Israel

Legislation

Israel, not being a member state of the European Union, does not apply the EU directives as such. However, the Israeli authorities do take into consideration the EU conventions and directives and implement them in the Israeli legislation. The main laws dealing with genetic data protection in Israel are:

• The Protection of Privacy Law
• The Patient Rights Law
• The Genetic Information Law (2000)
• Ministry of Health Regulations on the Establishment and Utilisation of Genetic Samples Banks (2005), on biobanks for medical research.

Genetic Databases and Biobanks

• DNA collection of IDgene Pharmaceuticals (research, Ashkenazi Jews)
• Dor Yeshorim (DY) Premarital genetic testing initiative (diagnostic)
• National Laboratory of the Genetics of Israeli Populations (NLGIP) (research, cell-lines, population)

Guidelines

• Bioethics Advisory Committee of the Israeli Academy of Sciences and Humanities (IASH) report: Population-based Large-scale collections of DNA samples and Databases of Genetic Information.

References

• Prainsack, B. (2008) “Governing through biobanks: Research populations in Israel” In. Gottweis & Peterson Biobanks: Governance in Comparative Perspective (Routledge: Oxon).