7 days in healthcare (November 29-December 5, 2021)

 

SUMMARY

From the international point of view, it is worth highlighting the beginning of the work of the WHO for the approval of a Treaty on pandemics. It seems that the alarm about the new “‘ ómicron “variant is lowered, after the WHO announcement that there had been no case of death. We must be attentive to the program of the new German coalition government, and its impact on the health system. It seems that its actions are concentrated in the pharmaceutical sector. The failure, for various reasons, of the COVAX platform for immunization of low- and middle-income countries is confirmed.

At the national level, the growth of COVID continues to figures that are already beginning to be worrying, despite the advantage over other European countries. The council of ministers approves the Mental Health Strategy, a plan that, unlike the one approved a few years ago on Primary Care, does have funding, despite having aroused reservations among experts. The council of ministers also approves the PERTE for health. As of December 13, the vaccines for children will be available.

Regarding companies, it should be noted that both Pfizer and Moderna are preparing to adapt their vaccines to the new COVID variant.

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

• The WHO agrees on December 1, 2021 to begin negotiating an international agreement on how countries should prevent, prepare for and react to pandemics. The agreement is to hold a meeting before March 1, 2022 and discuss a draft before August 1, 2022 (British Medical Journal, Dec 2, 21)
• A law to introduce dental care in Medicare is discussed in the American Congress (NEJM, 2 Dec 21)
• An article is published that compares the evolution and behavior in 24 months of a large number of people from the Veterans Administration vaccinated with Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech (NEJM, Dec 1 21)
• The need for the health sector to contribute to decarbonization continues to be present (NEJM, Dec 2 21)
• The WHO warns of a high risk due to the new “omicron” variant (FT Nov 29, 21)
• WHO says there have been no deaths from the new “omicron” variant, despite its expansion (The Guardian, 4 Dec 21)
• The “ómicron” variant, with a wide worldwide diffusion: apart from its origin in South Africa, and the expansion to 11 European countries, also present in Canada, Brazil, Australia and Saudi Arabia, among others (CNN Español, Dec 1 21)
• Van der Leyden calls to discuss the mandatory nature of the vaccine (FT, Dec 1 21)
• Analysts say that the economic impact of the “omicron” variant will not be important (FT, Nov 29, 21)
• The program of the new German coalition government has an impact on the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector. Most important measures: price containment in medicines, push for healthcare digitization and use of medical data for research (Covington, Nov 29 21)
• Biden rules out a new lockdown to tackle the new “omicron” variant (FT, Nov 29, 21)
• The United Kingdom urgently calls a meeting of the G7 to discuss the problem of the new variant (La Razón, 28 Nov 21)
• The new variant presents more than 50 mutations over the original from Wuhan (La Razón, Nov 29, 21)
• COVAX has only distributed 26% of the promised covid vaccines for 2021. The most unanimous explanation is that rich countries have monopolized the market (El Español, Dec 4, 21)
• The EMA would need three to four months to approve vaccines if they have to be modified by “omicron” (El Confidencial, Nov 30, 21)
• Europe steps on the accelerator with the third doses in full uncertainty for the new variant (eldiario.es, Nov 29, 21)
• The lack of vaccines, logistical limitations and the rejection of part of the population hinder immunization in Africa (El País, 28 Nov 21)
• Germany imposes a de facto confinement to the unvaccinated: leisure and commerce will be banned (El País, 2 Dec 21)
• Agreement between the Council and the European Parliament to strengthen the role of the ECDC (El Global, 30 Nov 21)

NATIONALS

 

• COVID cases continue to rise, reaching an AI (cases per 100,000 in the last 14 days) of almost 250 (El Confidencial, Dec 3, 21)
• Health advises limiting participants in social events during Christmas after the advance of COVID (La Razón 1 Dec 21)
• The government does not have a “legal plan B” before the “omicron”, it trusts everything to vaccination and rejects restrictions that could affect the economy (La Razón, Dec 1 21)
• The Government defends the need for an International Treaty on Pandemics, as stated by Minister Darias during the Extraordinary Assembly of the WHO in Geneva (ConSalud, 29 Nov 21)
• The Council of Ministers approves the Mental Health Strategy 2022-2026, the last was of 2009. It is criticized by experts (Spanish Society of Psychiatry, Spanish Society of Dual Pathology) for its lack of ambition, although the effort of consensus. Among the criticisms is the lack of standards such as professional ratios, number of beds in children’s and adolescent hospitals, waiting lists, etc. It has financing of 100 million euros for the next three years, 30 million for 2022. Intervention in the workplace, the approach to suicide and the gender perspective, among the novelties of this Strategy (El Mundo, Dec 4, 21)
• The council of ministers officially approves the PERTE for health. Investment of more than 1,400 million euros, between 2021 and 2023. These investment agendas are articulated through tenders, the creation of an investment, development and innovation (R + D + i) structure for advanced online therapies, launch of a public-private investment vehicle in advanced therapies (public-private commercial company) with the participation of companies with production capacity in Spain, elements of early coordination and identification of capacities and needs of the National Health System, public procurement innovative and pre-commercial, agreements with communities, private initiatives and co-programmed projects and public tenders (PlantaDoce, Nov 30 21)
• The Interterritorial Council of December 2 addresses the Royal Decree of Specialties, so that it is approved before the end of 2021. It contemplates approving new specialties and reviewing access to specific training areas (ConSalud, Nov 30, 21)
• Pfizer vaccines for children, available from December 13 (ConSalud, Dec 1 21)
• AESEG presents a report “The sector of generic drugs in the economic and social reconstruction of Spain”, in which it advocates a differential price of generics in relation to brands (AESEG, Dec 1 21)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND MAIN ACTORS IN HEALTH

 

• Continuity of care, interoperability, innovation and the promotion of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), among the objectives of the IDIS Foundation for 2022 (ConSalud, 2 Dec 21)
• Teladoc Health grows 81% in the third quarter (PlantaDoce, Dec 1 21)
• Pfizer and Moderna are preparing to adapt their vaccines to the new “omicron” variant (El Global, Nov 29, 29)
• Merck’s COVID Treatment (Molnupiravir), Endorsed by FDA (NYT, Nov 30 21)
• HM Hospitales will have a new space of 1,000 square meters in Valdedebas (PlantaDoce, Nov 30, 21)
• HIPRA relies on its covid vaccine to grow 13% in 2021 (PlantaDoce, Dec 1 21)
• The major private equity companies (CVC, Advent, Cinven, PAI, KKR,…) prepare offers for around 1,500 million for IVI (CincoDías, Nov 30, 21)