7 days in healthcare (August 21st-27th, 2023)

 

Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, to highlight the results of the devices that read the brain and allow certain people to speak using their thoughts. In September the Human Brain Project will be presented, the most ambitious research project financed by the European Union. The British NICE recommends stool tests to be carried out at home for colorectal cancer screening.

As regards Global Health, the journal Science analyzes how climate change can amplify epidemics and give rise to new pandemics.

Regarding International Health Policy, important developments in the USA: the CDC establishes new standards for the approach to sepsis in hospitals; large increase in sex change surgeries in recent years; AstraZeneca is suing the American government for its plans to negotiate the price of medicines, which reflects the great tension between the pharmaceutical industry and the American government, which next week will reveal the 10 medicines on which the price is going to be negotiated; and, a large increase in mental health spending after the pandemic, something that is not expected to change. The British Nuffield Trust analyze the income of English doctors in the various categories. The WHO launches an interesting digital health initiative.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the Ministry of Public Health publish in the BOE the call for specialized health training with places for doctors, pharmacists, nurses, psychologists, chemists, biologists and physicists. The Ministry also publishes a very complete analysis on the relevance of lung cancer screening. Although it has been said that the Ministry refuses to implement this screening, the truth is that it has limited itself to publishing the report, which will be analyzed by the Interterritorial Council. In Europe there is no public system that has programs of this type in place. The positions of the Scientific Societies must be heard, but they are not the only ones to consider, taking into account that these Societies usually support everything that favors the activity of the respective specialty. But in these types of decisions, many circumstances must be weighed, including cost/effectiveness. Important confrontation between doctors and health insurers in Seville, which will take place throughout September. Some complaints from physicians have been made public in relation to the SELENE computer program, which is widely implemented in the hospital public sector. A subject on which it is difficult to pronounce, but clearly to follow, due to its importance. Having a user-friendly, fast computer application with innovative features is essential for medical practice.

In the field of Companies, internationally, it seems that Roche and MSD will lead the billing of pharmaceutical companies in the next five years. As far as national news is concerned, Europe is not opposed for competition reasons to the agreement between Esteve and Lubea.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies