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More than 50 senior doctors at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) are urging the government to stop using medications from Israeli-owned Teva Pharmaceuticals.
In a letter to CHI chief executive Lucy Nugent and Irish Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, 57 pediatric consultants demanded the institution cut ties with the company “where viable alternatives exist.”
The doctors justified their stance by invoking the war in Gaza. They accused Israel of “genocide” and alleged that Teva contributes to the Israeli state through taxes and donations. Moreover, they insisted the company provides medical resources to Israeli forces and therefore bears responsibility for war crimes.
Teva Warns of Risks to Patients
Teva Pharmaceuticals rejected the accusations. A spokesman told the Irish Times the company maintained “the highest standards in ethics and business practices.” He emphasized that patients depended on “regular and reliable supply of medicines.”
Furthermore, he warned that a boycott could harm vulnerable patients. “Any boycott on Teva may impose a risk on the health and well-being of those patients, the healthcare systems we serve, our global workforce and their families,” he said.
In addition, Teva underscored its role in Ireland’s healthcare system and economy. In 2023, the company contributed $226 million to the Irish economy. Its wide range of generics also saved Ireland more than €1.5 billion over the past decade through cost-effective substitutions. Consequently, Teva argued, removing its medicines from Irish hospitals would damage both patients and the health system itself.
Ireland’s Broader Push to Isolate Israel
This dispute is part of a wider effort in Ireland to weaken ties with Israel. Earlier this year, the national police forces, Garda Siochana, resisted pressure to abandon Israeli technology. Cellebrite, an Israeli-developed tool for digital data extraction, has been crucial in solving violent crimes.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris defended its use. “It’s a tool that we need to properly investigate crime that has some form of cyber or digital element,” he said. He explained that many major cases rely on it and that abandoning the tool would undermine criminal investigations. Therefore, Harris made clear he would not step away from what he called a “very important tool.”
At the same time, Ireland has pursued action against Israel on the international stage. The government formally aligned with South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice, reinforcing its hostile stance on Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas.
