| |
NEWS
Halachic Psak to Undergo a Colonoscopy
by N Katzin
A halachic ruling on the issue of colonoscopy was issued a year ago, calling upon the public to undergo this test. Signed by HaRav Nissim Karelitz, HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, HaRav Shimon Baadani, HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, HaRav Sroya Rosenberg and HaRav M. S. Klein, it urged the public to take this test designed to diagnose colon cancer, a disease which can be cured in 90% of cases if diagnosed early. This test, however, is not included in the government `health basket' service for people not at risk, even though most Kupat Cholim Funds do approve it for all those who request it.
Professor Tzvi Freiman, head of the gastrointestinal institute of Maayanei Hayeshua and one of the leading gastroentrologists in the country, has noted that reports in medical literature show a rise in this disease in the younger population. "At the present, the average age when this disease manifests is over fifty, which is why it is generally advised to undergo the test in people over that age even if there are no definite signs of danger. But more and more reports show a rise in its manifestation in the younger population, raising the question if it might not be advisable to recommend the test for those under fifty. There is no national agenda to perform colonoscopy testing, and the recommendation of medical organizations to do so has not been incorporated by the Health Ministry because of economic calculations, though there has been no objection to undergoing the test when requested by Health Fund members."
Professor Freiman maintains that alerting the public and advising them to undergo a colonoscopy can save lives. "When I joined Maayanei Hayeshua, I was surprised to note that the awareness in the chareidi sector is lower than in the general population but to my relief, there has been a marked rise therein, resulting from the publicized halachic ruling, but this is not enough. 6% of the population is at risk of developing the disease and the said test significantly lowers the extent of it and its rate of total recuperation."
|
