthcare efficiency, and ensuring sustainable health systems in rapidly evolving economies.
