Following legal intervention and representation by Adv. Amos Bentzur and Adv. Nili Hayun-Dikman from our firm, the Israeli Ministry of Health has withdrawn its intention to implement a new directive issued in November regarding the import of pharmaceuticals from unrecognized countries and the release of batches for marketing in Israel.
The action was taken on behalf of the Pharma Division of the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce, representing pharmaceutical importers. The proposed changes, if implemented, would have caused significant difficulties in importing medications—particularly from Asian countries—and would have drastically increased costs for importers and patients in Israel, potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of shekels annually.
As a result of our involvement, the Ministry of Health agreed to suspend the new directive, allowing time to review any changes through an orderly and transparent process before altering the current regulatory framework.
We continue to monitor the formulation of the revised guidelines and submit comments to ensure they are balanced, practical, and aligned with the needs of the industry, patients, and regulatory standards. This is a meaningful achievement in promoting transparent and fair regulatory processes in sensitive public health matters, and we remain committed to ensuring stakeholders’ voices are heard throughout.
