Israel Active

The goal of Israel’s Vim is to help change US medical care from “sick care” to “health care”.  Vim links the payer to the provider to improve quality of patient care at lower cost, with efficient workflow, fast diagnoses, and proactive prevention.  Read how the Israeli system differs from the US system.

Israeli-founded, US-based Ultima Genomics has emerged from secrecy to announce it has developed a sequencing machine that allows genome sequencing for a fraction of the cost of rival companies. With five Israelis in the leadership team, it has just raised $600 million in funding.

Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has opened a specialized clinic to diagnose, treat and follow-up Bukharan Jews suffering from the life-shortening genetic disease oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD). The team includes ENTs, neurologists, oral and maxillofacial physicians, and ophthalmologists.

Israel’s Filterex Medical has completed successful trials of its CAPTIS device. The easily deployed device protected 20 patients during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures, preventing any embolic particles (debris) entering the bloodstream and causing a stroke.

Two Israeli health tech startups Sanolla (ultrasound stethoscope - see ) and Naor (a.k.a. Rapid Diagnostics) saliva-based Covid-19 detection (see ), were awarded the Breakthrough Innovation Award at the InoVEX 2022 Pitch Contest held in Taiwan.  

Israel’s Lumenis (see previously) has won a MedTech Breakthrough award for “Best New Technology Solution for Ophthalmology.”  Its OptiLight Optimal Pulse Technology (OPT) is the only FDA approved light treatment for dry eye disease, with 49 million US sufferers.

Professor Michael Sela, formerly the sixth president of Israel’s Weizmann Institute, has passed away at the age of 98. Prof Sela co-invented Copaxone to treat MS, Erbitux for cancer, and other treatments. He helped create the field of immunology, won numerous awards, and spoke nine languages.

Identical twin sisters, Yael and Avital gave birth at Shaare Zedek Medical Center to their fourth babies (both boys) on the same day. Each already had two girls and a boy. And previously, a set of twins were born at Hadassah Medical Center, at 2:22am on the 22nd of February 2022.

Israel has selected 19 programs for a new digital health initiative. They include test sharing, endoscopy videos for R&D, and making data on mental health and midwifery more accessible. The databases used are anonymized and better access should contribute to more breakthroughs in Israeli health tech.

Report and fascinating new video showing the features of the X100 Microscope and Decision Support System from Israel’s Scopio Labs (see previously).