First publication: Veteran smokers will be sent to check for early detection of the disease • The pilot makes it possible that 40 million shs were vacated due to the delay in the decision of the Drug Basket Committee

• Illustration Illustration: GettyImages

First publication: The Ministry of Health will hold an experimental program (pilot) in cooperation with HMOs for early detection of fatal lung cancer. As part of the program, smokers will be sent to check for early detection of lung cancer. This is how members of the Drug Basket Committee convened today (Sunday) to discuss an advanced stage for a decision on the new drug basket. This is after a four-year struggle to put the test into the drug basket.

Photo: Association for Cancer War

Funding of the pilot program is made possible due to the delay in the decision of the Pharmaceutical Basket Committee this year. Due to the fact that the new drugs will only go into the basket next month, an amount of about NIS 40 million has been vacated once. Part of this amount will fund the new test. Alongside the pilot program, a national registry will be established to collect and monitor the data, so that in about two to three years the data will be used to decide whether to include the test regularly in the drug basket.

According to the plan drawn up by Professor Sigal Sadecki, head of the public health services at the Ministry of Health, sick funds will find current or past smokers 55 to 74 years old in their 30 "box years" (smokers box a day for 30 years or two boxes a day for 15 years). These smokers will be directed to perform a low-radiation CT scan that has been shown to help detect lung cancer. The pilot will first take place in defined areas

Nearly 2,000 Israelis die each year from lung cancer, and for the most part, about 70 percent of patients suffer from late-stage disease. According to studies, early detection tests can reduce lung cancer mortality by 40% in women and 26% in men.

The fight to put the test into the drug basket has been led for about four years by the Israeli Lung Cancer Association.

CEO and founder of the Israeli Lung Cancer Association, Dr. Shani Sheila: "I welcome the intention of the Health Basket Expansion Committee to include a pilot to conduct an early lung cancer screening survey. The association has fought for over four years to make this technology available to Israeli citizens "It's a historic decision that will undoubtedly reduce mortality rates from the deadliest cancer. At the same time, we urge and encourage you to quit smoking and resort to rehab programs that already exist in the health basket."

Prof. Nir Peled, chairman of the Israeli Lung Cancer Association: "Israel has made a significant step today and is joining the global trend that sees benefit in screening a survey for early diagnosis of lung cancer. Studies in recent years have proven beyond doubt that low CT testing itself saves lives. I congratulate the Ministry of Health on this important step. "

This year, the chair of the Hessel Committee, Prof. Ze'ev Rothstein, tried to look into the possibility of conducting a one-time examination of the examination, but encountered a negative opinion from the experts.