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Last update - 14:58 19/06/2008 Cost of medicine to go down by 6.3 percent next month By Haaretz Service Tags: Health  Medicine prices will go down by 6.3 percent next month, according to a Health Ministry statement released on Thursday. The move reflects changes in global exchange rates, which have seen the dollar significantly drop against the shekel. In the coming year, medicine costs will go down by 27 percent. Physicians for Human Rights, an Israeli NGO, said in response, "The organization welcomes the decision to lower the cost of medicine, but believes we shouldn't stop there, and calls for the complete abolition of co-payments. Roughly 30 percent of the poor population in Israel forgoes treatment and medicines because of co-pays. A minimal drop in medicine costs isn't a sufficient or genuine response." In the beginning of May, the average cost of prescription drugs went up by 3.2 percent because of the rising value of the euro against the shekel. That constituted the first price hike in two years, during which medicine costs went down by a total of 20 percent. Advertisement Last month, the Israeli Medical Association, a union in which most of the country's doctors are members, warned of an increasing imbalance in access to health service between the center of the country and the periphery and between the rich and the poor. The doctors' union also warned that the gaps are likely to grow, as there is no government policy or initiative to bridge them, as apposed to in most European countries and the United States. A survey commissioned by the union shows that 13 percent of the public said they forwent medicine and medical treatment for their elderly parents; 31 percent said they decided to skip treatment at least once in the last year due to high costs of medicine; ten percent decided against going to the doctor; and six percent forwent medical treatment for their children. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fragile cease-fire Olmert: Gaza cease-fire is fragile, may be short lived. Unbalanced stance Italy FM: EU stance on Israel in past swayed by intolerance.

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