This week Haaretz published a story on the status of proton therapy in Israel.  The link to the original article in Hebrew:  http://www.haaretz.co.il/news/health/1.1777047


My response to the article:
Proton Therapy technology and delivery techniques have advanced.  The evidence to support the benefits of proton therapy in the treatment of many types of cancer amasses daily.  The Israel radiation oncology committee’s reliance on an antiquated, politically-tempered 2009 report is merely a smoke-screen for indecision and inaction.

Radiation oncologists should know better than anyone that a more conformal higher dose of radiation to a tumor target accompanied by significantly less extraneous radiation to otherwise healthy tissue provides better cancer cure with less side-effects.  It is surprising that Israel’s radiation oncology committee is turning a blind eye to this basic concept and continues to use the “expensive-equipment/high-treatment-cost” as another excuse for not supporting the initiative to bring a proton therapy center to Israel.

On multiple occasions, this committee has been presented with a plan to develop a national proton therapy institute in Israel, built on philanthropy, and not requiring a single shekel from Israel’s treasury.  A core concept of this national initiative is a consortium to enable shared resources and participation of every radiation oncology department in the country in a collaborative environment for medical decision-making, clinical utilization and shared research.  Furthermore, they ignore the initiative’s goal to provide proton therapy at a rate commensurate with the current reimbursement for complex radiotherapy offered in Israel and the plan for socially responsible programs for cancer awareness and prevention, public education and professional training.

It is disingenuous to argue that because only a few children per year are fortunate enough to be approved for expensive proton therapy abroad today, that nearly 1000 Israeli cancer patients per year would not benefit from this advanced treatment if it was available ba’Aretz tomorrow.

Dear Friends,
I am thrilled to be jumpstarting, for the first time in Israel, a public discussion about Proton Beam Radiotherapy and the initiative to develop a national Proton Therapy Insititute in Israel.  For some time, our team has been promoting our vision of this critical cancer-care project to Israel's Ministry of Health appointed Committee on Proton Therapy.  We have met with clinical radiation oncologists around the country, health ministry officials, hospital directors general, insurance company executives, financiers, and philanthropists.  Finally, there is some momentum. The dream is being shared, and we are witnessing the result.  Increasingly, Israeli cancer patients are being referred abroad, to the U.S. and Europe, for life-saving proton therapy treatments.  However, the treatment fees and the extra expenses for travel and extended accomodations are high, and most Israeli cancer patients who could benefit from proton therapy's increased effectiveness and reduced side-effects are unable or not afforded the opportunity.   The time is right to create a single, national referral center in Israel for proton therapy that invites all of Israel's radiation oncology departments to unite in taking an active role in the development of the center, clinical treatments and shared research.  Our goal is to create a center that fosters collaboration between oncology departments, creates clinical and research opportunities, and provides a center for advanced training of physicians, medical physicists, and radiotherapists.  We are dedicated to Zionist ideals and social responsibility.  We envision an Israeli proton center that promotes cancer awareness and healthy lifestyle, and serves to maintain and bolster Israel's international reputation as an innovator in medical technology and medical capability.  We see opportunities to build bridges with all our neighbors in the Middle East and offer an appealing location for foreign patients seeking advanced cancer care.   Israeli cancer patients deserve the best that medical technology can offer.  To our success!