Three suspects were detained for questioning on Thursday morning over allegations that blood samples were taken from patients at Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot for research purposes without their consent.
The suspects were detained by investigators from the Israel Police's Central District Fraud and Cybercrime Unit as part of an investigation launched after the allegations surfaced about two weeks ago. The hospital's head of cardiology has already been suspended.
The case came to light after hospital officials began investigating suspicions that a senior staff member and two other employees had collected blood samples from patients in the cardiology department for research purposes rather than as part of their medical treatment.
The hospital subsequently contacted police and reported the allegations to the Health Ministry.
Preliminary findings suggest patients underwent blood tests that were not medically necessary. The samples were allegedly collected for research purposes without obtaining the patients' consent.
The patients whose blood samples were allegedly taken under these circumstances have not yet been informed of their involvement in the case.
Hospital's cardiology chief suspended following launch of investigation
Prof. Kobi George, head of the hospital's cardiology department, was suspended following the launch of the hospital's internal investigation about two weeks ago.
Police are continuing to investigate how the samples were collected and whether they were used for research purposes without the patients' consent.
Kaplan Medical Center said it was cooperating with the investigation, stating, "The hospital is cooperating with law enforcement authorities as required."