Trump’s pharmaceutical plan threatens Europe, 7 days in healthcare (September 14th-20th, 2026)

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Summary

News of the Week:

  • Trump’s pharmaceutical plan threatens Europe: more expensive medicines and delays in new therapies.

The week’s most impactful healthcare news stories were:

  • Biomedicine: Analysis of how short-form videos—widely used by many people—may affect the brain.
  • Global Health: Eradicating measles is impossible due to vaccine hesitancy in wealthy nations, says Bill Gates.
  • International Health Policy: The Trump Administration is moving quickly to integrate AI into healthcare, activating AI systems to diagnose conditions and prescribe therapies.
  • National Health Policy: Unions reject the idea that a parliamentary intergroup is sufficient to halt the indefinite doctors’ strike.
  • Industry: Pharmaceutical manufacturers are preparing for a new phase of space-based research and manufacturing.

Biomedicine

  • How short-form videos (a new mode of communication for many generations) may affect the brain. Short videos—popularized by platforms like TikTok and Instagram—are sparking interest regarding their impact on concentration and attention spans.
  • Unmet needs of people with severe asthma. Over 260 million people live with asthma, and more than 400,000 die from the disease annually. Severe asthma accounts for 5–10% of cases and is frequently undertreated.
  • Researchers have created a mouse containing a portion of a human brain; this could aid in the development of medicines for neurological conditions.

Global Health

  • Eradicating measles is impossible due to vaccine hesitancy in wealthy nations, says Bill Gates. He notes that while eradication once seemed achievable for his Foundation, progress has since stalled or reversed.
  • Wildfire smoke and health: evidence, mechanisms, and future challenges. Exposure to wildfire smoke poses health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations.

International Health Policy

  • Trump’s pharmaceutical plan threatens Europe: more expensive medicines and delays in new therapies. International researchers warn of the potential consequences for the EU of Washington’s policies aimed at lowering prices within the US.
  • The Trump administration is moving quickly to integrate AI into healthcare, despite reservations and concerns; AI is being deployed to diagnose conditions and prescribe therapies.
  • The European Commission proposes banning social media use for children under 13; this was announced by von der Leyen at a press conference.
  • The OECD warns of the impact of a new pandemic, noting that healthcare systems could be overwhelmed within two months. The organization analyzes five pandemic scenarios and concludes that early action could reduce mortality and avoid the need for more restrictive measures.

National Health Policy (Spain)

  • Unions reject the idea that a parliamentary intergroup is sufficient to halt the planned indefinite doctors’ strike. Proposals from the Health Minister and the Medical Profession Forum have not changed their stance; they maintain that the indefinite strike scheduled to begin on October 28 is proceeding. While a strike is by no means desirable—and unions have other avenues for action—it is worth noting that the Minister had for years expressed opposition to a specific Medical Statute (a common feature elsewhere in Europe). The “parliamentary intergroup” idea, however well-intentioned, may amount to little more than a passing notion, given that the Framework Statute is already under discussion in Parliament.
  • Congress endorses a major reform regarding long-term care dependency, focusing on more personalized attention and improved home care. The legislation, which also amends the disability law, provides for new services and a reduction in red tape.
  • The Basque Country is set to launch an advanced therapy biomanufacturing hub to boost its standing in Europe. The Basque Health Cluster and seven Basque companies are forming a committee—backed by the Basque Government—to strengthen industrial capacity, attract investment, and compete in international markets.
  • Andalusia will establish a Committee for Evaluation, Innovation, and Operational Reform in healthcare. It will launch in October to carry out “the greatest transformation and modernization” of the public healthcare system.
  • Healthcare landscape in Ceuta: tuberculosis, chickenpox, scabies, and six doctors handling 300 emergency cases.

Companies

  • International

o              Pharmaceutical manufacturers are preparing for a new phase of space-based research and manufacturing—specifically, research and production in Earth’s orbit.

o              Novo drops “Nordisk” from its name in a rebranding effort.

o              Novo partners with Anthropic to accelerate the development of anti-obesity drugs using Claude AI.

  • Domestic

o              The Vivanta dental clinic chain files for insolvency four years after its bailout by SEPI.

o              HM plans to open a hospital in the new southeastern developments of the Madrid region.

o              o               CUN is a pioneer in treating Alzheimer’s with donanemab and plans to add lecanemab to its treatment options. The arrival of donanemab at the University of Navarra Clinic (CUN) marks the start of biological therapies for Alzheimer’s disease in Spain, supported by a European research project aimed at optimizing diagnosis and monitoring.

o              One in five health technology companies suffered losses in 2025, and the situation is set to worsen due to the war involving Iran. This warning was issued by Pablo Crespo, Secretary General of FENIN.

Biomedicine

  • Unmet needs of people with severe asthma. More than 260 million people live with asthma, and over 400,000 die from the disease each year. Severe asthma accounts for 5–10% of cases and is frequently undertreated (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01904-5/fulltext)
  • Researchers have created a mouse with a partially human brain. This could aid in the development of drugs for neurological conditions (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/09/16/researchers-have-created-a-mouse-with-a-partly-human-brain)
  • Hot coffee may cause esophageal cancer; the cooler it is, the safer it is (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/09/11/hot-coffee-could-cause-oesophageal-cancer)
  • Dementia is where cancer was 50 years ago. Cancer can serve as a model for addressing dementia (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/cancer-blueprint-improving-dementia-care)
  • Creating the building blocks of life. From creating cell-like systems to building genomes from scratch, synthetic biology is having its moment (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01762-9/fulltext)
  • A new device helps severely paralyzed patients communicate; these are computers that interact with the brain (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/09/14/a-new-device-helps-severely-paralysed-patients-communicate)
  • A rare genetic mutation increases the risk of lung cancer in never-smokers; the gene is found primarily in the southern Appalachians (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/science/lung-cancer-gene-mutation-risk.html)
  • How short-form videos—the new mode of communication for many generations—can affect the brain. This new form of communication via platforms like TikTok and Instagram is sparking interest regarding its impact on concentration and attention spans (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/09/short-form-video-tiktok-brain-neuroscience/688632/)
  • A new method for detecting cancer in the blood, even in test results that appear “normal.” An Oxford study reveals that tracking changes over time in routine blood test results can detect tumors earlier and more accurately than relying on a single abnormal reading (https://www.abc.es/salud/nueva-forma-buscar-cancer-sangre-incluso-valores-20260917200000-nt.html). Access the original article: https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004956
  • An unexpected side effect of Ozempic and Wegovy: an increased risk of hair loss. A large-scale study involving nearly 50,000 patients confirms what many users have frequently reported on social media: these popular GLP-1 drugs increase the risk of alopecia (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-09-13/glp-1-salud-obesidad-adelgazar-cabello-alopecia_4414392/).

Global Health

  • Fire smoke and health: evidence, mechanisms and future challenges. Exposure to fire smoke poses health risks, especially in vulnerable populations (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01601-6/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_feature_lancet)
  • ALIMA: the NGO that does things differently. Founded in 2009 and active in Ebola in the DR Congo, it links the strengthening of local leadership to humanitarian aid (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01857-X/fulltext)
  • Making measles disappear is impossible due to vaccine hesitancy in rich countries, says Bill Gates. He says eradication was possible for his Foundation, but has currently been rolled back (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/wiping-out-measles-impossible-due-vaccine-hesitancy-rich-countries-says-gates-2026-09-15/)
  • Ebola in the DR Congo: the epidemic continues to spread exponentially. It is considered that there are 3,475 dead (https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/09/15/ebola-en-rdc-l-epidemie-continue-de-s-etendre-de-facon-exponentielle-dans-le-nord-est-du-pays-la-situation-epidemiologique-reste-heterogene-alerte-l-oms_6774435_3212.html)

International health policy

  • USA

o The Trump Administration is moving quickly to integrate AI into healthcare, despite reluctance and concerns. They activate AI to diagnose and prescribe therapies (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/health/ai-doctors-medicare-fda.html)

o Trump says he will ask that some childhood vaccines be divided into five shots. No scientific evidence for the measure (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/trump-says-he-will-demand-some-childhood-vaccines-be-split-into-five-shots-2026-09-18/)

o The Pennsylvania measles outbreak is huge. The last two deaths suggest that the number of cases is higher than what is said (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/09/measles-deaths-pennsylvania-outbreak-kennedy/688647/)

o Nursing home beds are disappearing. As older baby boomers reach age 80, there will not be enough nursing home beds (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/well/family/nursing-home-beds-baby-boomers.html)

o Kennedy assures vaccine skeptics that they have a friend in the White House. He even said that the success of the polio vaccine was a fraud (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/health/kennedy-vaccines-childrens-health-defense.html)

o The USA could save up to 10,038 million euros with the most favored nation pricing system. A study published in The Lancet analyzes the potential impact of the GLOBE and GUARD payment models, announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in December 2025 (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/eeuu-ahorrar-sistema-precios-nacion-favorecida/)

  • United Kingdom

o GP data is gradually being incorporated into the NHS Palantir platform. This means an expansion, beyond hospitals (https://www.ft.com/content/5d15de64-49cc-4b6a-a2ea-51061f1cddc7?syn-25a6b1a6=1)

o Andy Burnham says the UK is seriously committed to reaching zero emissions by 2050 (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/17/andy-burnham-uk-must-fully-commit-to-reaching-net-zero-by-2050)

  • Latin America

or Chile

 Radiography of oncology in Chile, only 249 specialists practice in the country and 70% in Santiago (https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2026/09/17/1211684/oncologia-cancer-especialistas-regiones-chile.html)

 Life-threatening patients waited up to 73 hours, according to data from the Comptroller’s Office (https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2026/09/14/1211402/contraloria-y-espera-urgencias.html)

or Brazil

 The financing of the SUS, the waiting lists and the effect of the betting houses, the challenges to the new president (https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2026/09/finamento-do-sus-filas-de-consultas-e-efeito-das-bets-desafiam-novo-presidente-na-area-da-saude.shtml)

or Peru

 El Niño threatens the first line of health: 4,393 establishments are at risk due to rains and floods (https://elcomercio.pe/peru/el-nino-amenaza-la-primera-linea-de-salud-4393-establecimientos-estan-en-riesgo-ante-lluvias-e-inundaciones-apuesplan-noticia/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

or Colombia

 This is the government’s shock plan to address the crisis in the health system: “We want the sector to know that it can talk to the Ministry.” The Vice Minister of Social Protection, Marcela Brun, explained at the AFI Summit 2026 the short, short and medium-term measures that will be implemented

 (https://www.eltiempo.com/salud/asi-es-el-plan-de-choque-del-gobierno-para-atender-la-crisis-del-sistema-de-salud-queremos-que-el-sector-sepa-que-con-el-ministerio-se-trabajo-hablar-3586898)

o              Mexico

               The president acknowledges that the healthcare backlog cannot be resolved quickly. President Claudia Sheinbaum admitted that more hospital beds are still needed and that the backlog accumulated over 36 years cannot be resolved in just one or two years (https://www.reforma.com/admite-csp-que-rezago-en-salud-no-se-resuelve-rapido/ar3278261)

  • Europe

o              The European Commission proposes a ban on social media for children under 13. Von der Leyen announced this at a press conference (https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-commission-proposes-social-media-ban-children-under-13-2026-09-17/)

o              Childhood vaccination rates are declining in several European countries since COVID-19, according to a survey published by *The Lancet* (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/09/18/la-vaccination-des-enfants-en-recul-dans-plusieurs-pays-d-europe-selon-une-etude_6776517_3224.html)

o              Trump’s pharmaceutical plan threatens Europe: higher drug prices and delays in new therapies. International researchers warn of the potential impact on the EU of Washington’s policies aimed at lowering prices within the US (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-09-14/el-plan-farmaceutico-de-trump-amenaza-a-europa-medicamentos-mas-caros-y-retrasos-en-las-nuevas-terapias.html)

o              One million professionals, better wages, and AI: the European Parliament’s proposals to sustain healthcare systems. The European Parliament calls for public investment, job stability, and measures to address healthcare worker burnout (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/propuestas-aprobadas-parlamento-europeo-condiciones-sanitarios/)

o              Seeking plasma self-sufficiency: Europe’s plan to stop “sucking the blood” of the US (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-09-20/busca-autosuficiencia-de-plasma-en-europa-eeuu_4426088/)

National health policy

  • Central Administration

o              Congress approves the major long-term care reform: more personalized attention and better home-based care. The legislation, which also amends the disability law, introduces new services and aims to reduce bureaucracy (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-09-16/las-nuevas-leyes-de-dependencia-y-discapacidad-afrontan-su-ultimo-paso-en-el-congreso-mas-cuidados-en-casa-menos-burocracia.html)

o              The new long-term care law will face implementation challenges and require “much more than money,” according to FUNCAS (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260917/nueva-ley-dependencia-dificultades-implantacion-exigira-dinero-funcas/1003744386947_0.html)

o              The government will mandate greater in-person attendance for university degree programs in health sciences. This will require “organizational resources, management resources, and time-intensive resources.” This was noted by Elisa Chuliá, a researcher at Funcas (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/politica/20260918/el-gobierno-exigira-mayor-presencialidad-en-los-grados-universitarios-de-ciencias-la-salud/353174_0.html)

  • Regional administrations

o              It is reported (El País) that one of Madrid’s largest hospitals is altering severity ratings to mask surgical waiting list figures (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2026-09-15/uno-de-los-mayores-hospitales-madrilenos-altera-la-gravedad-de-los-pacientes-para-maquillar-su-lista-de-espera-quirurgica.html)

o              The Basque Country will launch an advanced therapy biomanufacturing hub to increase its influence in Europe. The Basque Health Cluster and seven Basque companies are forming a committee—with support from the Basque Government—to boost industrial capacity, attract investment, and compete in international markets (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/euskadi/20260918/euskadi-impulsara-un-hub-de-biofabricacion-terapias-avanzadas-para-ganar-peso-en-europa/353184_0.html)

o              Andalusia will establish a Committee for Evaluation, Innovation, and Operational Reform in healthcare. It will launch in October to carry out “the greatest transformation and modernization” of the public healthcare system (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/andalucia/20260919/andalucia-creara-un-comite-de-evaluacion-innovacion-reforma-operativa-en-sanidad/353193_0.html)

  • The Ceuta conflict

o              Map of Ceuta’s healthcare situation: tuberculosis, chickenpox, scabies, and six doctors handling 300 emergency cases (https://theobjective.com/sanidad/2026-09-18/mapa-sanidad-ceuti-tuberculosis-varicela-sarna-medicos-urgencias/)

o              Doctors and nurses in Ceuta have called for a strike on September 24. CEMSATSE expresses its absolute rejection of the Health Department’s statements denying the existence of an emergency situation (https://theobjective.com/sanidad/2026-09-15/medicos-enfermeros-ceuta-convocan-huelga-24-septiembre/)

  • Medical dispute

o              Medical unions rule out calling off the strike for now: “The conditions are not currently met.” CESM highlights the Medical Profession Forum’s support for the doctors’ demands, although the proposal to open a new avenue for dialogue via a Parliamentary Intergroup raises doubts among the Strike Committee (https://medicinaresponsable.com/politica-sanitaria/sindicatos-medicos-alejan-huelga-no-condiciones)

o              Unions deny that a parliamentary intergroup is sufficient to halt the indefinite doctors’ strike. The proposal from the Minister of Health and the Medical Profession Forum has not changed their stance; they state that the indefinite strike scheduled to begin on October 28 is “going ahead” (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/sindicatos-niegan-intergrupo-parlamentario-baste-frenar-huelga-medica-indefinida.html)

o              The Minister is fully in favor of the parliamentary intergroup (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/politica/20260917/sanidad-ve-en-el-grupo-interparlamentario-una-salida-al-conflicto-medico-totalmente-favor/352905_0.html)

o              The PP attacks Sánchez over the Framework Statute: “More than 4 million medical appointments have been cancelled as a result of the strike” (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/pp-carga-sanchez-estatuto-marco-cancelado-citas-medicas-huelga/)

Companies

  • International

o              Drugmakers prepare for a new phase of space-based manufacturing, involving research and production in Earth’s orbit (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/drugmakers-prepare-next-phase-space-pharmaceuticals-iss-retirement-nears-2026-09-17/)

o              Advent set to invest $328.5 million for a stake in India’s Yatharth Hospital (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/advent-invest-3285-million-indias-yatharth-hospital-249-stake-2026-09-17/)

o              FDA approves Lilly’s breast cancer drug combination (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-fda-approves-lillys-breast-cancer-drug-combo-2026-09-18/)

o              Novo drops “Nordisk” from its name in a rebranding effort (https://www.ft.com/content/3984d89d-64ed-43e0-a6fe-0804173fa5c0?syn-25a6b1a6=1)

o              Lilly says Foundayo has captured 30% of new U.S. patients for oral anti-obesity therapy (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/lilly-says-foundayo-has-captured-over-30-new-us-patients-oral-weight-loss-drugs-2026-09-14/)

o              GE Healthcare in talks to acquire a cancer marker for $1 billion. It would be the second acquisition following the split from GE (https://www.ft.com/content/21b663e4-60ee-4937-a561-5b0f505676a2?syn-25a6b1a6=1)

o              BioNTech says lung cancer drug candidate extends survival in trials compared to traditional therapy (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/biontech-says-lung-cancer-drug-candidate-prolonged-lives-trial-2026-09-14/)

o              Pfizer, Roche, and AstraZeneca challenge Lilly and Novo in the obesity market (https://theobjective.com/economia/2026-09-20/pfizer-roche-astrazeneca-desafian-dominio-lilly-novo-obesidad/)

o              Novo partners with Anthropic to accelerate anti-obesity drug development using Claude AI (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-09-16/novo-se-alia-con-anthropic-para-acelerar-el-desarrollo-de-medicamentos-antiobesidad-con-la-ia-de-claude.html)

  • Domestic

o              Cost of a place in a private nursing home rises 18% over five years (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260915/plaza-residencia-mayores-privada-sub)

o              Pelayo Cortina secures loan from Goldman Sachs to relaunch the former Incosol (https://www.elconfidencial.com/inmobiliario/inversiones-alternativas/2026-09-14/lujo-pelayo-cortina-goldman-sachs-incosol-oakmond_4423393/)

o              The network o                  Vivanta dental clinic chain files for insolvency four years after SEPI bailout (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-09-15/la-red-de-clinicas-dentales-vivanta-entra-en-concurso-de-acreedores-cuatro-anos-despues-del-rescate-de-la-sepi.html)

o              Instituto Médico Láser files for bankruptcy (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2026-09-16/instituto-medico-laser-iml-quiebra-concurso-litigios_4424318/)

o              HM plans to open a hospital in the new southeastern developments of the Madrid region (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-09-15/hm-planea-abrir-un-hospital-en-los-nuevos-desarrollos-del-sureste-de-la-comunidad-de-madrid.html)

o              Spain lags behind the rest of Europe in granting health technology patents: only 91 approved in nine years (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260918/espana-cola-europa-concesion-patentes-tecnologia-sanitaria-solo-aprobado-anos/1003744387199_0.html)

o              Health insurance sector turns to personalization and digitalization to balance premiums amidst demographic challenges. Insurers face the challenge of an aging population and the emergence of younger customers in the private health insurance market (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/empresas/sanidad-privada/20260913/el-seguro-de-salud-opta-por-la-personalizacion-digitalizacion-para-equilibrar-las-primas-en-pleno-reto-demografico/350561_0.html)

o              Donte Group bids €57.2 million for Aestes dental clinics, the majority of which belong to Vivanta (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260915/donte-group-ofrce-millones-clinicas-dentales-aestes-mayoria-vivanta/1003744382488_0.html)

o              CUN, a pioneer in treating Alzheimer’s with donanemab, plans to add lecanemab to its treatment options. The arrival of donanemab at the University of Navarra Clinic (CUN) marks the start of biological therapies for Alzheimer’s disease in Spain, supported by a European research project aimed at optimizing diagnosis and monitoring (https://diariofarma.com/2026/09/14/la-cun-pionera-en-espana-en-tratar-del-alzheimer-inicial-con-donanemab-y-preve-sumar-lecanemab)

o              Clínica Diagonal transforms into Diagonal University Hospital (https://www.consalud.es/lupa-sanitaria/clinica-diagonal-se-transforma-en-el-diagonal-hospital-universitari.html)

o              One in five health technology companies suffered losses in 2025, and the situation will be exacerbated by the war in Iran. This warning was issued by Pablo Crespo, Secretary General of FENIN (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260916/empresas-tecnologia-sanitaria-sufrio-perdidas-situacion-agravara-guerra-iran/1003744385169_0.html).

 

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