Advanced New Drugs in 2012,The committee that decides which medicines are to be covered under Israel's national health law on Thursday announced its new list of covered medicines and treatments for the coming year. Beginning next week, the “medicine basket” will include an additional 77 medications, that will cover treatments for which some 70,000 Israelis have until now been forced to pay out of their own pockets.
Among the new medications & treatments to be added are Byetta & Victoza, treatments for Type-II (adult) diabetes; MucoClear, a treatment for cystic fibrosis; several treatments for eye issues, including Ganfort; drugs for fertility treatments, AIDS, osteoporosis, & schizophrenia; as well0 new drugs for treatment of various cancers, including Afintor for treatment of SEGA brain tumors a, a drug that six people in Israel currently take, at a cost of NIS 141,000 per person annually; as well as new medical technologies for treatment of paralysis, pregnancy issues, & oral care.
The costliest new medicines in the basket are Yerboy & Zelboraf, for treatment of melanoma; these drugs take up NIS 47 million of the NIS 300 million being laid out for the approaching year for these 77 new treatments. Altogether, the government will be spending NIS 6.7 billion on subsidized drugs next. Access to the drugs will be either free, or very low cost (most will cost Israelis NIS ten per treatment). All Israelis & their families who pay National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) levies, or who are covered for those payments, are covered by the national health law, & are eligible to receive the treatments.
