Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: More than a third of cancers originate from preventable risk factors.
• Global Health: Biblical diseases may resurface in Africa.
• International Health Policy: TrumpRx, the online drug store, launches.
• National Health Policy: Following the AIREF report, the Social Security system convenes social partners to discuss the lack of control over sick leave.
• Companies: Asisa will increase its doctors’ compensation by 7.3% by 2026.

Biomedicine

• More than a third of cancers originate from preventable risk factors. Tobacco, infections, and alcohol are the main causes. The study published in Nature Medicine states that of the 20 million cancers diagnosed in 2022, 38% were caused by preventable factors. It is the most comprehensive study conducted to date on preventable causes of cancer and confirms tobacco as the greatest risk factor.
• Electronic cigarettes: a comprehensive study outlining the risks. After reviewing 3,000 articles, the French Agency for Health Safety (ANSES) states that vaping poses short- and long-term health risks, while acknowledging its value in smoking cessation.

Global Health

• Biblical diseases may resurface in Africa. Parasites and infections that cause blindness and other disabilities had been nearly eradicated in some countries, but the distribution of medications to treat and prevent them has been halted in many places by 2025, following the cessation of US aid (USAID).
• Venezuela: health after the political earthquake. More than 20 million Venezuelans live in abject poverty, without access to medicines. The current crisis is chronic and a result of the corruption and mismanagement of the Chávez and Maduro governments.

International Health Policy

• TrumpRx, the online drug store, launches. According to the New York Times, researchers say the public may end up paying too much if they use this store. The website will not sell medications, but will only indicate where they can be purchased and at what price. It is backed by agreements with some pharmaceutical companies. The website will offer information on 43 medications, from insulin to obesity therapies. It is unlikely that Americans will save money with this method; many medications are covered by insurance, and cheaper generic versions of many others are available. Around 85% of Americans have prescription drug insurance coverage.
• The FDA launches PreCheck incentives to revitalize domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. “After 35 years of globalists moving pharmaceutical manufacturing overseas, the FDA is taking bold steps to bring it back,” says FDA Commissioner Marty Makary.
• The NHS agreement with the United States will cost the United Kingdom £1 billion over the next three years. The Minister of Science says the NHS will obtain this money outside its regular budget.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Following the AIREF report, the Social Security system is calling a meeting with social partners regarding the lack of control over sick leave. The Secretary of State will meet on Monday with unions and employers’ associations after the Fiscal Authority’s report blames the Social Security system for failing to control sick leave.
• This is how other statutes governing the medical profession in Europe work. In neighboring countries with different terminology, doctors have exclusive regulations and negotiating bodies. According to FEMS (European Federation of Salaried Doctors), only Croatia and Romania have the same structure as Spain.

Companies

• International
  • Lilly’s Mounjaro takes over from Novo Nordisk as the top-selling obesity medication.

• National News
  • Asisa will increase its doctors’ compensation by 7.3% by 2026. The insurer will apply the increase retroactively from January 1st, with increases that can exceed 16% depending on the specialty and level of service.
  • Spain will spend as much on health insurance as on car insurance in 2027. In 2025, health insurance premiums increased by 11.43%, to €13.443 billion, the highest growth among the main non-life insurance lines.

Biomedicine

• More than a third of cancers originate from preventable risks. Tobacco, infections, and alcohol are the main causes. The study published in Nature Medicine says that of the 20 million cancers diagnosed in 2022, 38% originated from preventable causes. It is the largest study to date on preventable causes of cancer and confirms tobacco as the greatest risk factor (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/02/04/more-than-a-third-of-cancers-arise-from-preventable-risks). Access the original article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04219-7
• Cancers, immunotherapy, the revolutionary treatment that presents risks. Emerging in the early 2010s, this treatment produces toxicities in 10-50% of patients (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2026/02/03/cancers-les-immunotherapies-des-traitements-revolutionnaires-qui-presentent-des-risques_6665255_1650684.html)
• Electronic cigarettes: a comprehensive study outlining the risks. After reviewing 3,000 articles, the French Agency for Health Safety says that vaping poses short- and long-term health risks, while acknowledging its value in smoking cessation (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/02/04/cigarette-electronique-l-anses-rend-un-avis-prudent-sur-les-risques-sanitaires-du-vapotage_6665288_3244.html)
• A brain implant allows a person blinded by optic nerve damage to regain their sight. Scientists at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche stimulated the visual cortex of a blind man until he was able to perceive light, movement, and even large letters (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-02-03/un-implante-en-el-cerebro-permite-recuperar-la-vision-a-un-hombre-ciego-por-una-lesion-en-el-nervio-optico.html)
• CRISPR allows targeting tumors with amplified oncogenes and points to precision therapies. Preclinical results from a study by the CNIO and CIEMAT show that gene editing points to new precision therapies against resistant cancers (https://diariofarma.com/2026/02/05/crispr-permite-atacar-tumores-con-oncogenes-amplificados-y-apunta-a-terapias-de-precision)

Global Health

• Venezuela: health after the political earthquake. More than 20 million Venezuelans live in abject poverty, without access to medicine. The current crisis is chronic and a result of the corruption and mismanagement of the Chávez and Maduro governments (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00249-7/fulltext)
• Biblical diseases may resurface in Africa. Parasites and infections that cause blindness and other disabilities had been nearly eliminated in some countries, but the distribution of medicines to treat and prevent them has been halted in many places by 2025, following the end of US aid (USAID) (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/health/neglected-tropical-diseases-usaid-ntds-river-blindness.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • TrumpRx, the online drug store, launches. According to the New York Times, researchers say the public may end up paying too much if they use this store. The website will not sell medications, but will only indicate where they can be purchased and at what price. It is backed by agreements with some pharmaceutical companies. The website will offer information on 43 medications, from insulin to obesity therapies. It is unlikely that Americans will save money with this method; many medications are covered by insurance, and cheaper generic versions of many others are available. Around 85% of Americans have drug insurance coverage (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/health/trumprx-online-drugstore-prices.html)
  • The FDA launches PreCheck incentives to boost domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. “After 35 years of globalists moving pharmaceutical manufacturing abroad, the FDA is taking bold steps to bring it back,” says FDA Commissioner Marty Makary (https://diariofarma.com/2026/02/01/la-fda-lanza-los-incentivos-precheck-para-relanzar-la-fabricacion-farmaceutica-nacional-de-ee-uu)
  • Millions of Americans lose their health insurance as COVID-19 subsidies disappear. With insurance prices rising, around 4.8 million Americans could lose their coverage (https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2826%2900251-5)
  • In the USA, science skeptics are now in power. According to The Economist, the American government seems to want less clean energy and more preventable diseases (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/02/04/in-america-science-sceptics-are-now-in-charge)
  • The right to die is spreading in the USA. States where a third of the population lives may soon allow assisted dying (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/02/02/the-right-to-die-is-spreading-in-america)

• China
  • More and more foreigners are choosing to go to China for healthcare. The influx of tourists is creating problems for locals (https://www.economist.com/china/2026/02/05/why-more-foreigners-are-seeking-health-care-in-china)

• United Kingdom
  • The NHS deal with the United States will cost the UK £1 billion over the next three years. The science minister says the NHS will raise this money outside its regular budget (https://www.ft.com/content/624bf05e-5a37-4b17-96ec-3f64c0a624fa)
  • A growing number of adults in the UK are turning away from alcohol, which is driving the trend. 24% of British adults say they don’t drink (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s207)
  • Residents vote for six more months of labor demands with strikes (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s218)

• France
  • The right to assisted dying is again approved by MPs in committee. After being rejected in the Senate, it returns to the Congress for a second reading (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/02/05/le-droit-a-l-aide-a-mourir-est-a-nouveau-approuve-par-les-deputes-en-commission_6665440_3224.html)
  • Participatory health centers, deployed in 2021 in disadvantaged neighborhoods, at risk due to budget cuts (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/02/05/acces-aux-soins-inquietude-autour-des-26-centres-de-sante-participatifs-un-dispositif-medical-dans-des-quartiers-defavorises_6665528_3224.html)

• Brazil
  • Brazil mistakenly discovers that 13,000 medical students about to graduate lack the basic knowledge required to practice. A third of university courses failed the first national assessment of medical education. The faculties with the worst scores are municipal or private (https://elpais.com/america/2026-02-02/brasil-descubre-con-alarma-que-13000-alumnos-a-punto-de-acabar-medicina-no-saben-lo-minimo-para-ejercer.html)
  • It appears that the possibility of implementing the Spanish MIR (Medical Residency) model is being analyzed. The debate over a mandatory exam to practice medicine in Brazil has reopened comparisons with the Spanish system of Specialized Health Training, where access to and professional accreditation as a specialist have been regulated by national exams for decades (https://www.consalud.es/formacion/brasil-hacia-el-modelo-mir-espanol-para-garantizar-la-calidad-medica.html)

• WHO
  • The WHO code on international recruitment of doctors does not strengthen poor health systems. A study published in ‘JAMA Health Forum’ concludes that the regulation temporarily reduced emigration from countries with a shortage of doctors, but did not improve staffing levels (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/codigo-oms-contratacion-internacional-medicos-refuerza-sistemas-sanitarios-pobres.html). Access the original JAMA article: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2025.6718
  • The WHO’s list of priority pathogens: key to curbing antimicrobial resistance. A publication in Science Direct analyzes the list (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/la-lista-de-patogenos-prioritarios-de-la-oms-clave-para-frenar-la-resistencia-a-los-antimicrobianos.html).

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The proposed patients’ rights law is progressing, with association support. The Spanish Patients’ Forum and the POP acknowledge the Ministry’s effort to provide a differentiated and cross-cutting perspective for these organizations (https://diariofarma.com/2026/02/04/la-propuesta-de-sanidad-para-la-ley-de-pacientes-avanza-con-el-apoyo-de-las-asociaciones)

• Initiatives of the Autonomous Communities
  • The Government of Cantabria and FENIN advance a plan to turn the region into a healthcare innovation hub (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/cantabria/el-gobierno-de-cantabria-y-fenin-avanzan-un-plan-para-convertir-la-region-en-hub-de-innovacion-sanitaria.html)
  • Strengthening staff or improving productivity: electoral proposals regarding waiting lists in Aragon. It seems the PP is focusing on attracting and retaining professionals, increasing the availability of operating rooms, and coordinating specialized services, while the PSOE is prioritizing increased funding and more staff (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/aragon/reforzar-plantillas-o-incentivos-de-productividad-propuestas-electorales-ante-las-listas-de-espera-en-aragon.html)
  • Mental health and reducing waiting lists are among the objectives of the SERGAS management agreements (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/consulta/salud-mental-reducir-listas-espera-objetivos-acuerdos-gestion-sergas.html)

• Sick leave
  • Following the AIREF report, the Social Security system is convening with social partners to address the lack of control over sick leave. The Secretary of State will meet on Monday with unions and employers following the report from the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF) that blames the Social Security system for failing to control sick leave. (https://www.elconfidencial.com/economia/2026-02-06/seguridad-social-convoca-agentes-sociales-descontrol-bajas-medicas_4298747/) Access the AIReF spending review report: https://www.airef.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/SpendingReview-2022-2026-fase-2/SR2226F2_IT.pdf

• MIR Exam
  • The 2026 exam breaks records for annulled questions (https://theobjective.com/sanidad/2026-02-07/examen-mir-record-preguntas-anuladas/)

• Framework Statute
  • This is how the other statutes of the The medical profession in Europe. In neighboring countries with different terminology, doctors have their own exclusive rules and negotiation forums. According to the FEMS (European Federation of Medical Students), only Croatia and Romania are in the same situation as Spain. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/asi-son-estatutos-profesion-medica-europa.html)
  • Murcia points to the government as responsible for the conflict over the Framework Statute (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/murcia/murcia-senala-al-gobierno-como-responsable-del-conflicto-por-el-estatuto-marco.html)
  • Vox wants the parties in Congress to take a position on the Statute for doctors (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260204/vox-quiere-partidos-congreso-posicionen-den-opinion-estatuto-marco-propio-medicos/1003744116090_0.html)

• Cancer
  • The Spanish Association Against Cancer says that everything related to cancer is being deprioritized. According to the president of this association, Europe is deprioritizing cancer (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/02/04/698210d6e4d4d8413b8b4584.html)

• Cancer survival
  • Spain, Switzerland, and Estonia, European countries with the best cancer survival rates. A large-scale European study, coordinated by the IDIAPJGol, analyzes the progression, associated diseases, and survival of people with cancer (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/oncologia/espana-suiza-estonia-paises-europeos-mejores-tasas-supervivencia-cancer.html)

Companies

• International
  • Lilly’s Mounjaro takes over from Novo Nordisk as the top-selling obesity drug (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260205/mounjaro-lilly-coge-relevo-novo-nordisk-mayor-superventas-obesidad/1003744117073_0.html)
  • Pfizer will lose €1.3 billion in 2026 due to the expiration of several patents and competition from generics and biosimilars (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260204/pfizer-perdera-millones-caducidad-varias-patentes-competencia-genericos-biosimilares/1003744115331_0.html)

• National
  • Asisa Asisa will raise its doctors’ salaries by 7.3% by 2026. The insurer will apply the increase retroactively from January 1st, with increases that can exceed 16% depending on the specialty and level of service (https://www.consalud.es/salud35/nacional/asisa-eleva-un-73-la-retribucion-de-sus-medicos-para-2026.html)
  • Ribera Povisa consolidates its leading position in Galicia after handling more than 400,000 consultations in 2025 (https://www.consalud.es/industria/sanidad-privada/ribera-povisa-consolida-su-referencia-en-galicia-tras-atender-mas-de-400000-consultas-en-2025.html)
  • Spain will spend as much on health insurance as on car insurance in 2027. In 2025, health insurance premiums increased 11.43%, to 13,443 million euros, the largest growth among the main non-life branches (https://kiosco.eleconomista.es/e-paper/viewer.aspx?publication=Sanidad&date=05_02_2026&tpuid=690#page/6)