The Health Ministry last week instructed Clalit Health Services to provide its cancer patients with the standard doses of necessary medication after the health maintenance organization tried to cut costs by reducing it.
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The ministry's announcement followed an expose by Israel Hayom's Hebrew edition on Friday, which detailed the controversial move by Clalit that, with 50% of Israelis using its services, is the largest healthcare provider in the country. The ministry effectively reversed a decision made by its Director-General Professor Hezi Levi earlier this year, which allowed the HMO to pursue the move in the first place.
The HMO had apparently decided to provide three cancer medications based on patients' weight rather than the generally accepted dose. According to Clalit documents, the purpose of the move was "to streamline the expenditures attributed to the most expensive drugs."
The full doses of all three drugs are included in the health services basket and therefore are funded by the state.
Clalit said in a statement that it would abide by the ministry's decision.
"The treatments for oncology patients offered by Clalit are among the most advanced and high-quality [in Israel]. They are administered with the utmost safety, and in accordance with international, research-based clinical standards, and approved by the Health Ministry.
"Clalit's work was examined in depth by the Health Ministry, which stated that the health fund's approach "does not diminish the patients' rights to receive safe and effective drug treatment.' The new approach only applies to new patients, and any doctor who would like their patients to receive a different dose can can request a medical discussion to examine each case individually," the HMO said.
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