7 days in healthcare (February 28-Mars 6, 2022)

 

SUMMARY

From the point of view of biomedicine, the approach (apparently possible) of obtaining a vaccine for the next pandemic in 100 days stands out, compared to 10 years of previous situations and the year of COVID 19. Concern, according to an editorial in The Lancet, for depression, which is estimated to affect one billion people in the world. The WHO warns about the high figures of obesity: 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents and 39 million children. Great hopes in the combination of gene therapy and xenotransplantation, with great impact on the future of transplants.

Regarding global health, the great concern is the health consequences of the war in Ukraine and the WHO calls for the creation of a safe corridor to carry medical supplies. Pharmaceutical companies plan to manufacture 2.9 billion COVID vaccines in Africa.

Regarding international health policy, it should be noted that, according to experts, billions of dollars are needed to prevent the next pandemic.

As far as national health policy is concerned, it should be noted that the incidence of COVID is falling, although more slowly than a few weeks ago, and the mortality rate remains high (more than 150 deaths per day). The (official) deaths from COVID already exceed 100,000 in Spain. The Ministry plans to give the COVID data twice a week, instead of the current daily frequency (except weekends). Great collaboration in medical supplies and supply of beds by Spain in the face of the tragedy in Ukraine.

If we talk about companies, we would highlight the information from FENIN that Catalonia manufactures more than 35% of the health technology produced in Spain. Also the important investment in Barcelona by Novartis in an antibiotic center.

BIOMEDICINE

• Make pandemic vaccines available within 100 days. The NEJM article compares the traditional way of manufacturing vaccines (10 years), what happened in COVID-19 (1 year) and what arises in the event of a new pandemic (100 days)(https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2202669)
• An editorial in The Lancet focuses on the problem of depression. It is estimated that one billion people in the world, 5% of adults, suffer from depression, without receiving enough resources and global attention (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)01149-1/fulltext)
• An arthritis drug could save COVID patients (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/03/arthritis-drug-could-help-save-covid-patients-study)
• Data sharing, key to addressing rare diseases in Europe (https://www.ft.com/content/02f890f0-ab6b-424e-80a9-953015cdc51a)
• More evidence that COVID started in a market, not in the lab (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/more-evidence-that-covid-19-started-in-a- market-not-a-laboratory/21807945)
• Possible case of deer-to-human COVID transmission in Canada (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/28/deer-human-covid-transmission-possible-canada)
• Discovered a bacterium of one centimeter, observable with the naked eye (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2022-03-01/descubierta-una-bacteria-de-un-centimetro-observable-a-simple-vista.html )
• The WHO is concerned about global obesity figures: 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents and 39 million children (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/obesidad-afecta-1000-millones-personas-mundo_111003_102. html)
• Gene therapy and xenotransplantation: a great step for humanity towards the future of transplants (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/trasplantes/la-edicion-genetica-da-alas-al-xenotrasplante.html?check_logged_in =1)

GLOBAL HEALTH

• War in Ukraine: WHO says safe corridor needed to carry medical supplies (https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o570)
• Ukrainian cities on the verge of a medical crisis, warns the Minister of Health (https://www.ft.com/content/ede45d5d-3067-4c70-8443-f61b443759fe)
• Serious health problems of Afghan women under the Taliban (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00283-5/fulltext)
• Pharmaceutical companies plan to manufacture up to 2.9 billion vaccines for COVID in Africa (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20220305/farmaceuticas-previsto-fabricar-millones-vacunas-covid-africa/654434883_0 .html)

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH POLICY

• Oral health, concern in the United States due to low coverage (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2118478)
• The Biden Administration is preparing a plan against new variants, which avoids lockdowns (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/02/us/politics/biden-covid-strategy.html)
• Billions of dollars are needed to prevent the next pandemic, experts warn (https://www.ft.com/content/dc0d8407-446d-4fb5-86a5-a628bed4d786)
• Hong Kong hospitals overtaken by COVID cases (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/27/world/covid-19-tests-cases-vaccine)
• The National Health Service, at risk of a slower recovery after COVID than other health systems (https://www.ft.com/content/667a235a-3e8e-45ee-93b7-e5e27317c281)
• COVID cases in Scotland are on the rise, while they are falling in England and Northern Ireland (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/04/scotland-covid-cases-rise-while-england-and-n-ireland-show-falls)

NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY (SPAIN)

• COVID

o The incidence of COVID drops to 463 per 100,000 inhabitants, but the decreases are smaller than in previous weeks and the figure of more than 150 deaths per day continues (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/especial-coronavirus/covid-19-espana-registra-22400-casos-174-muertes-ia-desciende-463-puntos_111057_102.html)

o 100,000 (official) deaths from COVID in Spain (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/sanidad-hoy/espana-supera-los-100-000-muertos-por-covid-desde-el-inicio-de-la-pandemia-7926)

o The Ministry of Health will give COVID data twice a week instead of daily (https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2022-03-02/sanidad-pasara-dar-datos-covid-dos-veces-por-semana-en-lugar-de-a-diario_3384902/)

• Political announcements

o The bill project amending the National Security Law is published (https://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L14/CONG/BOCG/A/BOCG-14-A-91-1.PDF)

o The bill project amending the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation is published (https://www.congreso.es/public_oficiales/L14/CONG/BOCG/A/BOCG-14-A-92-1.PDF)

• Other issues

o Catalonia wants to extend pharmacological abortion up to 14 weeks (https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2022-03-02/cataluna-quiere-ampliar-el-aborto-farmacologico-hasta-las-14-semanas.html)

o Spain will send more than 20 tons of medicines and medical supplies to Ukraine (https://www.elindependiente.com/espana/2022/02/26/espana-enviara-20-tonadas-de-medicinas-y-material-sanitario -to-ukraine/)

o The autonomous communities offer 3,000 beds to care for the victims of Ukraine (https://www.elespanol.com/espana/politica/20220227/ccaa-ofrecen-hospitalarias-acoger-victimas-invasion-ukrania/653434701_0.html)

o Spain joins the health PERTE at European level (https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/serviciosdeprensa/notasprensa/industria/Paginas/2022/030322-ipceisalud.aspx)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND OTHER AGENTS IN THE SECTOR

• Asisa sets growth as the strategic priority for the coming years (https://www.asisa.es/noticias-salud/2022-03-01-Resultados-Grupo-ASISA)
• Atrys Health climbs to position 378 of the thousand fastest growing companies in Europe, the first Spanish within the health sector (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/atrys-health-escala-hasta-el- position-378-of-the-thousand-fastest-growing-companies-in-europe.html)
• ASPE defines its strategic lines for the 2022-2026 period (https://aspesanidadprivada.es/aspe-define-sus-lineas-de-trabajo-estrategicas-para-el-periodo-2022-2026/)
• Catalonia manufactures 35% of the healthcare technology in Spain (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/03/01/cataluna-fabrica-el-35-de-la-tecnologia-sanitaria-en-espana)
• Faes pharma breaks its profit record and earns 83.2 million euros in 2021 (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/faes-farma-bate-su-record-de-beneficios-y-gana-832-millones-de-euros-en-2021-un-146-mas.html)
• Prim more than doubles its profit to 17.4 million euros (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/prim-mas-que-duplica-su-beneficio-en-2021-hasta-174-millones-de -euros.html)
• Teladoc closes 2021 with revenues of 2,032 million dollars (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/teladoc-health-cierra-2021-con-unos-ingresos-de-2032-millones-de-dolares.html )
• Novartis invests 63 million in an antibiotic center in Barcelona (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/03/03/companias/1646329803_508315.html)