Israeli GSF "Must Supply Betaseron To MS Patient"

In Israel, the Tel Aviv District Court has issued a temporary injunction requiring the General Sick Fund to finance or provide a multiple sclerosis patient with Schering AG's Betaseron (beta interferon). The patient, who is a GSF member, had claimed that Betaseron might improve her situation. The injunction holds until September, when a full hearing of the case will be held.

The monthly acquisition costs of Betaseron could be about NI$5,000 ($1,646), and in its written affidavit the GSF warned that compliance with the patient's request will bring identical claims from hundreds of other patients, and it will have to supply them with the drug at a cost of millions of dollars. The judge said his decision relates only to this specific cases, and should not be used as a precedent for any other until the court hearing on the case.

Drug Not Yet Approved By Israel's MoH Betaseron, which was recommended by GSF doctors for this patient, has not yet been approved by the Israeli Ministry of Health, so doctors requiring it must make special application to the MoH under the 29C regulation, which provides for the special supply of non-registered drugs and approved medications for as-yet unapproved indications. The MoH has approved 29C supply of Betaseron to individual hospital-based neurologists who wish to try it on MS patients.