The committee responsible for approving new pharmaceuticals to be included in the national health basket, which permits HMOs to offer the drugs, last week added 89 new drugs to that basket. According to health officials, this will provide new hope to some 340,000 people, who to date were unable to afford medications that promise to assist them. The committee’s decision requires cabinet and health council approval, which usually does not present a major obstacle.

The new drugs should be made available as soon as January 2009, providing a working budget of NIS 415 million towards improved technology. Some of the new drugs will provide relief for cancer patients as well as victims of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), asthma and diabetics.

A big winner are many victims of colon cancer, 325 people to be exact, who hoped a new drug would be approved, which it was.

Some of the new drugs appearing on the list are Erbitux (colon cancer), Almita, Tarceva (lung cancer), Singulair (asthma), Lsentress, Reyataz (AIDS), Daivonex (psoriasis).

Some of the hopefuls which were not included in the health basket are Zyban, Champix (to stop smoking), Tykerb, Avastin (breast cancer), Azilect, Exelon (Parkinson’s), Lucentis (retina), Afinitor, and Torisel (kidney cancer).

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)