Last update - 00:00 20/11/2007
IMA launches independent committee on subsidized medicines
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent
The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) appointed on Tuesday an independent committee to deal with the health basket of subsidized medicines.
The IMA has withdrawn from the governmental committee on the issue, claiming that the sick are underrepresented and that the input of doctors and economists in the committee is far too limited.
The independent committee is chaired by former Supreme Court justice Dalia Dorner, and its members include former chief rabbi Eliahu Bakshi-Doron, the journalist Eitan Haber, former army chief Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, head of the Israel Health Consumers Association Meidad Gissin and a number of doctors and public figures.
The IMA said that the shadow committee will formulate a basket costing NIS 500 million, which constitutes two percent of the entire health budget, as opposed to the current basket, worth only NIS 272 million.
IMA chief Dr. Yoram Blachar said that the newly established committee will submit reports to the governmental committee and will constitute an advisory board.
A top Health Ministry official said that the shadow committee has no legal effect, and the governmental committee will ignore its recommendations.
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