Ministry of Health Guidelines Regarding Secondary Use of Healthcare Information & Delay in Approval for Export of Medical Cannabis

Ministry of Health Guidelines Regarding Secondary Use of Healthcare Information

On January 2018, the Israeli Ministry of Health (“MOH“) published two new guidelines regarding the Secondary Use of Healthcare Information. The MOH acknowledged the value of accumulated health related information and is interested in promoting research and commercial collaborations in order to exploit the potential of such information, while ensuring patients rights and the compliance with privacy regulations.

The guidelines require that certain provisions and limitations be included in any agreement between a health organizations regarding the use of secondary health information by third parties.

The MOH indicated that that these guidelines are initial, and it intends to issue in the future a complete set of regulations.

Delay in Approval for Export of Medical Cannabis

In 2016, the MOH has published a comprehensive reform regarding medical cannabis, which has later been updated (see our previous legal update in the matter). This precedential and revolutionary reform regulates all phases of the medical cannabis process, starting from cultivation and up the sale of medical cannabis products by licenses pharmacists.

In August 2017, a joint committee of the MOH and the Israeli Ministry of Finance recommended to approve the export of medical cannabis products to countries in which the purchase of these products has been approved.

In early February 2018, the Israeli Prime Minister decided to postpone the decision regarding the approval of the export of medical cannabis, and asked for additional information regarding the export of medical cannabis and its potential impact.

As of the date of this update, the matter is still under review.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all our clients and colleagues happy holidays!

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 For additional information please contact your GKH attorney or one of the following Adv. Hili Cohen, partner and head of life sciences department (Hili@gkh-law.com) or Adv. Tami Fishman, partner (Tamif@gkh-law.com)

Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co. (GKH), is one of the leading law firms in Israel, with over 150 attorneys. GKH specializes, both in Israel and abroad, in various fields of law including Mergers and Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Technology, Banking, Project Finance, Litigation, Antitrust, Energy and Infrastructure, Environmental Law, Intellectual Property, Labor Law and Tax.

This alert is prepared as an informational service to clients and colleagues of Gross, Kleinhendler, Hodak, Halevy, Greenberg & Co. (GKH) and the information presented is not intended to provide legal opinions or advice. Readers should seek professional legal advice regarding the matters about which they are particularly concerned.