In a move sparking outrage and alarm, more than 50 pediatric consultants at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) have called on the Irish government to stop using medicines manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals, an Israeli company that supplies critical medications to Irish hospitals.
The consultants, citing concerns over the war in Gaza, sent a letter to CHI chief executive Lucy Nugent and Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill demanding an end to procurement of Teva products “where viable alternatives exist.”
Teva, one of the world’s largest producers of generic and specialist drugs, plays a vital role in Ireland’s healthcare system and is a key supplier to the Health Service Executive (HSE). The company, which also manufactures Sudocrem, has a major operational presence in Ireland.
In response to the proposed boycott, Teva warned that such action could “impose a risk on the health and well-being” of patients, a concern echoed by many in the medical community. For thousands of Irish patients who rely on life-saving drugs, even minor disruptions to supply chains could have devastating consequences.
The letter, signed by 57 consultants, frames the call for a boycott as an ethical stance tied to the conflict in Gaza:
“We respectfully request that CHI take immediate steps to discontinue the procurement and use of pharmaceuticals manufactured by Teva where viable alternatives exist.”
The doctors argue that Teva, as Israel’s largest pharmaceutical firm, contributes taxes to the Israeli state and has provided medical supplies to the Israeli military. The letter claims this links Teva directly to “genocide,” referencing the International Court of Justice’s ongoing investigation.
“The company provides Israeli forces with medical supplies and donations. These resources have been used to slaughter patients, health professionals and utterly destroy the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza,” the letter alleges.
Critics argue that this position is dangerously misguided and deeply unethical. Targeting a pharmaceutical company based on nationality—rather than focusing on clinical efficacy—introduces politics into life-and-death medical decisions.
While the consultants insist they do not want to “compromise clinical care,” they openly admit they want to replace Teva drugs with “therapeutically equivalent alternatives.” But in reality, alternatives are not always available, and sudden shifts in sourcing could lead to drug shortages, treatment delays, and increased costs for the HSE—ultimately hurting Irish patients, not helping anyone in Gaza.
