Israeli patients' blood samples allegedly taken without consent for research, hospital says

The management of Kaplan Medical Center contacted Israel Police last week and filed a complaint requesting an investigation into suspected misconduct in the hospital's cardiology department during a research study, the center said in a Sunday statement.

The complaint followed preliminary findings that raised suspicions that blood samples had been taken from patients without their informed consent as part of laboratory research conducted in the cardiology department.

Alongside filing the police complaint, hospital management decided to take additional immediate measures and promptly notified the Health Ministry of the suspicions and the actions taken.

The hospital emphasized that medical services in the cardiology department are continuing, with measures in place to ensure continuity of care and patient safety.