7 days in healthcare (December 15th-21st, 2025)

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Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

  • Biomedicine: Viruses vs. bacteria: Phages become the new hope against antibiotic resistance.
  • Global health: The tobacco epidemic hits people with mental health problems.
  • International health policy: Trump announces price agreements with 9 pharmaceutical companies.
  • National health policy: The call for applications for the location of the State Public Health Agency is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
  • Business: Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca: “The pharmaceutical industry will be relegated to the past in Europe within fifteen years.”

Biomedicine

  • Viruses vs. bacteria: Phages become the new hope against antibiotic resistance. This therapy, relegated after the discovery of penicillin, has resurfaced in recent years due to the loss of effectiveness of antibiotics. This problem causes more than 24,000 deaths annually in Spain.

Global Health

  • The tobacco epidemic hits people with mental health problems. People with mental illness tend to live shorter lives than the general population. This is believed to be largely due to tobacco abuse.

International Health Policy

  • Trump announces price agreements with 9 pharmaceutical companies. The new agreements, signed by Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi, join those already in place with AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer.
  • 2025: an “annus horribilis” for healthcare in the USA. Of the 218 executive orders signed by Trump, many affect childhood vaccinations against hepatitis B, USAID, immigrants, academics and their institutions, developing countries through the closure of USAID, and Medicaid cuts. A world that would have seemed surreal to us not so long ago.
  • Moderate House Republicans, in line with Johnson’s health care plan, seek to avoid extending Obamacare subsidies.
  • Research funding under threat at the NIH. So far this year, the Trump Administration has fired more than 1,000 NIH scientists and administrators and cut more than 1,000 project grants.

National Health Policy (Spain)

  • The call for applications for the location of the State Public Health Agency has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE). Applications that provide facilities for the Agency from the outset will be given preference. Autonomous communities will have one month to submit their applications.
  • The decentralization of Medicine in Galicia is unblocked. An agreement has been reached by the rectors of the universities of Santiago, A Coruña, and Vigo.
  • Report on Human Resources in the National Health System (SNS) 2024. Healthcare staffing has grown by 25% in hospitals over 10 years, while primary care staffing has stagnated. The National Health System (SNS) employs 786,747 professionals, a figure that translates to a rate of 16.3 per 1,000 inhabitants.
  • The Ministry of Health reached an agreement with non-medical healthcare unions (SATSE, FSS-CCOO, UGT, CSIF, and CIG-Saúde), but this did not stop the doctors’ strike, promoted by the CESM and the SMA.

Companies

  • International
    • Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca: “The pharmaceutical industry will be relegated to obsolescence in Europe within fifteen years.” The main threat is Trump’s policies, which will concentrate all new production in the USA.
  • National
    • Ozempic leads revenue in Spanish pharmacies with €403.9 million. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, consolidated its position in 2024 as the highest-selling molecule in Spanish pharmacies. In total, it received €403.9 million, 36.2% more than the previous year, according to the report “Pharmaceutical Services in the National Health System (NHS).”
    • Quirón reactivates its private hospital in Nuevo Gijón with progress in the municipal agreement for the purchase of land.

Biomedicine

  • The American Heart Association is reviving the theory that moderate alcohol consumption can be healthy. This is published in a recent article, contrary to the opinion of other groups, such as the European Network of Cardiologists and the World Federation of Cardiology (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/health/alcohol-heart-disease-cancer.html)
  • 78% of breast cancers are diagnosed after menopause: key points (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/canceres-mama-diagnostican-tras-menopausia-claves-entender-20251218101328-nt.html)
  • More cheese, less dementia? A surprising study links full-fat dairy products with good brain health. This is suggested by a new article published in Neurology and conducted in Sweden (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/queso-demencia-estudio-sorprende-vincular-lacteos-grasos-20251217170004-nt.html)
  • Viruses versus bacteria: phages become the new hope against antibiotic resistance. This therapy, relegated after the discovery of penicillin, has resurfaced in recent years due to the loss of effectiveness of antibiotics. This problem causes more than 24,000 deaths annually in Spain. (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20251215/virus-bacterias-fagos-convierten-nueva-esperanza-resistencia-antibioticos/1003744050192_0.html)
  • Are some types of sugar healthier than others? Although some sugars (brown sugar, coconut sugar, etc.) are said to be healthier, all types of sugar contain glucose and fructose and are equally harmful. The important thing is not the type of sugar but how it is consumed. In the form of sugary drinks, it is absorbed more quickly and its effects are worse (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/12/12/are-some-types-of-sugar-healthier-than-others).

Global Health

International Health Policy

  • USA
    • 2025: an “annus horribilis” for health in the USA. Of the 218 executive orders signed by Trump, many affect childhood hepatitis B vaccinations, USAID, immigrants, academics and their institutions, developing countries through the closure of USAID, and Medicaid cuts. A world that would have seemed surreal to us not so long ago. (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02588-7/fulltext)
    • A MAHA (Make America Healthier Again) fact check in the journal Health Affairs. The article analyzes the negative aspects of the vaccine approach, along with the perhaps positive aspects of the chronic disease approach (https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20251212.798664/full/)
    • RFK, Jr. wants to incorporate the Danish vaccination schedule, but is forced to back down. The Danish schedule proposes immunization for only 10 of the 17 diseases considered in the USA. Although everything was prepared for the press conference, it had to be interrupted and the measure was dropped (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/20/rfk-kennedy-danish-vaccine-schedule-denmark-00701999)
    • Trump announces price agreements with 9 pharmaceutical companies. The new agreements, signed by Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Merck, Novartis and Sanofi, join those already in place and signed with AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer. (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/19/trump-unveils-drug-pricing-deals-with-nine-drugmakers-touting-impact-on-affordability-00700957)
    • Moderate House Republicans, in line with Johnson’s health plan, which seeks not to extend Obamacare subsidies (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/15/house-gop-moderates-signal-theyll-fall-in-line-with-johnsons-health-plan-00692138)
    • Trump wants to ban transgender treatments for minors, threatening hospitals that perform them (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/health/trump-gender-affirming-care-funding.html)
    • Research aid under threat at the NIH. So far this year, the Trump Administration has fired more than 1,000 scientists and administrators from the NIH and cut more than 1,000 project grants (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02590-5/fulltext)
    • Trump signs an executive order relaxing marijuana restrictions (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/18/trump-signs-executive-order-to-ease-marijuana-restrictions-00698021)
  • United Kingdom
    • Are Big Pharma companies losing their love for the UK? Recently, Merck and Lilly halted major investments in the UK to invest in the USA (https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1988)
  • France
    • Flu: a strong impact during the end of the year. A peak is expected around that time (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/12/17/grippe-un-fort-impact-anticipe-sur-les-hopitaux-pendant-les-vacances-de-fin-d-annee-selon-des-projections-de-pasteur-et-sante-publique-france_6658429_3224.html)
  • European Union
    • The OECD points to shortcomings in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the EU. The latest report from the OECD and the European Commission estimates 1.7 million cardiovascular deaths in 2022 and warns of the high health, social, and economic costs. EU (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/la-ocde-alerta-la-prevencion-y-el-cribado-de-las-enfermedades-cardiovasculares-en-la-ue-es-insuficiente.html)
  • WHO

National Health Policy

  • Central Government Initiatives
    • The “I See” Plan is launched, providing free eyeglasses for children up to a maximum of €100 per beneficiary. (https://elpais.com/expres/2025-12-18/arranca-el-plan-veo-como-puedes-pedir-esta-ayuda-para-que-las-gafas-sean-gratis-para-los-ninos.html)
    • The call for proposals for the location of the State Public Health Agency has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE). Applications that provide facilities for the Agency from the outset will be given preference. The regions will have one month to submit their applications (https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2025/12/17/pdfs/BOE-A-2025-25898.pdf)
    • The Government will allocate 152 million euros to promote biomedical research in Spain (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/politica/gobierno-destinara-152-millones-euros-fomentar-investigacion-biomedica-espana.html)
    • The cutting-edge Health PERTE program will continue until 2027. Morant emphasizes the role of the public-private company Terafornt as a key player in “promoting the development and manufacturing in Spain of biotechnological products, health technology, and medicines.” “Innovators” (https://diariofarma.com/2025/12/16/el-gobierno-da-continuidad-al-perte-salud-de-vanguardia-con-un-plan-estrategico-hasta-2027)
  • Initiatives of the Autonomous Communities
    • Granada and Zaragoza, the first cities to submit their candidacy to the State Public Health Agency (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251218/granada-zaragoza-primeras-ciudades-presentar-candidatura-alojar-agencia-estatal-salud-publica/1003744060216_0.html)
    • The decentralization of Medicine in Galicia is unblocked. Agreement reached by the rectors of the universities of Santiago, A Coruña, and Vigo (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/descentralizacion-medicina-galicia-desbloquea.html)
    • Pané advocates combining different types of incentives to improve working conditions for doctors. It has also rejected the idea of ​​doctors having their own statute (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/cataluna/pane-defiende-mezclar-diferentes-sistemas-de-incentivos-para-mejorar-las-condiciones-de-los-medicos.html)
  • Health Barometer 2025 (3rd wave)
    • Summary: those who believe the system works well are decreasing, while those who believe it works poorly are increasing. And the waiting time to see a family doctor is increasing (Access the report: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/BarometroSanitario/Barom_Sanit_2025/BS_2025_3oleada/Es3531mar.pdf
  • Human Resources in the NHS, 2024 Report
    • Access the report: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/sisInfSanSNS/tablasEstadisticas/InfAnual2024/Monografico_RRHH_2024.pdf
    • Healthcare staff has grown by 25% in hospitals over 10 years, while primary care staffing has stagnated. The NHS employs 786,747 professionals, a figure that translates to a rate of 16.3 per 1,000 inhabitants, reflecting the magnitude of a system highly dependent on healthcare personnel to guarantee its daily operation. (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/plantillas-sanitarias-en-espana-el-personal-hospitalario-crece-un-25-en-10-anos-y-primaria-se-estanca.html)
  • Framework Statute
    • The Ministry of Health reaches an agreement with non-medical healthcare unions (SATSE, FSS-CCOO, UGT, CSIF, and CIG-Saúde), but it does not stop the doctors’ strike, promoted by CESM and SMA (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251216/sanidad-llega-pacto-sindicatos-sanitarios-no-frena-huelga-medica-no-abordan-peticiones/1003744056534_0.html)
    • European unions support a specific statute for Spanish doctors. According to the Marburger Bund (medical union, Germany) and Anaao Assomed (medical union, Italy), it is necessary to “respect” the “specific nature” of medical work, since a “single” labor framework for healthcare is “not appropriate” (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/medicina/los-sindicatos-europeos-apoyan-un-estatuto-propio-de-los-medicos-espanoles-1077)
  • Deaths and cause of death
    • Deaths and cause of death in Spain in 2023 (a 6.1% decrease in deaths compared to 2022) (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/gabinetePrensa/notaPrensa/pdf/Defun101225134104376.pdf)
    • The age-adjusted mortality rate decreased by 7.2% in 2023 (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/medicina-preventiva/tasa-mortalidad-ajustada-edad-disminuyo-72-2023.html)
  • Suicides
    • The number of suicides decreased; 3,953 people took their own lives in 2024 (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/3953-personas-quitaron-vida-espana-2024_202512176942d261af09df50108b2cd9.html)

Companies

  • International
    • The plan to rescue Novo Nordisk. It will focus on anti-obesity drugs and make operational changes (https://www.economist.com/business/2025/12/15/the-plan-to-rescue-novo-nordisk)
    • Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca: “The pharmaceutical industry will be relegated to the past in Europe within fifteen years.” The main threat is Trump’s policies, which will concentrate all new production in the USA (https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2025/12/17/pascal-soriot-pdg-d-astrazeneca-l-industrie-pharmaceutique-sera-reduite-a-peau-de-chagrin-en-europe-d-ici-a-quinze-ans_6658285_3234.html)
    • Pfizer anticipates a drop in revenue in 2026, due to the decline in income from COVID-19 and the loss of patents (https://www.consalud.es/salud35/internacional/pfizer-preve-una-caida-de-ingresos-en-2026-por-el-descenso-de-las-ventas-de-productos-covid-y-la-perdida-de-patentes.html)
  • National
    • The CNMC suggests Consider less restrictive alternatives before banning single-use e-cigarettes. The agency recommends reconsidering the limitations on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco-related products and devices (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/12/17/6942d063fc6c83e60c8b459f.html)
    • Ozempic leads revenue in Spanish pharmacies with €403.9 million. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, consolidated its position in 2024 as the highest-selling molecule in Spanish pharmacies. It generated a total of €403.9 million, a 36.2% increase compared to the previous year, according to the report “Pharmaceutical Services in the National Health System (SNS).” (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/13698096/12/25/ozempic-encabeza-los-ingresos-en-las-farmacias-espanolas-con-4039-millones.html)
    • Biosimilars offer a respite to healthcare spending: Biosim anticipates savings of €22 billion by 2030. The mAbxience plant in León produces two million vials for oncology, hematology, and osteoporosis (https://cincodias.elpais.com/extras/ciencia-salud/2025-12-19/los-biosimilares-dan-un-respiro-al-gasto-del-sistema-sanitario-biosim-preve-un-ahorro-de-22000-millones-de-aqui-a-2030.html)
    • Quirón reactivates its private hospital in Nuevo Gijón with progress in the municipal agreement for the purchase of plots (https://www.lne.es/gijon/2025/12/21/quiron-reactiva-hospital-privado-nuevo-125004791.html)

 

 

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