7 days in healthcare (June, 19th-25th, 2023)

 

Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, ethical problems continue to be discussed as a consequence of the creation of embryos without eggs or sperm. Until now, an embryo required an egg and a sperm, but this new approach would allow, in hypothesis, to solve problems of infertility or pregnancy loss, but it is a matter to regulate very carefully. Two studies in Nature seem to show that the Y chromosome makes men more vulnerable to tumors.

With regard to Global Health, The Lancet focuses on the great threat of diabetes, since it is estimated that in 2050 there will be 1.3 billion diabetics, a disease related to obesity, diet, tobacco, alcohol and sedentary lifestyle. Inequalities in access to morphine are denounced, with the United States and Europe almost completely monopolizing its use. An important issue, since this drug has a relevant role in the treatment of pain and in palliative care.

Regarding International Health Policy, according to the weekly WHO report, covid is declining in both the number of cases and deaths in all WHO regions of the world. Only in the African region is there a slight increase in the number of deaths, with a decrease in the number of new cases. In the United States, the commercialization of meat grown in the laboratory is approved. One of the authorized establishments belongs to the Spanish philanthropist José Andrés. Also in the United States, not minor problems continue as a result of the annulment of the Roe v Wade ruling that transfers the authorization of abortion to the states. In the United Kingdom, the problems with the emergency services continue and a strike of resident doctors is called. New health insurance law in South Africa, which appears to represent progress towards universal coverage in that country.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), according to the WHO weekly bulletin, Spain is the country in Europe with the highest mortality from covid. The government and the communities agree to abolish the mandatory nature of masks in health centers and pharmacies. Ayuso, proclaimed President of the Community of Madrid, after the last elections. Absence of great news in the announcements of health measures for this legislature. As was already known, Spain is consolidating itself as a world power in clinical trials, an achievement no less.

In the field of Companies, internationally, Walmart (the largest supermarket chain in the USA) enters the primary care business, with 32 centers in 5 states. Walmart was already in healthcare, but it was with small clinics for minor care. Significant company purchases by Merck MSD and Lilly, which seems to confirm that M&A activity in pharmaceutical companies is reviving. In the Spanish national arena, ASEBIO announces an increase in investment in R&D by biotech companies in 2022.

Biomedicine

• ChatGPT alternatives in healthcare and research. This language ecosystem is expanding with dozens and perhaps hundreds of alternatives, able to help in clinical practice and research (https://medicalfuturist.com/chatgpt-alternatives-for-healthcare-and-research/)
• Synthetic embryos create a serious ethical problem. The traditional view is that an egg plus sperm generates an embryo. But this rule is broken with the new possibilities. This can offer solutions to infertility or pregnancy loss, but updated regulation is necessary (https://www.ft.com/content/9b030a08-fec2-4481-b6b6-c1cba8e7660c)
• Short naps throughout the day keep the brain healthy as we age. Recent studies see a relationship between napping and total brain volume (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jun/20/short-daytime-naps-may-keep-brain-healthy-as-it-ages-study-says#:~:text=Short%20daytime%20naps%20may%20keep%20brain%20healthy%20as%20it%20ages%2C%20study%20says,-Brief%20doze%20may&text=Taking%20a%20short %twenty)
• Global sperm counts have been falling since the 1930’s, apparently due to seemingly innocuous items from the kitchen, bathroom or garden (https://www.ft.com/content/f14ab282-1dd3-46bf-be02-a59aff3a90ed)
• A review of studies of 2.2 million people shows how loneliness increases the risk of dying (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2023-06-19/una-revision-de-estudios-with-22-million-people-shows-how-loneliness-increases-the-risk-of-dying.html)
• The male chromosome makes men more vulnerable to cancer. Two studies published in Nature offer information on how the Y chromosome can cause greater vulnerability to tumors (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2023-06-21/el-cromosoma-masculino-hace-a-men-most-vulnerable-to-cancer.html)

Global Health

• Diabetes, a defining disease of the 21st century. More than 1.3 billion people will have diabetes in 2050. The growth is due to type 2 diabetes, attributed to social factors: obesity, diet, alcohol, smoking and lack of exercise (https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(23)01296-5.pdf)
• Global inequities in access to morphine. More than 80% of morphine is consumed in the United States and Europe, creating vast inequalities in pain treatment and palliative care (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01295-3/fulltext#:~:text=A%20new%20report%20by%20WHO,as%20North%20America%20and%20Europe.)

International Health Policy

• COVID19
  • Weekly covid report published by the WHO, June 22, 2023. The African region has shown a slight increase in deaths with a decrease in cases. The remaining five WHO regions show a decrease in both the number of cases and deaths (https://reliefweb.int/report/world/covid-19-weekly-epidemiological-update-edition-148-published-22-june-2023)
  • There is no direct proof that the covid originated from a leak from a laboratory, according to the American intelligence services (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/23/covid-19-origins-wuhan-lab-leak-us-intelligence-reports)

• USA
  • The United States approves the sale of meat grown in the laboratory. Two companies are authorized: Upside Foods and Good Meat, the latter linked to the Spanish philanthropist José Andrés, who had already begun to market these products in Singapore (https://es.wired.com/articulos/estados-unidos-apprueba-la-sale-of-meat-grown-in-lab)
  • The abortion pill, which resurfaced after the Dobbs ruling, is now under threat (https://www.wired.com/story/abortion-pill-use-is-surging-now-its-under-threat/)
  • Dozens of abortion clinics have closed since the overturning of Roe v. Wade. At least 61 clinics have closed, located mostly in states that have legislated against abortion (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/06/22/us/abortion-clinics-dobbs-roe-wade.html# )

• United Kingdom and National Health Service
  • The NHS emergency services, still in serious trouble, according to a report by the National Audit Office (https://www.ft.com/content/4ee211f8-5c3d-4f98-97d6-7e55ecc409d8)
  • Resident doctors go on strike for five days from July 13 (https://www.bmj.com/content/381/bmj.p1448#:~:text=News-,Junior%20doctors%20in%20England)%20will%20walk%20out%20for%20five%20days,longest%20strike%20in%20NHS%20history&text=Junior%20doctors%20in%20England%20will%20go%20on%20strike%20for%20five,history%2C%20)
  • Vaping among young people causes panic in the UK (https://www.economist.com/britain/2023/06/22/vaping-among-schoolchildren-has-become-a-moral-panic-in-britain#)
  • NHS announces new specialist childhood obesity clinics (https://www.bmj.com/content/381/bmj.p1365#:~:text=The%20NHS%20has%20announced%20an,childhood%20obesity%20crisis%20in%20England.)

• France
  • Sickle cell disease: a white paper for a national strategy, submitted by twelve patient associations. This genetic disease that shows anemia, painful bone crises that evoke a fracture and high risk of infections (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2023/06/19/drepanocytose-un-livre-blanc-pour-une-strategie-nationale_6178321_3224.html#:~:text=Douze%20associations%20de%20patients%20ont,atteints%20de%20cette%20maladie%20génétique.)
  • 13% of school children have a probable mental disorder (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2023/06/20/13-des-enfants-scolarises-presentaient-un-trouble-mental-probable_6178368_1650684.html#:~:text=13%20%25%20des%20enfants%20scolarisés%20de,une%20classe%20de%20trente%20élèves.)

• South Africa
  • New health insurance law. On June 13, 2023, the new law was approved, which clears the path towards universal coverage. Currently South Africa has a two-thirds system, with an underfunded public system and a private system, based on individual contributions (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01294-1/fulltext)

• European Union
  • The ECDC warns that climate change increases the risk of mosquito-borne diseases (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2023/06/22/64942a0efc6c8360338b45cc.html#)

National health policy

• COVID19
  • According to the weekly WHO bulletin on covid, Spain is the country in the European region with the highest mortality from covid, with 729 cases, 1.5 new deaths per 100,000 inhabitants) (https://reliefweb.int/report/world/covid-19-weekly-epidemiological-update-edition-148-published-22-june-2023)
  • The Ministry of Health and the communities decide that masks are no longer mandatory in the health field and in pharmacies (https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2023-06-23/sanidad-comunidades-fin-mascarilla-sanitary-field_3671656/)

• Madrid’s Region
  • Ayuso announces the sanitary measures for the next legislature. Among other measures, it announces a new appointment system for primary care, centers for sexually transmitted diseases, permanent professionals, regulating conscientious objection, digital health, and modifying the trans law without taking away rights (https://medicinaresponsable.com/actualidad-sanitary/ayuso-sanitary-measures-legislature)

• Public healthcare
  • The Andalusian community assumes the management of the old Pascual hospital in Malaga (https://www.plantadoce.com/publico/andalucia-asume-la-gestion-del-antiguo-hospital-pascual-de-malaga.html)

• Private healthcare
  • Catalonia agrees to a salary increase of at least 4% (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/cataluna-la-sanidad-privada-aplicara-un-aumento-salarial-del-4-este-ano.html)

• Normative
  • The Constitutional Court admits to processing the appeals of the PP against the trans law and of Vox against the new abortion law (https://elpais.com/espana/2023-06-20/el-tribunal-constitucional-admite-a-process-appeals-of-pp-and-vox-that-reopen-the-debate-on-the-trans-law-and-abortion.html#)

• Clinical trials
  • Spain, world power in clinical trials (https://cincodias.elpais.com/extras/ciencia-salud/2023-06-22/espana-potencia-global-en-ensayos-clinicos.html#)

Companies

• International News
  • Walmart (the largest supermarket chain in the United States) enters the primary care business, creating 32 health centers in 5 states, with consultation, dentist, sample collection, and radiology. And it intends to expand it in more states (https://www.economist.com/business/2023/06/21/doctor-walmart-will-see-you-now)
  • Boehringer Ingelheim enters the race for anti-obesity drugs (https://www.ft.com/content/d3f5e936-05af-4775-8247-cff1c007ba45)
  • AstraZeneca designs a plan for a spin off of its business in China, amid tensions (https://www.ft.com/content/d195f3d0-0101-414e-b190-9691e6c5661d)
  • Merck MSD completes the purchase of Prometeus Biosciences for 10.8 billion dollars (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/merck-msd-completa-la-compra-de-prometheus-biosciences-por-10800-millos-de-dollars.html)
  • Eli Lilly buys Dice Therapeutics for 2.4 billion dollars (https://www.plantadoce.com/company/eli-lilly-buys-dice-therapeutics-for-2.4billion-dollars.html)

• National News
  • Spanish biotech companies invest 1,038 million euros in R&D in 2022, 16% more (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2023-06-20/las-biotecnologicas-aumentan-un-16-su-inversion-in-id-y-reach-1038-million-euros.html#)
  • Sanitas acquires the health business of Asefa (https://corporativo.sanitas.es/sanitas-adquiere-el-negocio-de-salud-de-asefa/)
  • Ribera reinforces its commitment to Murcia with the purchase of Cardiosalus (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/ribera-refuerza-su-apuesta-en-murcia-con-la-compra-de-cardiosalus.html)
  • Miranza opens a new ophthalmological center in Malaga (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/miranza-desembarca-en-malaga-con-un-nuevo-centro-oftalmologico.html#:~:text=2023%20—%2005%3A00-,Miranza%20disembarks%20in%20Málaga%20with%20a%20new%20%20ophthalmological%20centre,for%20the%20south%20of%20Spain.)
  • Los Nogales will invest six million in cohabitation units in residences in Madrid (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/los-nogales-invertira-seis-millones-en-unidades-de-convivencia-en-residencias-de-madrid.html#:~:text=2023%20-%2011%3A39-,Los%20Nogales%20will invest%20six%20million%20in%20%20units%20of%20coexistence%20in,a%20maximum%20d)
  • ING partners with DKV to distribute health insurance in Spain (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/ing-se-alia-con-dkv-para-distribuir-seguros-de-salud-en-espana.html)
  • Future Life, Virthus and Ivfa Australia are studying the purchase of Eugin (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/future-life-virtus-y-ivfa-australia-studying-the-purchase-of-eugin.html# :~:text=Future%20Life%20(CVC)%2C%20Virtus,of%20CVC%20 and%20Hartenberg%20Holding.)
  • KKR and Dentix will maintain the contract signed after the court ruling (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/dentix-y-krr-mantendran-el-contrato-firmado-tras-la-resolucion-de-la-justicia.html#:~:text=2023%20—%2010%3A18-,Dentix%20and%20KRR%20willmaintain%20the%20contract%20signed%20after%20the%20resolution,signed%20at%20final%20of%2)