Today, the government approved the public committee’s recommendations to expand the 2026 health services basket.
The basket now includes 650 medicines and technologies at a total cost of 86.45 million shekels, benefiting around 107,000 people.
This year’s health services basket brings significant updates across many medical areas.
Notable medicines and technologies include:
Cancer Treatments:
- Advanced medicines and drug combinations for various cancers using innovative mechanisms, including immunotherapy, biologics, and personalized cancer treatments. Advanced pre-surgical treatments for head and neck, bladder, and stomach cancers.
- Genomic profiling tests to detect mutations in gastrointestinal tumors for personalized drug treatment.
- For the first time, complementary cancer treatments have been added: a series of acupuncture sessions for chemotherapy patients to help manage pain, provided under medical supervision in integrative medicine clinics.
- Expanded lung cancer screening for smokers, now starting at age 60 (previously 65).
Metabolic and Chronic Disease Treatments:
- Weight-loss medication for adolescents aged 12–18, combined with professional guidance, added for the first time.
- Advanced cholesterol-lowering drugs for thousands of Israelis to prevent recurrent heart and stroke events (secondary prevention).
- Medications for heart, lung, diabetes and complications, liver and bile diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, kidney patients and dialysis, skin, eye, urology, osteoporosis, rheumatic diseases, allergies, and hematological conditions.
- New treatments for depression and attention disorders.
- Expanded eligibility for pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Vaccines, Technologies, and Other Treatments:
- Shingles vaccines for immunocompromised individuals aged 18 and older.
- Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) in IVF to detect mutations increasing risk for breast cancer and Lynch syndrome.
- Renal artery catheterization technology (denervation) for patients with treatment-resistant hypertension.
- Advanced glucose monitoring (“flash”) technology for pregnant women with type 2 diabetes.
- Medications for rare diseases, including genetic skin disorders, rare endocrine syndromes, and cTTP.