Who is entitled to funding for the new medical cannabis insurance benefit?

As part of improving the service for victims of hostilities, the National Insurance has signed a new exclusive agreement with the company Syqe that develops and markets a medical cannabis inhaler.

  The National Insurance Institute building in Jerusalem (photo credit: SYQE/MAARIV)
The National Insurance Institute building in Jerusalem
(photo credit: SYQE/MAARIV)

The National Insurance Institute (NII) will fully finance medical cannabis treatment using a metered inhaler for victims of hostilities - acts of terrorism or criminal violence. The NII will be collaborating with the Israeli med-tech company Syqe in order to make sure that those entitled can receive the needed inhalers and medicine at no out-of-pocket cost.

The payments will be transferred directly from the NII to the company that supplies the inhaler. 

What is the medical Cannabis inhaler in question?

The inhaler, which was developed by Syqe, allows patients to receive a measurable and consistent dose of medical cannabis. The use of the inhaler eliminates the harms of smoking. Medication taken via inhaler also takes effect more quickly with fewer side effects. 

Each medication cartridge contains 60 doses - enough for most patients to last one month.

 Medical cannabis inhaler (credit: SYQE/MAARIV)
Medical cannabis inhaler (credit: SYQE/MAARIV)
Medical cannabis taken via inhaler reduces pain the way it would if smoked while avoiding the feeling of "disconnection" and "high" (psychoactive effect) that sometimes occurs when using high doses of cannabis. This contributes significantly to optimal functioning, the quality of life and the safety of use of the patients. 

Inbar David, Director of the Victims of Hostilities Division at the NII, said: "In order to promote the well-being of victims of hostilities and their families and to allow them a better quality of life, the National Insurance Institute is expanding the basket of medical services for the population entitled to medical cannabis as part of our policy. We will continue to work in favor of the integration of the most innovative solutions available, to make accessible any medical innovation of proven ability. [This way, we can] improve the mental and physical well-being of the victims of hostilities and their families.