Hospitals in Israel have seen a sharp downturn in offers for medical cooperation from international companies amid the Gaza war and global criticism against Jerusalem, Ynet learned on Sunday.
According to previously published data, Israeli hospitals received a total of NIS 822 million in 2021 through research collaboration agreements. "This is an ongoing phenomenon," A Health Ministry official said. According to them, "Some companies canceled and others postponed because research coordinators didn’t come to Israel."
Beyond damaging Israel's international standing, after it established a reputation as a leading health system in the global research arena over the years, these cooperations represent a potentially significant source of income for hospitals. The funds are generally used for hospital development, expanding medical services, extending operating hours and improving staff conditions through research funds.
The sharp decline is evident in hospital Helsinki Committees, which approve applications from researchers, research companies, pharmaceutical firms and academic institutions for human trials or studies based on patient data and databases.
According to data from Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, Israel's largest hospital and a frequent partner for international research, there was a one-third drop in Helsinki Committee requests from January to August 2024 compared to the same period year-on-year. Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center reported a 10% decrease in applications compared to 2022 and 2023.
Prof. Joseph Pikkel, chair of the Helsinki Committee and head of the ophthalmology department at Assuta Ashdod Hospital, said, "The Israeli healthcare system has international quality, and international companies asked and worked to conduct tests and trials in cooperation with hospitals in Israel through the Helsinki Committee for many years.
“In recent months, unfortunately, there’s been a significant drop in requests from companies to conduct trials and tests." However, Pikkel estimates that "A vacuum won’t happen and Israeli researchers will see this moment as an opportunity to advance groundbreaking Israeli research, which could ultimately benefit science and medicine in Israel."
The Health Ministry said it hasn’t observed a decline at this time but clarified the data isn’t final and is updated annually. "According to the data currently available to the ministry, the number of applications submitted to Israeli Helsinki Committees appears to be similar between 2023 and 2024," the ministry said in a statement.