107 medicines and new technologies for 86 thousand patients

The public committee for the expansion of the basket of health services for 2026 recommended today (Thursday) the introduction of 107 new medicines and technologies, which are expected to provide a response to approximately 86,450 patients, at a total cost of NIS 650 million. The recommendations were presented at a press conference chaired by Minister of Health Haim Katz, Director General of the Ministry of Health Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Chair of the Basket Committee Prof. Dina Ben Yehuda and Committee Coordinator Prof. Esnat Luxenburg.

The main expansion this year focuses on the field of oncology. Among the drugs included: Imfinzi (Imfinzi) for bladder and stomach cancer in early stages around surgery; Tagrisso for lung cancer patients with EGFR mutation after surgery; Keytruda for head and neck cancer as well as advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer; Enhertu for HER2-Low breast cancer patients; And Adcetris (Adcetris) as first line for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

In addition, genomic profile tests were introduced to identify mutations in tumors in the digestive system for the purpose of adjusting drug treatment, and for the first time, acupuncture treatments were included to control pain among cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.

In the cardiology and metabolic field, biological drugs have been approved to reduce blood lipids for the secondary prevention of heart and brain events. Technology was introduced to burn the nerves of the renal arteries (denervation) to treat resistant hypertension, as well as “Flash” type sugar monitoring technology for pregnant women with type 2 diabetes.

YORVIPATH is the only hormone replacement indicated for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism, which achieves a significant improvement in patients’ functioning and quality of life indicators, prevents life-threatening complications such as kidney damage and more. Pluvicto is a target-focused radioligand therapy (RLT), which entered the drug basket for the first time this year for metastatic prostate cancer patients at an advanced stage, after exhausting other treatment lines.

Drug treatment for weight reduction in adolescents aged 12-18 is also included, subject to professional supervision. Eligibility for pulmonary rehabilitation was extended to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a shingles vaccine was introduced for immunocompromised persons aged 18 and over. Screening tests for the early detection of lung cancer were extended to smokers over the age of 60.

In the genetic field, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGT) was introduced as part of IVF treatments to identify mutations related to breast cancer and Lynch syndrome.

Health Minister Haim Katz said that “107 new technologies have been introduced for the benefit of 86,000 patients. No matter how much is given – it will never be enough.” The Director General of the Ministry of Health, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, added that in addition to oncology, answers were also given this year for chronic diseases and preventive technologies, and that “we remain with a sinking feeling in our hearts regarding those who did not receive an answer this year.”

Bar Siman Tov also referred to the preparations of the health system and said that the level of preparedness is determined by the Home Front Command. According to him, the ministry works in coordination with the security forces and raises the readiness of the system for possible scenarios, but there is no change in the level of national alertness or the alertness level of the hospitals.

The chairman of the basket committee, Prof. Dina Ben Yehuda, said that the committee’s work this year combined clinical considerations with a broad social commitment. According to her, alongside advanced treatments in oncology and personalized medicine according to the genetic changes in the malignant cell, emphasis was also placed on chronic diseases and their complications – diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and other diseases.

Ben Yehuda stated that drug therapy was introduced to reduce weight in adolescents aged 12-18, with professional guidance, as well as biological drugs to reduce blood lipids to prevent heart and brain events. In addition, technology for the treatment of hypertension through damage to the nerves of the renal arteries, sugar monitoring for pregnant women, a shingles vaccine for the immunocompromised and the expansion of screening tests for lung cancer were included. She also emphasized that for the first time a complementary treatment was introduced to suppress pain in cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, as well as a pre-root investigation to identify mutations related to breast cancer and Lynch syndrome.

Hagai Frankel (34), dealing with a low-grade glioma (brain tumor) and in need of warnigo treatment, is happy with the introduction of the medicine he needs in the basket. “The biological treatment I received changed my reality. After a moment when life stopped, it gave me the opportunity to continue living, dreaming and planning ahead without restraints. Knowing that this treatment is included in the medicine basket fills me with real joy. It means that more people in my situation will get real hope without having to fight for the funding as well,” he says.

There are also those who are disappointed – Nathalie Glitsky, 53 years old from Modi’in, the third generation in her family to suffer from ALS, the Kalsodi treatment was left out of the basket: “My heart is broken. For years we waited for a treatment that can slow down ALS, and when finally there is one, it is not accessible to everyone. I already feel daily improvement, I am able to raise my hands and the fatigue has decreased significantly, so it hurts me to know that other patients will not be able to have this chance. My mother and my uncle did not receive treatment Such, and now again only those who can afford it will be able to enjoy it, it’s just not fair.”

Imfinzi (Durvalumab) – perioperative bladder and stomach cancer

Tagrisso (Osimertinib) – lung cancer with EGFR mutation after surgery

Keytruda (Pembrolizumab) – head and neck cancer; Endometrial cancer

Enhertu (Trastuzumab Deruxtecan) – HER2-Low breast cancer

Adcetris (Brentuximab Vedotin) – Hodgkin lymphoma

Testing and genetics

Genomic profile tests in gastrointestinal tumors (MMR/MSI)

PTEN and AKT tests for treatment adjustment

PGT – pre-root genetic diagnosis for BRCA1/2 mutations and Lynch syndrome

Cardiology and metabolism

Biological drugs to reduce blood lipids in secondary prevention

Renal artery denervation for the treatment of resistant hypertension

“Flash” type sugar monitoring for pregnant women with type 2 diabetes

Lungs and vaccines

Expanding inclusion for pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Shingrix – shingles vaccine for immunocompromised persons aged 18 and over

Prevention of RSV in infants in the first season of life

Additional areas

Drug treatment for weight reduction in adolescents aged 12-18

Acupuncture treatments for cancer patients treated with chemotherapy

Adzynma – for a rare hematological disease (cTTP)