7 days in healthcare (July 22nd-28th, 2024)

 

Summary

Biomedicine

• Keys to a possible cure for AIDS. The 25th International AIDS Conference opened on July 22. Nearly 40 million people are now infected, there were 1.3 million new infections in 2023 and 630,000 AIDS-related deaths, compared with 2.1 million and 1.3 million in 2010, the reference year. Although there is no treatment, progress depends on two things: treating infected cases and preventing transmission. The goal is “95-95-95.” 95% of infected cases detected; 95% of them treated and 95% successful in treatment.
• A rare nuclear isotope that could revolutionize cancer treatment. By combining a nuclear isotope with an antibody, the microscopic drug directly attacks cancer cells. Jeff Legos, global head of oncology at Novartis, says radiopharmacy could be the therapy of choice for many cancers.

Global Health

• Dengue as a health threat. 2024 is the worst year for dengue according to all records. As of July 23, there are 10 million cases in 176 countries, more than 24,000 severe cases and 6,508 deaths. Dengue is a disease transmitted by a mosquito as a vector and produced by 4 serologically related viruses. The triad of urbanization, climate change and movement of people favor the expansion of dengue.
• Guterres, secretary general of the UN, calls for accelerated action against extreme heat. According to him, it kills half a million people a year.

International health policy

• A more preventive NHS. Report on the need to make prevention the activity of each individual. John Deanfield, a leader in personalised prevention, says that a kind of “pre-NHS” focused on prevention should be created, as he believes that the NHS continues to operate according to its traditional principles of 75 years ago, which is to address diseases. The current approach is considered unsustainable, both for the economy and for health. Deanfield wants more preventive services, such as checks on weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure. He also wants a new preventive portal to be added to the NHS app.
• Reactions to the first report on covid. Led by retired judge Heather Hallet, it shows the failures of the government and calls for an independent body responsible for developing strategies against pandemics. It is worth noting that all of the covid reports in the United Kingdom have been led by a retired judge, which guarantees independence, which did not happen in Spain and the results are there.
• A new tool in the NHS that could help minimize the problem of waiting lists: HIT (high intensity theatre). The experience has been developed at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ hospitals. Among other measures, staff are encouraged to work on weekends or evenings.
• The EMA rejects the new Alzheimer’s drug. Trade name Leqenbi (lecanemab) produced by Eisai and Biogen. This comes after the approval by the FDA. The EMA is concerned about the side effects that have been described.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Call for specialized training places 2025; 11,943 places, 2.9% more than the previous year; family medicine only increases by 1%, despite medicine increasing by 3%. The exam will be on January 25-25. The face-to-face selection is resumed and the cut-off mark is removed. The low percentage increase in family medicine places has been strongly criticized, which adds to the recent economic distribution for primary care of 172.4 million, considered insufficient.
• Waiting lists are causing patients to switch to private healthcare. Every day, since 2021, 1,250 patients have taken out private health insurance, which is 1,366,000 in just three years.

Companies

• International
  • Abbott sentenced to pay 495 million dollars. The conviction of a Missouri jury for having caused a serious intestinal disease in a child.

• National
  • Cuideo seeks to double its business in 2024. The home care company plans to grow through acquisitions and expansion.
  • Investments in anti-aging. Rafael Nadal and Juan Matjí promote investment in vitamins to prevent aging.

Biomedicine

• Keys to a possible cure for AIDS. The 25th International AIDS Conference opened on July 22. Nearly 40 million people are now infected, there were 1.3 million new infections in 2023 and 630,000 AIDS-related deaths, compared with 2.1 million and 1.3 million in 2010, the reference year. Although there is no treatment, progress depends on two things: treating infected cases and preventing transmission. The goal is “95-95-95”. 95% of infected cases detected; 95% of them treated and 95% with successful treatment (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2024/07/22/clues-to-a-possible-cure-for-aids?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&utm_source=google&ppccampaignID=18151738051&ppcadID=&utm_campaign=a.22brand_pmax&utm_content=conversion.direct-response.anonymous&gad_so)
• Humanity is closer to curing AIDS. Lenacapavir, an antiviral from Gilead, has been shown to be able to prevent 100% of new infections. It is not a vaccine, but it is very similar. The problem is the price: 20,000 euros. That is why UNAIDS has asked Gilead to make the drug cheaper in order to make it more widely available (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2024-07-25/la-humanidad-esta-mas-cerca-de-frenar-al-vih-y-el-mayor-obstaculo-es-el-precio-del-farmaco-que-lo-consigue.html)
• The herpes zoster vaccine can prevent dementia. It seems that Shingrix, produced by GSK, can prevent dementia, after a trial with 200,000 people (https://www.ft.com/content/d0aaf521-8f24-444d-86b7-c260ae7909a6)
• Double mastectomy does not improve breast cancer survival. A study published in JAMA Oncology concludes that there is no greater survival if bilateral mastectomy is performed (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/health/breast-cancer-double-mastectomy-study.html)
• The search for a rare nuclear isotope that could revolutionize cancer treatment. By combining a nuclear isotope with an antibody, the microscopic drug directly attacks cancer cells. Jeff Legos, global head of oncology at Novartis, says radiopharmacy could be the therapy of choice for many cancers (https://www.ft.com/content/6ce668bc-4180-4e84-9feb-f25ac0e83f6f)

Global Health

• NEJM article: The refusal to learn from Covid-19. Referring to the USA, the Institute of Medicine (National Academy of Medicine) warns of deficiencies in preparation regarding recommendations following Covid-19 (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2406427)
• Dengue as a health threat. 2024 is the worst year for dengue according to all records. As of July 23, there are 10 million cases in 176 countries, more than 24,000 severe cases and 6,508 deaths. Dengue is a disease transmitted by a mosquito as a vector and caused by 4 serologically related viruses. The triad of urbanization, climate change and movement of people favor the expansion of dengue (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01542-3/fulltext#:~:text=2024%20is%20the%20worst%20year,severe%20cases%20and%206508%20deaths.)
• The WHO warns Gaza of the high risk of a polio outbreak, due to the very bad situation regarding water contamination. Traces of poliovirus type 2 have been found (https://www.ft.com/content/1924033c-6c64-47cd-aab0-de2559116c23)
• Rabies spreads among South African seals, 17 have tested positive for the virus (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/health/rabies-cape-fur-seals-south-africa.html#:~:text=So%20far%2C%20no%20human%20cases,since%20confirmed%20to%20have%20rabies.)
• UN Secretary General Guterres calls for accelerated action against extreme heat, which he says kills half a million people a year (https://www.epe.es/es/sociedad/20240725/guterres-pide-acelerar-lucha-global-106078698)

International health policy

• United Kingdom and the National Health Service
  • Report on the need to make prevention the business of the individual. John Deanfield, leader of personalised prevention, says that a kind of “pre-NHS” focused on prevention should be created, as he believes that the NHS is still operating according to its traditional principles of 75 years ago, which is to address illness. The current approach is considered unsustainable, both economically and for health. Deanfield wants more preventive services, such as checks on weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure. He also wants a new prevention portal to be added to the NHS app (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-prevention-everyones-business/making-prevention-everyones-business-a-transformational-approach-to-personalised-prevention-in-england)
  • The first report on Covid, led by retired judge Heather Hallet, shows the government’s failures and calls for an independent body responsible for developing strategies to deal with pandemics (https://www.bmj.com/content/386/bmj.q1602)
  • A new tool that could help minimise the problem of waiting lists: the HIT (high intensity theatre). The experience has been developed at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ hospitals. Among other measures, staff are encouraged to work on weekends or evenings (https://www.bmj.com/content/386/bmj.q1621/rapid-responses)

• Singapore
  • Lab-grown meat is now available for purchase in Singapore, a country that survives on meat imports. This country was the first to authorise the sale of lab-grown meat in 2020. However, the great difficulty in its dissemination is the high price (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/24/world/asia/singapore-cultivated-lab-meat.html#:~:text=Singapore%20became%20the%20first%20country,from%20air%20and%20a%20concoction)

• European Union
  • The EMA rejects the new Alzheimer’s drug, trade name Leqenbi (lecanemab), produced by Eisai and Biogen. This follows FDA approval. EMA is concerned about side effects (https://www.ft.com/content/27eafb84-f8b0-428a-a275-f38e66ef8961)
  • The cost of antibiotic resistance in the EU, €1.1 billion per year (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/infecciosas/coste-salud-resistencia-antimicrobianos-europa-1100-millones-euros-ano_146853_102.html#)

National health policy

• Central government initiatives
  • Call for specialized training places 2025; 11,943 places, 2.9% more than the previous year; family medicine only rises 1%, despite medicine rising 3%. The exam will be on January 25-25 (http://diariomedico.com/medicina/medico-joven/mir/mir-fir-eir-2025-oferta-11943-plazas-formacion-especializada-examen-25-enero.html)
  • The MIR selection will be held in person again, abandoning the telematic model (https://www.consalud.es/formacion/mir/medicos-aplauden-vuelta-presencialidad-en-eleccion-mir-disminuiran-renuncias_146886_102.html)
  • The Ministry eliminates the cut-off mark and the minimum score to access the MIR (https://www.epe.es/es/sanidad/20240724/mir-2025-eliminacion-nota-corte-aumento-plazas-106016192)

• Initiatives and news from the autonomous communities
  • The maps Health workers in the autonomous communities adapt to the new healthcare reality. Changes are planned in Cantabria, the Valencian Community, Aragon, Asturias and La Rioja (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/mapas-sanitarios-con-ccaa-esperan-adaptarse-nueva-realidad-asistencial_146778_102.html)
  • The Supreme Court provisionally suspends the transfer to the Basque Country of the homologation of foreign higher education degrees (https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2024/07/24/66a0c6f221efa0491f8b4573.html)

• Private healthcare
  • Waiting lists increase the number of patients who switch to private healthcare. Every day since 2021, 1,250 patients have taken out private health insurance, which is 1,366,000 in just three years (https://theobjective.com/sociedad/2024-07-24/listas-espera-sanidad-seguros-medicos-privados/#:~:text=Every%20day%2C%20since%202021%2C%20they%20irremissibly%20have%20gone%20to%20private%20insurance.)

Companies

• International news
  • GSK, Pfizer and Moderna experience declines in sales of respiratory syncytial virus vaccine (https://www.ft.com/content/8c21c662-b5c7-401a-b880-17905e15e2a5)
  • Milk for premature babies: In the USA, Abbott sentenced to pay 495 million dollars. A Missouri jury has been convicted of causing a serious intestinal disease in a child (https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2024/07/27/lait-pour-prematures-aux-etats-unis-les-laboratoires-pharmaceutiques-abbott-condamnes-a-payer-495-millions-de-dollars_6259618_3210.html)
  • AstraZeneca increases its revenues by 18% in the first half of the year. Advances are due to disruptive technologies, antibody-drug conjugates, cell and genetic therapies, radioconjugates and weight control medications (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/industria/2024/07/27/66a4a9fc468aebc5128b4584.html)

• National
  • Cuideo seeks to double its business in 2024. The home care company plans to grow through acquisitions and expansion (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/cuideo-busca-compras-para-ampliar-sus-servicios-y-doblar-su-negocio-en-2024#:~:text=Grifols%20GSK-,Cuideo%20busca%20compras%20para%20ampliar%20sus%20servicios%20y%20doblar%20su,oficinas%20en%20Sevilla%20y%20Málaga.)
  • Grifols’ staff fears that Brookfield will break up the company with a possible takeover bid (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud/noticias/12916184/07/24/la-plantilla-de-grifols-teme-que-brookfield-despiece-la-compania-con-la-posible-opa.html)
  • Almirall increases its profit by 28% (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2024-07-22/almirall-eleva-un-28-su-beneficio-y-confirma-sus-previsiones-para-el-ano.html)
  • Rafael Nadal and Juan Matjí promote investment in vitamins to prevent aging (https://www.vozpopuli.com/economia_y_finanzas/empresas/rafa-nadal-juan-matji-impulsan-inversion-millonaria-vitaminas-frenar-envejecimiento.html#:~:text=The%20exnumber%20one%20of%20the%20world,’rejuvenating’%20adults.)