Despite a commitment by the Health Ministry to the Supreme Court, warning labels on opioid painkillers that could help prevent addiction have not yet been placed on packages in Israel. In the United States, these drugs have caused the deaths of over a million Americans.
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Additionally, in a move that drew harsh criticism, the ministry decided to fire the individual who initiated the call for adding labels and publicly admitted that painkillers lead to addiction.
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Warning labels on opioid painkillers that could help prevent addiction have not yet been placed on packages in Israel
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Over a year ago, the Physicians for Human Rights organization and Le’altar, a foundation that offers help to people addicted to narcotics, filed a lawsuit against the Health Ministry demanding the inclusion of warning labels on drug packages due to the sharp rise in opioid use over the last decade.
The Health Ministry approved advancing the warning labels and, through Dr. Paula Rosca, a psychiatrist and head of the addiction treatment department, admitted for the first time that opioid use leads to addiction – and the lawsuit was withdrawn.
However, over a year has passed, and nothing has been done so far. The Health Ministry is clearly aware of the development of drug dependence and the tragic outcomes of their use, in light of the opioid addiction situation taking place in the United States.
Nevertheless, practical steps haven’t yet been taken on this matter, until the discussion was held over the organizations' petition. In an unusual step, Rosca had admitted that current data isn’t accurate and that, in practice, these drugs do indeed lead to addiction. In fact, the ministry's obligation to affix warning labels to painkillers came as a result of her statements.
The decision to dismiss Rosca was made against the backdrop of her retirement, but in many other cases ministry employees remained employed even after reaching retirement age.
"I don't know if that was the sole reason why it was decided not to continue her employment," a health care official said. "But it certainly looks like no one cared to try and keep her position.”
The organizations that filed the petition expressed their surprise at Rosca's unexpected departure. "The decision’s timing raises serious concern that her testimony at the Supreme Court and her criticism of the ministry came at a cost," according to Hadas Ziv, deputy director of Ethics at Physicians for Human Rights.
"I’m in close contact with Dr. Rosca," said Avitar Smolsky, chairman of Le’altar. "She’s paying the price due to her professional integrity. I have no doubt that the Health Ministry’s director-general, Moshe Bar Siman Tov, won’t allow this move to proceed.”
The Health Ministry said in a statement: "We’re thankful to Dr. Rosca for her years of work for the public and, accordingly, her contract was extended for several additional months. Any statement linking her professional positions to the decision to extend her employment is completely baseless."
"The ministry’s professional units are advancing the process of updating warnings on drug and painkiller packages,” the statement added. “In the coming weeks, a draft amendment to the pharmacist regulations will be published for public comments. Following the amendment, the text on the packaging will be updated."