Israeli Health Experts Call for Action on Obesity Treatment Access

Israeli health professionals are urging for greater accessibility to innovative obesity treatments, highlighting significant delays and funding gaps. Kobi Tzuraf, CEO of Pharma Israel, stated at a conference on obesity that while drug prices in Israel are among the world's lowest, a considerable gap remains in making new treatments available. He pointed out a four-year delay from drug approval to patient access in Israel and called for an update to the national health basket, especially in light of the global health crisis.

Participants at the conference, which focused on the accessibility of innovative treatments, agreed that despite obesity being recognized as a chronic disease by the Israeli Medical Association less than a decade ago and by the Ministry of Health about two years ago, substantial disparities in treatment persist. Prof. Dov Albuker, VP and Head of the Medical Division at Meuhedet, noted that the current allocation for obesity in the health basket is only about one-third to one-quarter of what is needed. He emphasized that while Israel boasts excellent life expectancy, the final decade of life is often difficult, and greater investment in early intervention and prevention from childhood is crucial.

Dr. Karmil Azran, Director of the Medical Technologies Department at Maccabi Healthcare Services, acknowledged the significant progress in obesity treatment over the past decade, with a shift from solely bariatric surgeries to a wider array of medications and hormonal therapies. However, she stressed that patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are disproportionately affected and often do not receive the necessary innovative treatments, calling for creative solutions to help them.

Prof. Il Shor, Chairman of the Israeli Pharmacists Association, underscored the vital role of pharmacists as a central and accessible link in patient care, providing monthly support, addressing side effects, and offering education. He lamented that obesity is still not consistently treated as a disease in practice and suggested pharmacists should be empowered to renew prescriptions for obesity treatments. Albuker reiterated the need for a national plan involving various government ministries and authorities to expand services, shifting focus from treating diseases to prevention, especially from childhood.