Health basket committee recommends additions

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
The cabinet was due to consider adding three additional medical technologies, at a cost of approximately NIS 31 million, to the basket of health services. The Health Ministry's basket committee's recommendations included Taxotere for treatment of advanced breast cancer. The addition would aid 350 patients and was expected to cost some NIS 16 million. The committee also recommended pre-implantation genetic diagnosis for 50 women who have had repeated miscarriages due to chromosomal abnormalities, at a cost of NIS 1.72 million, and Myozyme, a treatment for the genetic disorder Pompey's Disease. The recommendations were made on August 10, but they were announced only on Sunday. Funds for expanding the basket was already allocated a few months ago.