Basket Committee Discussions in the Last Line Israel today

The discussions of the Drug Basket Committee are entering the second and final phase, when the concluding round of discussions will begin this morning, in which the members of the Public Committee for the Expansion of the Drug Basket will discuss about 200 drugs and technologies rated by them as important and essential for patients.

Among the drugs: drugs for cancer patients, migraines, obesity prevention, genetic testing and more.

About 850 medicines and technologies were submitted to the health services basket this year, with a total cost of more than NIS 3 billion, with the budget amount intended to expand the basket set at NIS 550 million.

During two and a half months of discussions the committee members have already sifted through many drugs and will have to decide on how many dozen drugs out of 200 will enter the health basket and be given to patients free of charge.

The committee's deliberations are expected to end in about two and a half weeks, on January 8.

The committee is headed by Prof. Yonatan Halevi, former director of Shaare Zedek, and its members are doctors, representatives of health funds, representatives of the public and representatives of the Ministries of Health and Finance.

Three treatments received the highest rating (9A): treatment for patients with early-stage Tagrisso lung cancer, which demonstrated an 83% reduction in recurrence of disease or death;

Drelex treatment for patients with multiple myeloma (a type of leukemia);

And an extension of screening tests to detect carriers of genetic diseases in the general population.

Cancer treatments

Among the notable treatments that received a high rating and advanced to the next stage are Anharto - a breakthrough in the treatment of HER2 metastatic breast cancer patients;

Expanding papillomavirus vaccine that causes cancer of the cervix, pharynx and more for women and men aged 21-26;

Tagrisso - Biological treatment for early-stage lung cancer;

The drug Gatex, for the treatment of children suffering from "short bowel syndrome" and in need of venous nutrition;

Libtio - immunotherapy for the treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer;

Forsiga treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease;

Extension of funding for abortions for women over the age of 33 who have received the approval of the Termination Committee;

Dupixant for the treatment of benzal polyposis, perloant and rapata - injections to reduce cholesterol and prevent recurrent heart attacks;

Linphrase for prostate and pancreatic cancer patients with BRCA mutation;

Opedivo - Immunotherapy for esophageal cancer;

Osmic for the treatment of diabetes, pacemaker and gallbladder for the treatment of resistant depression;

Slinkro - a preparation designed to reduce the use of alcohol, and more.

In addition, it is proposed to extend the exemption from payment in the emergency room to additional indications such as epileptic seizure, snakebite, life-threatening allergic reaction and more.

Drugs and technologies that have not received a high rating and will not be given to patients in the coming year by public funding are: Extending the age of eligibility for mammography from age 50 to age 40, for gout in Parkinson’s patients with severe motor fluctuations.

Picari treatment for advanced breast cancer with a PIK3CA mutation, treatment of convulsions, preservation of fertility through egg freezing to prevent the loss of fertility associated with a woman's age and more.

"I have come to life-threatening"

Eliezer Ben Harush (56) from Megadim suffers from kidney failure.

About four years ago, he was discharged from the IDF with the rank of brigadier general and in his last position served as chief technology and maintenance officer.

Although Eliezer was diagnosed early, he had to be hospitalized several times.

"My big concern is the need for dialysis."

Ben Harush and other patients with kidney failure need the drug "Forsiga", which is nominated this year for the drug basket.

"I hope that through a change in lifestyle and medication I can avoid the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant - treatments that are accompanied by risks and complications."

Brigadier General (Res.) Eliezer Ben Harushmaia Ostoev,

Maya Osteoev (26) from Ramla already has a history of 4 surgeries to remove polyps from the nose.

"Two months before the army, I had surgery to remove the polyps in my nose and I was sure I had healed," Maya says.

Three months after the surgery, Maya's condition deteriorated again.

"I had to undergo three more surgeries. I suffered a lot in those days and did not really function," she says.

Maya hopes the drug "Dupixant" will be included in the basket this year.

"Although polyposis is not a cancer, it is definitely a disease that is impossible to live with. I have often been to a life-threatening emergency room."

Maya Osteoev,

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