Haverim LeRefuah

Haverim Le’Refuah is the place where thousands of patients go to receive the medicine they cannot afford – completely free of charge.

According to a recent report released by the Israeli National Bureau of Statistics, nearly a quarter of a million of Israelis regularly forgo buying medicine because they simply can’t afford it. In addition, over 300 million shekels worth of medicine are thrown away every year.

Haverim’s mission is to ensure that every person receives the medical treatment they need. Haverim’s project of gathering unused medicine and then distributing it for free is unique in the world and has improved the lives and social welfare of countless people all over Israel, regardless of race or religion. Haverim currently provides over 4,400 chronic patients with life-saving medicine every month, gathered from over 600 collection points throughout the country. After rigorous sorting by professional pharmacists, the medicine is delivered directly to the patient.

Haverim obtains medicine from people who are no longer in need of them (if it did not work for them or if they were allergic or simply recuperated), or from families who have the medicine lying around due to tragic events and could repurpose it to save another person’s life.

In conjunction with the Ministry of Health, Haverim has set up 600 collection points nationwide for people to donate their no-longer-needed medicine in an innovatively safe way.