Israel Active

Israel has allocated NIS 80 million to extend free basic dental care to children up to age 14. Previously children received free dental care up to age 12.  

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University have devised simple computer-aided brain exercises that help individuals ignore negative stimulation. Functional MRI scans showed reduced activation in the brain region involved in negative emotions, including sadness and anxiety.

Scientists at Israel’s Technion and in Germany have discovered evidence that certain processed foods damage the intestine and weaken its resistance to bacteria, toxins and other hostile elements. This “leaky gut” syndrome increases the likelihood of developing autoimmune diseases.

A four-year study at Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital of the stem cell treatment from Israel’s Brainstorm has been shown to inhibit the progression of the fatal neurological disease ALS (Lou Gehrig’s) in 87 percent of 26 patients.

Following successful trials, Israeli biotech Kamada has launched its KamRAB anti-Rabies vaccine in 10 countries, including Israel. Kamada will now apply for a Biologics License Application (BLA) from the US FDA - the last step before offering a remedy for sale in the United States.

Israeli biotech NeuroQuest is to begin clinical trials of its blood test for early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Human trials in Israel have already proved 87% accurate – with blood tests, anything over 70% is considered medically significant.

Israel’s Pi-Cardia has developed the Leaflex Catheter System - a novel non-implant based technology for treating patients with aortic valve stenosis, rather than replacing the heart valve. Pi-Cardia has just raised $10 million to help complete development of a second-generation device.

Dr Amos Danielli, now of Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, developed technology at Tel Aviv University to identify minute quantities of chemicals using magnetic particles attached to fluorescent molecules. One use is to detect the protein Troponin, an indicator of an imminent heart attack. Dr Danielli has founded the company MagBiosense which has won a NIS 900,000 grant from the BIRD foundation.

Israel hosted hundreds of delegates from 30 countries, plus the World Health Organization, at the Fourth Israeli International Conference on Healthcare System, Preparedness and Response to Emergencies and Disasters in Tel Aviv and Beersheva.

Israeli-born Technion graduate Dr Nir Barzilai is now director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. As he approaches his 60th birthday himself, he is working with the US FDA on treatments that could make everyone live a lot longer.