Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: Should every baby have their DNA sequenced?
• Global Health: The world’s largest pulmonology society (USA) calls for a ban on plastic countertops.
• International Health Policy: The French Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie) calls for a ban on cigarette sales to people born after 2009.
• National Health Policy: PP-Vox pact in Andalusian healthcare, 29 measures.
• Business: Global drug sales will grow by more than 7% annually until 2032.

Biomedicine

• Should every baby have their DNA sequenced? Many studies are being conducted in the USA, Europe, and Australia. Those who advocate for universal sequencing hope it will transform the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Those who oppose it believe this could create unnecessary anxiety and force parents to handle overly complex information.
• Scientists take another step toward lab-grown life. What would you call an organism without evolution from ancestors? SpudCell, apparently.
• The use of AI for mental disorders: divided opinions. Two-thirds of adults between 25 and 34 years old use chatbots for support. AI is more confidential, cheaper, and capable of offering expert knowledge.
• The US creates the world’s largest health database. It combines genomic information with clinical data from hundreds of thousands of Americans. It is expected to help develop personalized medicine.

Global Health

• The world’s largest pulmonology society (USA) calls for a ban on plastic countertops and criticizes the industry’s tactics. An official report from the American Thoracic Society concludes that preventative measures are not preventing the global silicosis epidemic caused by engineered stone and accuses manufacturers like Cosentino of acting like the asbestos industry.
• The Congo raises the death toll to 321 and the number of confirmed Ebola cases to 1,203. An estimated 148 people have recovered from the disease.

International Health Policy

• French Health Insurance (HI) is calling for a ban on cigarette sales to people born after 2009 and the mandatory use of Nutri-Score. These measures, among others, appear in the annual report, which says they could generate savings of €3.9 billion per year.
• Waiting lists stall in the NHS after an initial sprint. In March, the NHS reached a peak in the reduction of the waiting list, but the process stalled in April. Reducing waiting lists in the NHS may be more difficult than it appears.
• Can the NHS afford Mounjaro? It spent £574 million last year, even though most eligible patients did not receive it. This medication was the most consumed in England last year.
• Germany, Denmark, and the Czech Republic set record temperatures in Europe.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• PP-Vox pact for Andalusian healthcare: 29 measures. It will begin with an audit and an emergency plan to address waiting lists and strengthen public-private partnerships. It’s noteworthy that this last point is included in a government agreement, as it’s not usually the case; quite the opposite, in fact, as if it were something shameful.
• 17-hour on-call shifts, four on-call shifts per month as the norm, a 35-hour workweek, and guaranteed salaries: the key points of the MIR decree submitted for public consultation.
• The Galician Health Service (SERGAS) is designing its future central purchasing system. SERGAS will promote the centralized procurement of hospital pharmacy medications as part of its efficiency strategy.
• Catalonia is designing its strategic plan for precision medicine. The regional government will regulate access to genetic testing and standardize clinical practice through a new care model integrated into the Catalan Health Service (Siscat), which bases its development on three pillars: clinical genetics, digital platforms, and governance.
• The use of biosimilars has doubled in five years. The Ministry’s report, “Adoption of Generic, Hybrid, and Biosimilar Medicines in the National Health System,” identifies these drugs as key to ensuring the sustainability of the public system.

Companies

• International
  • Global drug sales will grow by more than 7% annually until 2032. A report by Evaluate Pharma indicates that five drugs will individually exceed €17 billion in annual sales, and the twenty best-selling drugs will account for nearly 20% of the global pharmaceutical market.
  • Pharmaceutical companies’ investment in R&D is stagnating due to concerns about geopolitical tensions. The peak was reached in 2021, coinciding with the pandemic, and since then, investment has slowed.

• National News
  • Vithas finalizes the purchase of the Spanish business of the oncology group GenesisCare, an Australian giant specializing in radiotherapy treatment.
  • DKV’s new strategy before changing its name to Ergo España. An acquisition strategy is being considered.
  • Construction of the Quirón hospital in Gijón is progressing. The purchase of the Cabueñes plots is being finalized, now that the legal process is complete.

Biomedicine

• Should every baby have their DNA sequenced? Many experiences are accumulating in the USA, Europe, and Australia. Those who advocate for universal sequencing hope to transform the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Those who oppose it believe this could create unnecessary worries and force parents to deal with very complicated information (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/06/29/should-every-babys-dna-be-sequenced)
• Scientists take another step toward lab-created life. What would you call an organism without evolution from ancestors? SpudCell, apparently (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/07/01/scientists-take-another-step-towards-lab-made-life). Access the original article: https://www.science.org/content/article/lab-created-spudcell-marks-major-step-toward-building-life-scratch
• Why AI can transform the pharmaceutical industry, even though nature can’t be rushed. AI has the potential to fundamentally change the development of new drugs (https://www.ft.com/content/24b23156-382f-4b20-bdec-cbd072cafe2c?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• The use of AI for mental disorders: divided opinions. Two-thirds of adults aged 25 to 34 use chatbots for support. AI is more confidential, cheaper, and capable of providing expert knowledge (https://www.ft.com/content/a4ee9f36-74a5-4eac-8292-be2da893ae48?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• The US creates the world’s largest health database. It combines genomic information with clinical data from hundreds of thousands of Americans. It is expected to help develop personalized medicine (https://www.abc.es/salud/eeuu-crea-base-datos-salud-grande-mundo-20260630165512-nt.html)
• The FDA gives the green light to 20 ZYN nicotine pouches with modified risk status. The FDA has authorized 20 varieties of ZYN brand nicotine pouches to be marketed as modified risk products, a designation that allows for informing adult consumers about the lower level of exposure to harmful substances compared to continued cigarette smoking (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/06/30/6a4410f0e4d4d89b368b4596.html)
• The FDA approves the first Treg cell immunotherapy for allogeneic transplantation. The new cell therapy that uses donor lymphocytes to reduce serious complications in blood cancer patients after undergoing an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (https://diariofarma.com/2026/07/01/la-fda-aprueba-la-primera-inmunoterapia-de-celulas-treg-para-el-trasplante-alogenico)
• Up to 18 studies are underway worldwide for home telemonitoring after stroke. AquAS (the Catalan Quality Agency) has analyzed the currently available evidence, awaiting the results of all these studies, none of which are in Spain (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/18-estudios-curso-mundo-telemonitorizacion-domiciliaria-ictus.html)

Global Health

• Actions for a healthier global tax system. A global treaty could help ensure the tax system responds to the needs of public services (https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-343297)
• Uganda confirms that the Marburg case, as confirmed by the WHO, and the Ebola outbreak continue (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100194)
• According to a United Nations study, Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian children, killing several (https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-100092)
• In the DRC, the Ebola epidemic is spreading in the northeast, with a fourth province affected. (https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/06/29/en-rdc-l-epidemie-de-maladie-a-virus-ebola-s-etend-dans-tout-le-nord-est-du-pays-avec-une-quatrieme-province-affectee_6716948_3212.html)
• The Congo raises the death toll to 321 and the number of confirmed Ebola cases to 1,203. An estimated 148 people have recovered from the disease (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/06/27/6a3f7cb9e4d4d8ae6a8b4575.html)
• The world’s largest pulmonology society (USA) is calling for a ban on plastic countertops and criticizing the industry’s tactics. An official report from the American Thoracic Society concludes that preventative measures are not preventing the global silicosis epidemic caused by engineered stone and accuses manufacturers like Cosentino of acting like the asbestos industry (https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/mayor-sociedad-neumologia-mundo-pide-prohibir-encimeras-cuarzo-critica-tacticas-industria_1_13349197.html). Access the original article: https://academic.oup.com/annalsats/advance-article/doi/10.1093/annalsats/aaoag176/8719399?login=false

International Health Policy

• USA
  • States sue the federal government over Medicaid work requirements. States say the federal administration is going beyond what was approved by Congress (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/us/politics/medicaid-work-requirements-lawsuit.html)
  • Clusters of severe stomach illness are being reported in several parts of the US. Public health experts say there are more cases than usual, caused by cyclospora, transmitted through contaminated food and water (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/02/well/cyclospora-infection-united-states.html)

• United Kingdom
  • Waiting lists stagnate after an initial “sprint.” In March, the NHS saw a peak in the decline of the waiting list, but the process stalled in April (https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/waiting-list-progress-stalls-after-nhs-sprint)
  • Why rankings of healthcare institutions don’t work, according to the Nuffield Trust. An article published by this organization says that this ranking is a poor guide to the quality offered by institutions (https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/time-to-clear-the-tables-why-nhs-league-rankings-don-t-work)
  • Milburn Report: Young people shouldn’t need a diagnosis to access mental health support and help finding employment (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100145). Access the Milburn report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-people-and-work-interim-report
  • £45 billion of overspending on pharmaceuticals in the UK imposed by the US and 300,000 excess deaths: the gift to the UK for the US’s 250th anniversary (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100179). Access the original article: https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-340588?ijkey=4d41f37be52ca76f475be55116efca4c8d630265&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
  • Can the NHS afford Mounjaro? It spent £574 million last year, even though most eligible patients didn’t get it. This drug was the most consumed in England last year (https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-100104)
  • Dangers of financial capital in healthcare. Proponents of financial capital overestimate its importance for maintaining universal coverage (https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-210213.full)
  • Obesity is growing faster among young adults in England, a study shows (https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-100097)

• France
  • Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie) calls for a ban on the sale of cigarettes to people born after 2009 and the mandatory use of Nutri-Score. These measures, among others, appear in the annual report, which states that savings of €3.9 billion per year could be achieved (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/07/02/l-assurance-maladie-plaide-pour-l-interdiction-definitive-de-la-vente-de-cigarettes-au x-personnes-nees-apres-2009-et-propose-l-etiquetage-obligatoire-de-nutri-score-ainsi-que-des-produits-ultratransformes_6718191_3224.html)
  • Heat wave: initial reports reveal excess mortality, especially among deaths at home (https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2026/06/29/canicule-les-premiers-bilans-revelent-une-surmortalite-et-notamment-une-hausse-des-deces-a-domicile_6716697_1651302.html)
  • Increased hospital mortality due to heat, a well-documented fact since 2003 (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/07/04/la-mortalite-a-l-hopital-a-cause-de-la-chaleur-un-sujet-sensible-deja-documente-lors-de-la-canicule-de-2003_6720662_3224.html)

• Europe
  • Germany, Denmark, and the Czech Republic: record temperatures in Europe (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/06/27/allemagne-danemark-republique-tcheque-des-records-de-temperature-en-europe_6716404_3244.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Administration
  • 17-hour on-call shifts, four on-call shifts per month as the norm, 35-hour workweek, and salary protection: the key points of the MIR decree submitted for public consultation (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/mir-decreto-sanidad-reforma-puntos-clave/)
  • The Ministry of Health wants to curb falls in older people, the leading cause of death, which are increasing by 8% annually. In 2025, there were 4,814 deaths due to accidental falls (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260704/sanidad-quiere-poner-coto-caidas-personas-mayores-primera-causa-muerte-externa-crecen-ano/1003744309673_0.html)

• Regional Administrations
  • PP-Vox Pact in Andalusian Healthcare: 29 Measures. It will begin with an audit and a crash plan on waiting lists and a strengthening of public/private collaboration (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/andalucia/pacto-pp-vox-en-la-sanidad-andaluza-28-medidas-plazos-y-presupuesto-3487)
  • The Galician Health Service (SERGAS) Designs its Future Purchasing Center. The Galician Health Service will strengthen the Centralized procurement of hospital pharmacy medications as part of its efficiency strategy. (https://diariofarma.com/2026/06/29/el-sergas-disena-su-futura-central-de-compras-para-aportar-eficiencia-al-sistema)
  • Catalonia designs its strategic plan for precision medicine. The region will regulate access to genetic testing and standardize clinical practice through a new care model integrated into the Siscat (Catalan Health Service), which bases its development on three pillars: clinical genetics, digital platforms, and governance. (https://diariofarma.com/2026/07/01/cataluna-presenta-su-plan-estrategico-para-desplegar-la-medicina-de-precision)
  • Castilla-La Mancha will connect its hospital network to digitize Pathology. A project will allow all hospitals to operate as a single networked laboratory to improve digital imaging and guarantee equitable access. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/anatomia-patologica/castilla-mancha-cambio-red-hospitales-digitalizar-anatomia-patologica.html)
  • The Basque Country’s Health Minister defends the Basque Health Pact (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/alberto-martinez-pacto-vasco-salud-sistema-sanitario-pacientes-centro/)

• Alliance between teaching and care
  • The alliance between teaching and care in healthcare turns 40. Despite everything, the University and the Healthcare system continue to function today as two independent and uncoordinated structures (https://elpais.com/educacion/2026-07-02/la-alianza-entre-docencia-y-asistencia-cumple-40-anos.html)

• Biosimilars
  • The use of biosimilars has doubled in five years. The report ‘Adoption of generic, hybrid and biosimilar medicines in the The Ministry of Health’s report, ‘National Health System’, positions these drugs as key to guaranteeing the sustainability of the public system (https://diariofarma.com/2026/07/02/sanidad-constata-que-el-uso-de-biosimilares-se-ha-duplicado-en-el-sns-en-cinco-anos)

• Attention to undocumented immigrants
  • The Ministry of Health provided care to 1.2 million undocumented immigrants in 2024, more than double the number Sánchez said in April he would regularize. A parliamentary response to Vox reveals that the Government had 1,224,576 undocumented immigrants registered in the National Health System databases (https://www.elespanol.com/espana/politica/20260704/sanidad-atendio-sin-papeles-doble-sanchez-dió-abril-regularizaria/1003744309875_0.html)

• Cuts in pharmaceutical spending?
  • Is the Ministry of Finance preparing a major cut in pharmaceutical spending? The Ministry of Finance presented healthcare spending data and its comparison to the reference rate of 3.5 percent to the Joint Committee on the Pharmaceutical Industry Strategy. This is intended to demonstrate the need for spending controls. Meanwhile, former Minister Jordi Sevilla estimates that the Ministry of Finance is seeking savings of 2 billion euros, a figure that reportedly appears in the draft General State Budget, which Sevilla claims to have accessed (https://diariofarma.com/2026/06/30/prepara-el-ministerio-de-hacienda-un-recorte-de-gran-dimension-en-el-gasto-farmaceutico)
  • Article by Jordi Sevilla, “Pharmaceutical companies, the new enemies of the people?” (https://cincodias.elpais.com/opinion/2026-06-29/farmaceuticas-los-nuevos-enemigos-del-pueblo.html)

Companies

• International
  • Pharmaceutical R&D investment stagnates due to concerns about geopolitical tensions. The peak was reached in 2021, coinciding with the pandemic, and since then, investment has been slowing down (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260629/inversion-id-farmaceuticas-estanca-pretrabajo-companias-tensiones-geopoliticas/1003744301238_0.html)
  • Global drug sales will grow by more than 7% annually until 2032. A report by Evaluate Pharma indicates that five drugs will individually exceed €17 billion in annual sales, and the twenty best-selling drugs will account for nearly 20% of the global pharmaceutical market (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/ventas-mundiales-medicamentos-crecimiento-2032/)
  • Brussels is investigating the manufacturer of Invisalign clear aligners for possible monopolistic practices (https://elpais.com/economia/2026-06-30/bruselas-investiga-a-la-empresa-de-ortodoncia-del-invisalign-por-posibles-practicas-contra-la-competencia.html)
  • Bayer can attract investors again (https://cincodias.elpais.com/opinion/2026-06-30/bayer-poder-volver-a-atraer-al-inversor.html)

• NationalNews
  • Vithas finalizes the purchase of the Spanish business of the oncology group GenesisCare, an Australian giant specializing in radiotherapy treatment (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/2026/07/01/6a43ff76468aeba4248b45a2.html)
  • HM entrusts Ferrovial and Arpada with the construction of its new centers. The companies will carry out the construction work on the projects in Malaga, Madrid, and Barcelona (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/13990906/06/26/hm-hospitales-confia-a-ferrovial-y-arpada-la-construccion-de-sus-nuevos-centros.html)
  • New strategy from DKV before changing its name to Ergo España. A purchasing strategy is being considered (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260630/estrategia-dkv-cambiar-name-compras-grandes-fichajes-cerrar-oficinas-sin-despidos/1003744304222_0.html)
  • Linde expands its presence in the Iberian Peninsula with the acquisition of Acail Gas (https://www.consalud.es/salud35/nacional/linde-amplia-su-presencia-en-la-peninsula-iberica-con-la-adquisicion-de-acail-gas.html)
  • The ISCIII and GSK sign a collaboration agreement to promote R&D in Global Health (https://www.consalud.es/salud35/nacional/el-isciii-y-gsk-firman-un-atrabajo-de-colaboracion-para-impulsar-la-i-d-i-en-salud-global.html)
  • The Government allows Correos (the Spanish postal service) to sell health insurance for immigrants in the regularization process (AXA) (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/el-gobierno-permite-a-correos-vender-seguros-privados-de-salud-para-inmigrantes-en-process-de-regularizacion.html)
  • Quirón finalizes the purchase of the Cabueñes plots, now that the legal route is cleared, in order to build a hospital in Gijón (https://www.elcomercio.es/gijon/quiron-compra-parcelas-cabuenes-gijon-20260702210132-nt.html)