Treatment in Israel: The Choice of Patients from Around the World. The Capabilities of Next-Generation Medicine

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Israel ranks second globally (after Switzerland) in terms of treatment effectiveness. In 2023, Bloomberg published a ranking that positioned Israel ahead of all developed countries in fields such as oncology, oncohematology, and neurosurgery. The country also leads in cancer patient survival rates.

According to the World Health Organization, Israel is also among the world’s top five countries by number of clinical trials in cell technology, including stem cell therapy. Read more about how stem cells are used to treat cancer, heart disease, and central nervous system conditions in our article on stem cell treatment.

Israel’s healthcare system is equally attuned to both residents and international patients.

Why is Treatment in Israel So Highly Sought After?

Every year, Israel welcomes over 60,000 international patients for treatment. This popularity is easily explained: modern clinics equipped with cutting-edge technology and highly qualified physicians capable of treating even the most complex pathologies inspire confidence in positive outcomes.

Additional factors influencing the choice of Israel as a treatment destination include advanced innovations in diagnostics and treatment and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI).

Innovations in diagnostics

Statistics provided by Bloomberg indicate that one-quarter of international patients arrive in Israeli clinics with an initially incorrect diagnosis. After undergoing diagnostic evaluations at leading clinics, the accuracy of diagnoses improves to 91%.

Israeli medical centers continually refine diagnostic methods and tailor the most optimal sets of examinations for each patient.

The top clinics in Israel actively employ the following innovations:

• Three-Hour Check-Up: Diagnostics conducted in Israeli clinics allow for a comprehensive assessment of the body in just three hours. This express option is suitable for patients who do not have free time or those who need to get the results as quickly as possible to clarify the diagnosis. The accuracy of a three-hour check-up is on par with that of a two-day diagnostic process. Leading specialists, in combination with advanced technology, guarantee 100% reliable results.
• PillCam Capsule Endoscopy: This technology is used for examining the small intestine, which is inaccessible through traditional endoscopic methods.
• Fibro-Acti-Test and FibroMax Test: These tests detect liver cirrhosis and hepatitis through six laboratory analyses. The method does not require a liver biopsy, making it minimally invasive and complication-free. This algorithm, developed in France, has been validated by over 40 independent international studies.
• Stereotactic Biopsy: A highly precise method for collecting liver tissue samples. This technique minimizes the risk of false results and reduces damage to healthy tissue.

Innovations in Treatment

Israeli university hospitals conduct extensive research and develop cutting-edge medications, which are then tested and introduced to the global pharmaceutical market. Patients treated in Israeli clinics have a significant advantage: they are among the first to benefit from drug therapies developed in academic medical centers.

Oncology and Oncohematology are among the most prominent areas attracting international patients. Recent WHO statistics reveal that the five-year survival rate for cancer patients in Israel has reached 64%, while the treatment success rate exceeds 80%. These rates are one of the highest in global medical practice.

One unique feature of top Israeli clinics is the presence of reactors that produce radioactive isotopes for cancer treatment and diagnostics. Producing isotopes is a technically complex and costly process, which is why only a few clinics worldwide have access to such facilities.

Certain radioactive materials critical for radiotherapy, such as Technetium-99m, have a half-life of just six hours, making their transportation nearly impossible. These isotopes are synthesized directly in the clinics, significantly enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy while ensuring 98% patient safety.

New Cancer Treatments

Over the past few years, more than 50 new drugs have been developed for targeted cancer therapy. Israeli research institutes have strong financial and technological foundations for creating indispensable cancer treatment medications.

Once a drug is introduced to the market, it is immediately incorporated into the treatment protocols of leading medical centers. Furthermore, counterfeit medications are entirely excluded in Israel, as the government strictly regulates all manufacturing and import processes.

Targeted gene therapy is used for blood cancer. This approach targets not a specific site but the genes responsible for cancer progression. For example, in chronic leukemia with the BCR-ABL1 gene mutation, modern tyrosine kinase inhibitors are prescribed, and the therapeutic target (the gene) is identified through laboratory analysis in advance. A similar principle applies to prevention: women with a strong family history of cancer are offered genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations at Israeli clinics. For more on this kind of testing, see our article on cancer prevention.

Other Oncological Innovations

• Completion of a study on pancreatic cancer treatment using nanotechnology, with results published in Nature Communications.
• Implementation of the revolutionary CellSearch method for diagnosing metastases.
• Development of a new non-invasive test for prostate cancer detection using CellDetect technology, which has increased test sensitivity to cancer cells by up to 92%.
• A unique protocol for treating melanoma, available at The Ella Institute for Treatment and Research of Melanoma in Israel, offers hope even for patients with stage 4 cancer. The TIL protocol (Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes) is an immunotherapy by cultivating the patient’s own lymphocytes to attack tumor cells. According to Professor Jacob Schachter, head of the institute, several hundred patients have undergone this treatment, achieving long-term remission.

Hybrid Operating Rooms: The New Standard in Surgery

Hybrid operating rooms in Israeli clinics are equipped with multifunctional systems for imaging and navigation. In addition to standard operating room equipment, these rooms feature MRI, CT, ultrasound systems, and C-arms. Such setups allow multidisciplinary teams of up to 20 specialists to work together, enabling real-time collaborative decision-making in complex situations.

Neurosurgery: Cutting-Edge Developments

Neurosurgery is another leading field in Israeli clinics. Top specialists successfully manage the most complex pathologies of the nervous system, including brain and spinal cord tumors. Israeli medical centers have established a system for international collaboration, sharing insights with leading research institutes worldwide.

Modern developments in neurosurgery position Israel as a leader in implementing innovations such as:

• Pre-Surgical Mapping: Using functional MRI (fMRI) to map speech centers in the brain, minimizing damage during surgeries for tumors or epilepsy.
• Adaptive Hybrid Neurosurgery: This involves intraoperative navigation platforms that calculate risks and guide decision-making during neuro-oncological procedures.
• Genomic Testing: Neurosurgeons identify genetic mutations contributing to neurological diseases, enabling the creation of personalized treatment plans.
• Virtual Reality (VR): VR is used to simulate surgical procedures, reducing complications and enhancing surgical skills.
• Nanotechnology in Pharmacology: Nanoparticle-based drugs directly target the brain, bypassing the blood-brain barrier and minimizing side effects.