Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: What science will surprise us with, six medical advances for 2026.
• Global health: There is no health without peace. Conflicts are the greatest threat to health.
• International health policy: China leads research in 90% of crucial technologies, the most dramatic change of this century.
• National health policy: The 2026 budgets remain up in the air, paralyzing healthcare investments.
• Companies: Tariff pressure and preferential agreements: Trump’s policy that has managed to segment the pharmaceutical industry in 2026.

Biomedicine

• What science will surprise us with, six medical advances for 2026: 1. Boost to gene editing; 2. Massive liquid biopsy; 3. Single-cell resolution; 4. Regenerative medicine: bioprinting; 5. Triple immunotherapy for a lethal cancer; and 6. Functional cure for HIV, closer than ever.
• The 11 trials that will define 2026, according to Nature. Among others: Tuberculosis vaccine; Treating long COVID; Targeted cancer therapy; Metastatic breast cancer; Reducing heart attacks…

Global Health

• There is no health without peace. What will be the biggest challenge for health in 2026: climate change? AI? Pandemics? Non-communicable diseases? These problems will continue to be a major issue, but across the globe, conflicts will continue to be the primary determinant of people’s health and the functioning of healthcare systems. The impact of armed conflict and violence globally is unusually high.

International Health Policy

• China leads research in 90% of crucial technologies, the most dramatic shift of this century. The US was ahead in the remaining areas, 74 technologies.
• The US administration has released its proposed Medicare pricing model. This model will be mandatory for companies that want to sell medications to Medicare and will require price reductions if prices are higher than those in “comparable countries.”
• Democrats are preparing to capitalize on public discontent regarding the expiring Obamacare subsidies. These subsidies will end next Thursday, and Democrats are working to make this a key issue in the upcoming midterm elections.
• “Hospital at home” aims to revolutionize the British National Health Service. The idea is that instead of patients having to go to the hospital, healthcare professionals will visit the patient at home.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The 2026 budget remains uncertain, paralyzing healthcare investments. The deficit target is fundamental for the National Health System (NHS), as it establishes the necessary financial framework for determining the resources available for key health policies and programs. The planned budget guidelines include an ambitious technological modernization plan, reducing hospital obsolescence, digitizing processes, and launching strategic projects such as the Healthcare Data Lake, along with funding for the future State Public Health Agency.
• The State Public Health Agency, the Framework Statute, the Tobacco Law, and the Patient Organizations Law are pending healthcare issues for 2026.
• An overview of vaccination in pharmacies: Spain goes against the grain of most Western countries. Much of the EU and countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom allow pharmacists to prescribe and administer vaccines.
• The “ugly duckling” of healthcare: very few dentists in the public system, no specializations, and too many graduates. In 2024, there were 42,860 dentists in Spain, making it the fifth country in the European Union with the highest density of professionals per capita. However, it is the only one of the 27 EU countries where dentists cannot officially specialize.

Companies

• International
  • Tariff pressure and preferential agreements: Trump’s policy that has segmented the pharmaceutical industry in 2026. Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency in 2025 has only increased uncertainty in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly due to the numerous tariffs announced throughout the year. The policy imposed by the American has not been a simple linear increase in taxes, but a complex system of tariff threats ranging from 15% to 250%. Furthermore, Trump has combined this “model of fear” with negotiated exemptions for companies and countries that commit to reducing the price of medicines in the US market or to relocating their production to American territory.
  • Rare diseases, a growing priority for the pharmaceutical industry. The EU framework for orphan medicines aims to promote the development and marketing of medicines for patients with rare diseases by offering incentives to developers.

• National
  • Quirón and Ribera Salud managed to attract 250,000 patients from the Madrid public healthcare system thanks to free choice. In contrast, La Paz, Ramón y Cajal, and 12 de Octubre, as well as almost all directly managed hospitals, lost patients in 2024.

Biomedicine

• What science will surprise us with: six medical advances for 2026: 1. Boost to gene editing; 2. Massive liquid biopsy; 3. Single-cell resolution; 4. Regenerative medicine: bioprinting; 5. Triple immunotherapy for a lethal cancer; and, 6. Functional cure for HIV, closer than ever (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/investigacion/sorprendera-ciencia-6-avances-medicina-2026.html)
• The 11 trials that will define 2026, according to Nature. Among others: Tuberculosis vaccine; Treating long COVID; Targeted cancer therapy; Metastatic breast cancer; Reducing heart attacks… (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20260102/reducir-infartos-vacuna-tuberculosis-ensayos-clinicos-van-marcar-nature/1003744075656_0.html)
• 2025 marks a turning point in the fight against Alzheimer’s, cancer, and ALS. In the past year, scientific innovation has taken decisive steps, which are already translating into increased survival rates and a better quality of life (https://www.eldebate.com/salud-y-bienestar/20260101/2025-marca-antes-despues-lucha-contra-alzheimer-cancer-ela_370253.html)
• Artificial intelligence projects that will shape the roadmap for 2026: towards “ultra-precision” medicine (https://gacetamedica.com/investigacion/proyectos-inteligencia-artificial-marcaran-hoja-ruta-2026/)
• The drug that promises to revolutionize alopecia, after a clinical trial with more than 1,500 patients (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20260103/farmaco-promete-revolucionar-alopecia-enhorabuena-anos-sin-nuevas-terapias/1003744076620_0.html)
• Goodbye to injections for diabetics: the “sticker” that adheres to the skin to control glucose, thanks to sweat (https://www.elespanol.com/omicrono/tecnologia/20251229/adios-pinchazos-diabeticos-pegatina-adhiere-piel-controlar-glucosa-gracias-sudor/1003744065611_0.html). The device’s features have been published in the journal Science Advances: https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.adt4923
• A study by the University Clinic of Navarra (CUN) says that surgery is more effective for weight loss than drugs in the Ozempic family (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/12/29/6952473cfdddff985f8b4575.html). Access the original article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/oby.70100

Global Health

• There is no health without peace. What will be the biggest challenge to health in 2026: climate change? AI? pandemics? non-communicable diseases? These problems will continue to hit us hard, but across the globe, conflict will remain the primary determinant of people’s health and the functioning of health systems. The impact of armed conflict and violence globally is unusually high (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02596-6/fulltext).
• Magical thinking will not prevent future pandemics or improve public health. Science magazine is surprised by a recent article by the director and deputy director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in which they state that individual preparedness is the primary weapon against pandemics, downplaying collective efforts and community action (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aee2611). Access the cited article by the NIH director: https://www.city-journal.org/article/nih-jay-bhattacharya-covid-pandemic-lab
• Aid cuts are harming tuberculosis care in Nepal, which is increasing its domestic health spending to compensate for the funding withdrawal (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02469-9/fulltext)
• How Cameroon is struggling to save its malaria program after cuts in US aid. In northern Cameroon, health workers try to protect children (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/28/health/malaria-cameroon-usaid-pmi.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The Administration makes public the proposed Medicare pricing model. The model will be mandatory for companies that want to sell drugs to Medicare and requires price reductions if prices are higher than those in “comparable countries” (https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20251223.372648/full/)
  • Democrats prepare to exploit public discontent regarding expiring Obamacare subsidies. These subsidies will end next Thursday, and Democrats are working to make this a key issue in the upcoming midterm elections (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/02/democrats-obamacare-subsidies-midterms-00708576)
  • The Trump Administration is giving billions of dollars to rural healthcare. The funds will go primarily to small states that adopt policies favored by the Trump Administration. By this criterion, California and Montana, with a considerable size disparity, will receive the same amount of funding (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/29/trump-admin-doles-out-billions-for-rural-health-00707332)

• China
  • China leads research in 90% of crucial technologies, the most dramatic shift of this century. The USA was ahead in all other areas, with 74 technologies (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-04048-7)

• United Kingdom
  • The “hospital at home” aims to revolutionize the NHS. The idea is that instead of patients having to go to the hospital, healthcare professionals will go to the patient’s home (https://www.ft.com/content/13e61375-9036-43b5-9bdc-ff69ddd4ff33)

• France
  • The fees of private specialist doctors—pediatricians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and dermatologists—will increase starting January 1 (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/12/29/des-le-1-janvier-des-hausses-de-tarif-des-medecins-specialistes-liberaux_6659717_3224.html)

• Cuba
  • Cuba reports that it is controlling the dengue and chikungunya epidemic, according to the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (https://www.abc.es/salud/cuba-advierte-controlando-epidemia-dengue-chikunguna-20251219230928-vi.html)

National Health Policy

• Impact of General Policy on Health
  • The 2026 budget remains uncertain, paralyzing healthcare investments. The deficit target is fundamental for the National Health System (NHS), as it establishes the necessary financial framework for determining the available resources for key health policies and programs. The planned budget guidelines include an ambitious technological modernization plan, reducing hospital obsolescence, digitizing processes, and implementing strategic projects such as the Healthcare Data Lake, along with funding for the future State Public Health Agency. (https://www.consalud.es/politica/los-presupuestos-de-2026-siguen-en-el-aire-paralizando-nuevas-inversiones-sanitarias.html)

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The Ministry of Health is drafting regulations to limit the working hours of resident physicians (MIRs). The consultation process begins for the future Royal Decree, which will also address specialized healthcare training (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251229/sanidad-elabora-norma-limitar-jornadas-laborales-mir/1003744072229_0.html)
  • Alleged healthcare VAT fraud of 163 million euros, affecting Salvador Illa’s management as Minister of Health (https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2026-01-04/gobierno-silencio-presunto-fraude-iva-sanitario_4276731/)
  • The Treasury will monitor healthcare investments by the autonomous communities, in addition to spending on medicines. The Treasury will expand its monthly monitoring of healthcare spending by the autonomous communities to include, alongside tracking spending on medicines and medical devices, specific monitoring of healthcare investments, with special attention to high-tech hospital equipment. (https://diariofarma.com/2025/12/29/hacienda-monitorizara-las-inversiones-de-las-ccaa-ademas-del-gasto-en-medicamentos)
  • State Public Health Agency, Framework Statute, Tobacco Law, and Patient Organizations Law: pending healthcare issues for 2026 (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/aesap-estatuto-marco-ley-tabaco-asignaturas-pendientes-sanidad-2026/)

• Initiatives of the autonomous communities
  • The regional gap in healthcare investment will widen even further in 2026. Asturias is the region that will allocate the most budget per person (€2,506) and Murcia has the lowest per capita healthcare spending (€1,511) (https://theobjective.com/economia/2025-12-30/brecha-presupuestaria-per-capita-sanidad-2026/)

• Framework Statute
  • Doctors join forces in a common front of mobilizations against the Framework Statute. The main medical unions have met to coordinate a common front and demand their own Statute, rejecting the Draft Law on the Framework Statute of the Ministry of Health (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/los-medicos-unen-fuerzas-en-un-frente-comun-de-movilizaciones-contra-el-estatuto-marco.html)

• Vaccinations in Spain
  • An overview of vaccination in pharmacies: Spain is at odds with most Western countries. Much of the EU and countries like the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom allow pharmacists to prescribe and administer vaccines (https://elglobalfarma.com/farmacia/panoramica-vacunacion-farmacias-espana/)

• Pharmaceutical World
  • The reference pricing system, key to the sustainability of the National Health System. The Spanish pharmaceutical model revolves around the principle of efficiency and seeks to balance access to innovation with control of public spending. The central pillar of this strategy is the Reference Pricing System, an administrative tool that establishes the maximum amount that the National Health System (NHS) is willing to reimburse for each group of medicines (https://www.consalud.es/industria/el-sistema-de-precios-de-referencia-una-herramienta-clave-para-lograr-cada-ano-la-sostenibilidad-del-sns.html)
  • The Profarma Plan enters a new phase to consolidate Spain as a European pharmaceutical powerhouse. The Ministry of Industry has promoted domestic manufacturing and healthcare autonomy through an incentive system that rewards research excellence, sustainability, and the creation of skilled jobs (https://www.consalud.es/industria/el-plan-profarma-entra-en-su-fase-clave-para-consolidar-a-espana-como-potencia-farmaceutica-europea.html)
  • The Year of the Medicines Act, the Key Project for 2026. The most anticipated legislative reform for the industry will face the beginning of 2026 with the goal of completing its final processing (https://elglobalfarma.com/politica/ley-medicamentos-proyecto-clave-2026/)

• Dental Care
  • The “ugly duckling” of healthcare: very few dentists in the public system, no specializations, and too many graduates. In 2024, there were 42,860 dentists in Spain, making it the fifth country in the European Union with the highest density of professionals per capita. However, it is the only one of the 27 EU countries where dentists cannot officially specialize. (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-01-02/odontologia-sanidad-espana_4276623/)

Companies

• International
  • Tariff pressure and preferential agreements: Trump’s policies have segmented the pharmaceutical industry in 2026. Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency in 2025 has only increased uncertainty in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly due to the numerous tariffs announced throughout the year. The policy imposed by the American president has not been a simple linear increase in taxes, but a complex system of tariff threats ranging from 15% to 250%. Furthermore, Trump has combined this “model of fear” with negotiated exemptions for companies and countries that commit to reducing the price of medicines in the US market or to relocating their production to American territory. (https://www.consalud.es/industria/presion-arancelaria-y-acuerdos-de-favor-la-politica-de-trump-que-ha-conseguido-segmentar-la-industria-farmaceutica-en-2025.html)
  • Rare diseases, a growing priority for the pharmaceutical industry. The EU framework for orphan medicines aims to promote the development and marketing of medicines for patients with rare diseases by offering incentives to developers. (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/enfermedades-raras-prioridad-industria-farmaceutica/)

• National
  • Novo Nordisk fined for irregular promotion of its obesity drug in Spain (https://theobjective.com/economia/2026-01-01/novo-nordisk-multada-promocion-irregular-farmaco-obesidad/)
  • Insurance premiums vary by more than €2,200 per year, depending on age and the number of insured persons. Age increases the premium, especially for more comprehensive policies designed for intensive use of the insurance. (https://www.elespanol.com/observatorio-seguros/20251231/prima-seguro-salud-varia-euros-anuales-edad-numero-asegurados/1003744072124_0.html)
  • The clinic partly owned by Guardiola will open in Madrid, Bilbao, and Marbella and has its sights set on Europe. It is Monarka Clinic, specializing in regenerative medicine and neurolongevity (https://www.eleconomista.es/retail-consumo/noticias/13709638/12/25/la-clinica-participada-por-guardiola-abrira-en-madrid-bilbao-marbella-y-mira-hacia-europa.html)
  • Quirón and Ribera Salud managed to attract 250,000 patients from the Madrid public healthcare system thanks to free choice. Conversely, La Paz, Ramón y Cajal and 12 de Octubre, as well as almost all hospitals under direct administrative management, lost patients in 2024 (https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/quiron-ribera-salud-lograron-captar-250-000-pacientes-sanidad-publica-madrid-gracias-libre-eleccion_1_12881020.html)

 

 

 

Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: The rarest diseases become treatable.
• Global Health: Universal health coverage, necessary but still a long way off.
• International Health Policy: Brussels finalizes pharmaceutical reform to facilitate access to innovation.
• National Health Policy: The measures being prepared by the government aim to curb privatization.
• Business: Spain inaugurates its first AI factory for healthcare.

Biomedicine

• The rarest diseases become treatable. CRISPR technology is ready to treat many rare diseases, previously untreatable.
• Pharmacogenomics: Clinical progress. Pharmacogenomics is the field that analyzes how genetic variations influence the response to therapy. The feasibility of integrating pharmacogenomics into clinical practice has been analyzed in numerous studies.

Global Health

• Universal health coverage, necessary but still a long way off. Universal health coverage is based on a very simple idea: every person, everywhere, should be able to access the health services they need, without facing financial ruin. However, the “2025 Global Monitoring Report” shows that 4.6 billion people worldwide lack access to essential health services, and 2.1 billion face financial difficulties in accessing them.
• COP30: How it failed to meet challenges. COP30, held in Brazil in November 2025, is considered a failed initiative, as it was unable to reach agreements on fossil fuels.

International health policy

• Brussels finalizes pharmaceutical reform to facilitate access to innovation. The EU reached a provisional agreement to comprehensively renew pharmaceutical legislation, with measures aimed at improving access, strengthening security of supply, and stimulating innovation. One of the key elements is regulatory protection of up to eleven years (8+1+1+1) for innovative medicines that meet certain conditions.
•  The Republican Party is moving toward letting Obamacare subsidies expire, while Trump promises money for people. It seems the latest idea is to let the subsidies expire and make way for “health savings accounts.”
• The decline of healthcare in Milei’s Argentina. Since coming to power two years ago, Milei has cut spending on healthcare, education, and science. The current second health minister is a representative of the private sector.
• The Ecuadorian healthcare system is on the verge of collapse. Hospitals are overflowing and lack supplies, and patients’ lives depend on what they can afford to pay.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The measures being prepared by the government aim to curb privatization. Minister Mónica García has announced that she is finalizing regulations to limit the entry of for-profit companies into the management of public healthcare centers. The position stems from two errors: 1) that profit-making in healthcare is illegitimate, which is not considered as such in the General Health Law itself; 2) the substantial advantage of non-profit organizations over for-profit ones, as if cost and quality were not the important factors, and as if mismanagement or unjustifiable privileges for employees were not possible in non-profit organizations.
• The Ministry has published a document evaluating private healthcare in Spain. It is worth noting that, as the document itself states, this is the first time the Ministry of Health has conducted an analysis of private healthcare, which, apart from other considerations, we consider positive. The Ministry cannot continue to ignore the reality of the private healthcare sector, as it has done until now.
• The People’s Party (PP) has submitted a non-binding resolution demanding the withdrawal of the reform to the Framework Statute. The People’s Party is also calling for the Minister of Health to appear before Parliament to explain “the chaos caused” by her proposed Framework Statute.

Companies

• International
  • Novo Nordisk’s stock price has fallen 50% this year and is now trading at a loss, a consequence of its weight-loss drug program. The stock market crash has ended several years of spectacular gains following the approval of Ozempic and Wegowy.

• National
  • Spain inaugurates its first AI factory for healthcare. Spain, along with Germany and Poland, is one of only three countries in the European Union with two artificial intelligence factories approved by the European Commission.

Biomedicine

• Pharmacogenomics: Clinical Progress. Pharmacogenomics is the field that analyzes how genetic variations influence the response to therapy. The feasibility of integrating pharmacogenomics into clinical practice has been analyzed in multiple studies (https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(25)00389-4/fulltext)
• The Rarest Diseases Become Treatable. CRISPR technology is poised to treat many rare, previously untreatable diseases (https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2025/12/person-crispr-treatment/685151/)
• The “Molecular Kinship” of Mental Illnesses: 14 Disorders Share Risk Genetic Variants. A study based on DNA data from one million people sheds light on a biological key to understanding these illnesses (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2025-12-10/el-parentesco-molecular-de-las-enfermedades-mentales-14-trastornos-comparten-variantes-geneticas-de-riesgo.html)
• Progress is being made on a vaccine that prevents triple-negative breast cancer. The vaccine produced an immune response in the majority (74%) of participants, and was also safe and well-tolerated (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/avanza-vacuna-previene-cancer-mama-triple-negativo-20251211003000-nt.html).

Global Health

• Universal health coverage, necessary but still a long way off. Universal health coverage is based on a very simple idea: every person, everywhere, should be able to access the health services they need, without facing financial ruin. However, the “2025 Global Monitoring Report” shows that there are 4.6 billion people in the world without access to essential health services and 2.1 billion who had financial difficulties accessing them (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02511-5/fulltext). Access the original document: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/gho-documents/gmr-2025_conference-edition_online.pdf?sfvrsn=f8cf10f6_9&download=true
• A new era for sustainable HIV prevention in Africa. The situation has worsened due to the closure of USAID. The article argues that the only way to prevent HIV/AIDS in Africa is to integrate this assistance into other services (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(25)00497-8/fulltext)
• COP30: How it failed to meet challenges. COP30, held in Brazil in November 2025, is considered a failed initiative, as it was unable to reach agreements on fossil fuels. (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(25)00351-5/fulltext)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The regrettable step backward in the USA regarding vaccines. Despite the world experiencing a period of significant scientific progress in vaccines, including the addition of mRNA technology, the US administration is simultaneously shifting from support to skepticism, if not outright boycott. Vaccination is no longer considered a health priority and a civic duty (https://www.ft.com/content/6b4d2745-978f-4f3a-8526-b11646716cfa)
  • The law that saved American vaccines, and which the Secretary of Health wants to destroy. The development of vaccination in the USA is based on a set of laws passed over several decades, always with bipartisan support. This is what Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump’s chosen Secretary of Health, wants to destroy (https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20251208.922418/full/)
  • The Republican Party is moving toward letting Obamacare subsidies expire, while Trump promises money for people. It seems the latest idea is to let the subsidies expire and make way for “health savings accounts” (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/gop-obamacare-subsidies-expire-00684115)

• China
  • China is leading the way in AI governance. China is making great strides in regulating AI, something that should be a global trend (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03972-y)

• United Kingdom
  • The NHS in Scotland needs reforms to survive. Scotland’s NHS will be unsustainable in its current form, according to a recent official report (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2578). Access to the original document “NHS in Scotland 2025. Finance and performance”: https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/gho-documents/gmr-2025_conference-edition_online.pdf?sfvrsn=f8cf10f6_9&download=true

• France
  • The Social Security budget announces an €8 billion increase in the healthcare budget between 2025 and 2026 (https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/live/2025/12/09/en-direct-budget-de-la-secu-amelie-de-montchalin-annonce-une-enveloppe-pour-la-sante-de-8-milliards-de-plus-entre-2025-et-2026_6656584_823448.html)

• Argentina
  • The The decline of healthcare in Milei’s Argentina. Since coming to power two years ago, Milei has cut spending on healthcare, education, and science. The current Deputy Minister of Health is a representative of the private sector (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2284)

• Ecuador
  • The healthcare system is on the verge of collapse. Hospitals are overwhelmed and lack supplies, and patients’ lives depend on what they can afford to pay (https://elpais.com/america/2025-12-08/la-crisis-de-salud-en-ecuador-toca-fondo-con-cadaveres-entregados-en-cajas-de-carton-y-un-sistema-al-borde-del-colapso.html)

• European Union
  • Brussels finalizes pharmaceutical reform to facilitate access to innovation. The EU reached a provisional agreement to comprehensively renew pharmaceutical legislation, with measures aimed at improving access, strengthening security of supply, and stimulating innovation. One of the key elements is the regulatory protection of up to eleven years (8+1+1+1) for innovative medicines that meet certain conditions. (https://diariofarma.com/2025/12/11/bruselas-cierra-la-reforma-farmaceutica-europea-para-reforzar-acceso-e-innovacion)
  • The EFPIA doubts that the European pharmaceutical reform will allow innovation to continue. “Although the package contains signs that the EU recognizes the importance of legislation as a key driver of European competitiveness, it is not strong enough to influence European competitiveness.” (https://diariofarma.com/2025/12/11/la-efpia-duda-que-el-acuerdo-farmaceutico-pueda-mantener-la-competitividad-de-la-industria)
  • The Farmaindustria considers the reform of the European Union’s pharmaceutical legislation insufficient. It considers that the agreement reached by the EU Council and the European Parliament “lacks ambition and concrete measures” to maintain competitiveness against the US and Asia. (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/industria/farmaindustria-ve-insuficiente-reforma-legislacion-farmaceutica-ue.html)

• WHO
  • According to the WHO, there is a need for significant growth in the production of medications to combat obesity. According to the WHO, production must be expanded and prices reduced (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2540)
  • The WHO reaffirms that there is no link between vaccines and autism (https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2025/12/11/l-oms-reaffirme-qu-il-n-y-a-pas-de-lien-entre-les-vaccins-et-l-autisme_6656938_1651302.html)

• OECD
  • A summary report on reforms in OECD countries is published. It summarizes the health reform trends in these countries (https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/f1d320de-6157-49fb-ac35-7cbdd4e426a5_en?filename=state_2025_synthesis_report_en.pdf)

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The measures being prepared by the government aim to curb privatization. Minister Mónica García has announced that she is finalizing regulations to limit the entry of for-profit companies into the management of public health centers (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-08/las-medidas-que-prepara-el-gobierno-para-afrontar-el-escandalo-de-torrejon-una-ley-para-poner-coto-a-la-privatizacion-denuncia-a-la-fiscalia-y-una-inspeccion.html)
  • The government against the “Alzira model” in public healthcare. Antonio Casado says in “El Confidencial”: Banning private management in eight public hospitals to curb the “profit motive” would be like banning public procurement of private goods to avoid “bribes” (https://blogs.elconfidencial.com/espana/al-grano/2025-12-08/gestion-privada-hospitales-publicos-1hms_4262112/)
  • The ministry releases a document evaluating private healthcare in Spain. It should be noted that, as the document itself states, this is the first time the Ministry of Health has conducted an analysis of private healthcare, which, apart from other considerations, we consider positive. The Ministry cannot continue to ignore the reality of the private healthcare sector, as it has done until now. (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/gabinetePrensa/notaPrensa/pdf/20251091225131137451.pdf)
  • The government considers that almost a third of the hospitals in the National Health System (NHS) are privately managed, which it deems anomalous. Spending in these centers has increased by 84%, reaching 4.8 billion euros. “What was once an exceptional measure has become standard practice,” says the Ministry of Health (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-09/casi-un-tercio-de-los-hospitales-del-sistema-nacional-de-salud-estan-gestionados-por-la-privada.html)

• Initiatives of the Autonomous Communities
  • Cantabria will create advanced palliative care and early intervention areas (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/cantabria/cantabria-creara-areas-de-cuidados-paliativos-avanzados-y-atencion-temprana-4883)
  • Asturias promotes changes in Health and the SESPA (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/asturias/nueva-estructura-salud-sespa-modelo-asistencial-eficiente-equitativo.html)

• Scandal surrounding news from Torrejón Hospital
  • The Community of Madrid The Madrid regional government and the Ribera group both denied the scandal at their first meeting. A statement from the regional government simply disseminated the words of the company’s president, Emmanuel de Geuser, denying any kind of instruction to increase profits (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-09/la-comunidad-de-madrid-y-el-grupo-ribera-coinciden-en-negar-el-escandalo-del-hospital-de-torrejon-tras-su-primera-reunion.html)

• Framework Statute
  • Four days of doctors’ strike against the Statute last week (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/12/09/6937c07b21efa089608b4572.html)
  • The Forum of the Medical Profession supports the strike against the Framework Statute. The Forum of the Medical Profession reaffirms its support to the mobilizations and the four days of national strike, considering that the draft of the Framework Statute does not guarantee real improvements in working conditions or in the quality of care (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/medicina/el-foro-de-la-profesion-medica-respalda-las-cuatro-jornadas-de-huelga-contra-el-borrador-del-estatuto-marco.html)
  • The People’s Party (PP) has registered a non-binding motion demanding the withdrawal of the reform of the Framework Statute. The PP is also requesting the appearance of the Minister of Health to explain “the chaos caused” by her proposed Framework Statute. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/pp-registra-pnl-exigiendo-retirada-reforma-estatuto-marco.html)

• 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)

• Hospital Renovation
  • The works that will bring the hospitals of the future. The National Health System (NHS) is undergoing the largest hospital reform since the 1990s: dozens of centers under construction, emblematic demolitions, and new projects that will redefine healthcare. In 2025, centers such as the new University Hospital of Salamanca, the Provincial Hospital of Castellón, and the University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC) in Tenerife (following its comprehensive renovation of the Emergency Department and ICU) were inaugurated, while almost all the autonomous communities already have projects underway or out to tender that outline a systemic transformation. With the absence of a national inventory and significant regional differences, this silent process will determine the quality of healthcare in the next decade. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/mapa-sanitario-renovacion-obras-traeran-atencion-hospitalaria-futuro.html)

• Swine Fever
  • According to the Minister of Agriculture, the next two weeks are key to understanding the extent of swine fever. The minister highlights the speed with which action was taken in response to the outbreak and is confident that the economic setback for the sector will be “temporary” (https://elpais.com/economia/2025-12-07/luis-planas-las-dos-proximas-semanas-son-clave-para-ver-la-extension-de-la-peste-porcina.html)

Companies

• International
  • Pfizer drastically reduces its workforce in Switzerland while launching a global cost-cutting campaign. The pharmaceutical company will reduce its local team from 300 to around 70 employees before the end of the year (https://www.consalud.es/salud35/internacional/pfizer-recorta-mas-de-dos-tercios-de-su-plantilla-en-suiza-en-plena-expansion-de-su-campana-global-de-ahorro.html)
  • Novo Nordisk’s stock has fallen 50% this year and is now trading against the previous weight-loss drug market. The stock market crash has ended several years of spectacular gains following the approval of Ozempic and Wegowy (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2025-12-11/novo-nordisk-cae-un-50-en-el-ano-y-ya-cotiza-como-si-nunca-hubiera-existido-un-frenesi-de-los-farmacos-para-adelgazar.html)

• National News
  • Spain inaugurates the first AI factory in healthcare. Spain, along with Germany and Poland, is one of only three countries in the European Union with two artificial intelligence factories approved by the European Commission (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/nace-la-primera-fabrica-de-ia-en-salud-de-espana.html)

 

Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: A new AI model improves the diagnosis of rare diseases.
• Global health: Commitments, voluntary measures, and no mention of fossil fuels—these are the COP30 agreements.
• International health policy: Trump opens the door to extending Obamacare subsidies.
• National health policy: Deadly African swine fever returns to Spain after three decades.
• Business: Vithas Barcelona Hospital, the largest in the network, opens.

Biomedicine

• A new AI model improves the diagnosis of rare diseases. The innovation promises to offer doctors additional tools for diagnosing certain conditions.
• An analysis of millions of people confirms that the HPV vaccine prevents cancer. Two large reviews of 132 million people confirm that the HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer.

Global Health

• Commitments, voluntary measures, and no mention of fossil fuels: these are the COP30 agreements. The final agreement contains small steps instead of ambitious goals.

International Health Policy

• Trump opens the door to extending Obamacare subsidies. He says an extension of the subsidies to help families may be necessary.
• The Trump Administration boasts of achieving $12 billion in savings from negotiating drug prices in Medicare.
• Argentina faces a historic drop in its vaccination coverage.
• Measles is resurging as vaccination rates fall, warns the WHO. Measles cases have risen 8% since 2019.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The deadly African swine fever returns to Spain after three decades. Catalonia detects two wild boars that died from the disease, which can kill all the pigs on a farm in days. Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom have already banned imports of Spanish meat, while China has opted to limit only those from the province of Barcelona.
• Alert over the H3N2 influenza virus that evades the vaccine. The SiVIRA (ISCIII) confirms that flu cases exceed the epidemic threshold in Spain. Experts explain why the A(H3N2) subclass K virus is more transmissible.

Companies

• International
  • Bayer announces promising results in trials of a stroke prevention drug.

• National
  • Vithas Barcelona Hospital, the largest in the network, opens. Spanning over 39,000 square meters, Vithas Barcelona Hospital features 160 single rooms (7 of them suites), 60 specialist consultation rooms, a 24-hour emergency service with separate circuits for adult and pediatric patients, and a full range of services, including a surgical suite with 14 operating rooms.

Biomedicine

• A different type of dementia is changing what we know about cognitive decline. Many cases labeled as Alzheimer’s are actually cases of LATE (usually less severe than Alzheimer’s) (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/health/late-dementia-alzheimers.html)
• Defying death: the origin of aging. This Financial Times series delves into what we really know about aging (https://www.ft.com/content/a33d20fc-c4b5-4790-8f8c-5877f65d4bca)
• A new AI model improves the diagnosis of rare diseases. The innovation promises to offer doctors additional tools for diagnosing certain problems (https://www.ft.com/content/bc49e334-776b-41d0-a9be-fb0c29c54853)
• They identify the five phases the brain goes through in life. The research is based on brain scans of 3,802 people between the ages of 0 and 90 (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/investigacion/20251125/identifican-fases-pasa-cerebro-vida-cambios-llegan-anos/1003744029169_0.html)
• An analysis of millions of people confirms that the HPV vaccine prevents cancer. Two large reviews of 132 million people confirm that the HPV vaccine prevents cervical cancer (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/analisis-sobre-millones-personas-confirma-vacuna-papiloma-20251125101004-nt.html)

Global Health

• The Global Fund and the future of Global Health. This fund is dedicated to fighting AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The US withdraws from this fund (https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140673625024213)
• Amid massive cuts, the Global Fund reaches $11 billion, from a target of $18 billion (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02419-5/fulltext)
• Commitments, voluntary measures, and no mention of fossil fuels: these are the COP30 agreements. The final agreement contains small steps, rather than ambitious goals (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/22/roadmaps-adaptations-and-transitions-what-climate-measures-were-agreed-at-cop30)
• Global leaders must have the courage to end the era of fossil fuels. Despite the meager achievements of COP30, Brazil is prepared to prioritize abandoning fossil fuels (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03851-6)
• Aid cuts: impact on Tanzania. This country is taking steps to reduce and compensate for the lack of foreign aid (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02420-1/fulltext)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • As the 2026 elections approach, health issues are gaining importance for voters. 4 out of 10 adults who report debt are due to medical or dental bills (https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2025.24331)
  • Trump opens the door to extending Obamacare subsidies. He says an extension of subsidies to help families may be necessary (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/25/trump-obamacare-subsidy-extension-aca-00669491)
  • The Trump Administration boasts of achieving $12 billion in savings from Medicare drug price negotiations (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/25/trumps-cms-touts-12b-savings-from-medicare-drug-price-negotiations-00669231)

• United Kingdom
  • A health minister says the UK should monetize NHS health data. Zubir Ahmed says services from the NHS’s new data center should benefit the public coffers. (https://www.ft.com/content/0531e76b-a800-450f-8a10-ac5ada1b2695)
  • Routine prostate checks rejected by the NHS. Limited follow-up is recommended for people with certain mutations (https://www.ft.com/content/9065a8d8-8bfb-40e7-a64d-a326275a00e8)

• Argentina
  • Argentina faces a historic drop in vaccination coverage (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2025/11/28/l-argentine-confrontee-a-une-chute-historique-de-sa-couverture-vaccinale_6655267_3244.html)

• WHO
  • Measles is resurging as vaccination rates decline, warns the WHO. Measles cases have risen 8% since 2019 (https://www.ft.com/content/3f3226db-645c-4b50-93dc-2d50e2423b79)

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The government opens the race to host Certera and details the selection criteria. The government has initiated the process to determine the physical headquarters of the State Network Consortium for the Development of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (Certera) and has published the report outlining the criteria that candidates must meet, a key step in accelerating the creation of the future state consortium. (https://diariofarma.com/2025/11/26/el-gobierno-abre-la-carrera-por-la-sede-de-certera-y-detalla-los-requisitos-de-su-eleccion)

• Regional Government Initiatives
  • Navarre’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical centers are booming. The region boasts the Navarra Health Cluster. This ecosystem represents around 11% of the regional GDP (https://cincodias.elpais.com/extras/navarra/2025-11-29/los-centros-biotecnologicos-y-farmaceuticos-en-plena-expansion.html)

• African swine fever
  • Four new cases of African swine fever detected in Catalonia. The Catalan animal health center has analyzed samples from the four dead wild boars found in the Collserola mountain range (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-11-29/detectados-en-cataluna-cuatro-nuevos-casos-de-peste-porcina-africana-en-el-mismo-radio-de-vigilancia-que-los-dos-primeros.html(https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-11-28/la-mortifera-peste-porcina-africana-regresa-a-espana-despues-de-tres-decadas.html)
  • The deadly African swine fever returns to Spain after three decades. Catalonia has detected two wild boars that died from the disease, which can kill all the pigs on a farm in days. Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom have already banned imports of Spanish meat, while China has opted to limit only those from the province of Barcelona. (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-11-28/la-mortifera-peste-porcina-africana-regresa-a-espana-despues-de-tres-decadas.html)

• Flu Epidemic
  • Alert over the H3N2 influenza virus that evades the vaccine. SiVIRA (ISCIII) confirms that flu cases exceed the epidemic threshold in Spain. Experts explain why the A(H3N2) subclass K virus is more transmissible (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/11/28/69295e77e4d4d85b6e8b457d.html)

• Framework Statute
  • Doctors send a new counterproposal to the Framework Statute to the Ministry of Health and will meet next Monday (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251128/sanidad_-_actualidad_sanitaria-medicos-sanidad_-_profesiones-sanidad_-_medicina-observatorio_de_la_sanidad/1003744033892_0.html)

• FENIN Report on In Vitro Diagnostics
  • FENIN Press Release (https://fenin.es/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/NP-Fenin-jornada-presentacion-informe-DIV_DEF.pdf). Access the original report: https://fenin.es/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/InformeDIV_2025FeninAAFF.pdf

Companies

• International
  • Bayer Announces Promising Results in Trials of a Stroke Prevention Drug (https://www.ft.com/content/ff8c225a-90fe-4c0e-a2cf-83877ed9a824)
  • Novo Nordisk’s new drug shows significant weight loss in diabetes trials (https://www.ft.com/content/3b521c6f-f1be-475d-af5e-99ed595dd228)

• National
  • Vithas Barcelona Hospital, the largest in the network, opens. Spanning over 39,000 square meters, Vithas Barcelona Hospital features 160 single rooms (7 of them suites), 60 specialist consultation rooms, a 24-hour emergency department with separate circuits for adult and pediatric patients, and a full range of services, including a surgical suite with 14 operating rooms. (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251124/hospital-vithas-barcelona-mayor-compania-inicia-activity-asistencial/1003744027700_0.html)
  • Switzerland gives the green light to a PharmaMar drug for small cell lung cancer (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251124/suiza-da-luz-verde-lurbinectedina-pharmamar-atezolizumab-cancer-pulmon-celula-pequena/1003744026534_0.html)

 

 

Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: Scientists are more optimistic about overcoming the global shortage of organs for transplantation.
• Global health: Fossil fuel projects worldwide threaten the lives of 2 billion people.
• International health policy: Obamacare could collapse under Trump’s new plan.
• National health policy: The Prime Minister uses his Wednesday parliamentary address to attack public-private partnerships in healthcare.
• Business: Pharmaceutical companies’ flattery of Trump could open a European front.

Biomedicine

• Scientists are more optimistic about overcoming the global shortage of organs for transplantation. A meeting in Geneva confirmed that xenotransplantation is now within reach.
• A second wave of anti-obesity drugs is on the way. GLP-1 agonists are projected to reach $54 billion in sales by 2024. These drugs, sold under the brand names Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, not only allow for weight loss but also have beneficial effects on the heart, liver, and kidneys. The variety of options will increase in 2026, with Novo Nordisk and Lilly preparing pill versions.

Global Health

• Fossil fuel projects worldwide threaten the lives of 2 billion people. A quarter of the world’s population lives within 5 km of such projects, which potentially threaten their health.
• Childhood hypertension has doubled in 20 years and is now a global health problem. Researchers attribute this to lifestyle factors: diet and obesity.

International Health Policy

• Obamacare could collapse under Trump’s new plan, according to political experts. Republicans say that giving the money directly to citizens would give them more control over their coverage. It seems clear that the government shutdown ended in failure for the Democrats, who not only emerged divided but also failed to reach any agreement on healthcare and are handing Trump the complete repeal of Obamacare on a silver platter.
• The agreement to end the government shutdown puts the healthcare of 24 million people at risk. Republicans are only committing to a vote in December to see if subsidies will continue.
• China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or declining for the past 18 months. Good news, considering that China is the world’s largest carbon emitter.
• The WHO director has a message for Trump. He says Trump should reconsider the US withdrawal from the organization.
• The WHO warns of the tobacco industry’s “attempts to infiltrate” meetings. Days before the anti-tobacco convention meeting, the WHO is commenting on the tobacco industry’s new strategies (e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, and other alternative products). The WHO statement says that “there is no evidence that they benefit public health and growing evidence of their harm.”

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Sánchez uses his Wednesday parliamentary address to attack public-private partnerships in healthcare. It is hardly tenable to criticize an entire sector from such an important platform, a sector that has undergone significant modernization and growth, and which comprises hundreds of centers, thousands of workers, and serves millions of Spaniards.
• The government will take Ayuso to court over the list of conscientious objectors to abortion. An administrative lawsuit against the Community of Madrid is announced.
• The polarization of society in Spain extends to health issues. Pilar Astier, the Spaniard who will preside over the World Federation of Family Doctors, says that “polarization harms health.”
• The Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (SNS) approves the Artificial Intelligence Strategy for the SNS. Its objective is to coordinate the use of AI in the healthcare system. To this end, a shared governance model is established between the Ministry of Health and the Autonomous Communities.
• The Ministry and the Autonomous Communities agree to share screening data using three basic indicators. The Ministry accepts that the Autonomous Communities can send information “in any format” regarding the population invited to participate in the screenings, how many respond, and how many test positive. This is good news, which helps to lower the still very high level of polarization.
• The government agrees to close all poultry farms in Spain due to avian flu. This is the maximum safety measure. Fourteen outbreaks have been identified, which has forced the culling of 2.5 million chickens.
• Doctors again take to the streets in Madrid and other capital cities to protest Mónica García’s Framework Statute. The CESM and SMA unions are organizing a march, ahead of the four-day strike called for next December. Regardless of the unions’ reasons, the law’s approval is highly unlikely.

Companies

• International
  • Pharmaceutical companies’ flattery of Trump could open a European front. Executives at major pharmaceutical companies are bowing to Trump, as the US is their most important market. The application of the “most favored nation” clause could force a drop of up to 90% in the price of medicines in the US, which could lead to their withdrawal from Europe to avoid comparisons.
  • Rise and fall of Novo Nordisk, which was once the most valuable company in Europe and has fallen to twelfth place.

• National
  • Open legal proceedings delay the start of construction on the Quirón hospital in Gijón. The CSI (Leftist Trade Union Current) has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court requesting the annulment of the agreement between the City Council and the company. Quirón made its intentions clear four years ago regarding the construction of a hospital in Gijón.

Biomedicine

• HealthLocator: A public digital tool for navigating quality of care options. Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a patient tool that integrates publicly available data on outcomes, patient experience, and safety into a single indicator to aid in hospital selection (https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.25.0296).
• A second wave of obesity drugs is on the way. Known as GLP-1 agonists, these drugs are projected to reach $54 billion in sales in 2024. Marketed under names such as Wegovy, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound, they not only promote weight loss but also have beneficial effects on the heart, liver, and kidneys. The range of options will increase in 2026, with Novo Nordisk and Lilly preparing pill-based options (https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2025/11/10/a-second-helping-of-weight-loss-drugs-is-coming)
• Scientists are more optimistic about overcoming the global shortage of organs for transplantation. A meeting in Geneva found that xenotransplantation is now within reach (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/health/pig-organs-transplants.html)
• A new malaria drug promises to defeat resistant strains. A new drug developed by Novartis will help flatten the curve of this disease’s spread in Africa and Asia (https://www.ft.com/content/9070de50-7f26-450f-81c3-6bba45d45bb1)
• Neural data could be the most valuable information of the decade. New technology will allow us to read our most private thoughts (https://www.ft.com/content/cc0c19e5-fcbc-4324-bf38-34bee0e77842)
• Research refutes the idea that the microbiome causes autism. The study has been published in the journal Nature (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2025-11-13/una-investigacion-rechaza-que-el-microbioma-cause-autismo-no-esta-justificado-dedicar-mas-tiempo-y-recursos-a-esta-hipotesis.html)
• An inexpensive drug used for gout reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. A study shows that low-dose colchicine is beneficial for people with cardiovascular disease (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/farmaco-barato-usado-gota-reduce-riesgo-infarto-20251113092843-nt.html)
• NextBrain, a brain atlas that reveals subregions for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases. From Harvard, a team led by the Spaniard Juan Eugenio Iglesias publishes in Nature a high-definition tool that dissects the brain, useful in daily clinical practice (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/11/16/69176566e4d4d83d388b45a2.html)

Global Health

• Fossil fuel projects around the world threaten the lives of 2 billion people. A quarter of the world’s population lives within 5 km of these projects, which potentially threaten their health (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/12/fossil-fuel-projects-health-research)
• Childhood hypertension has doubled in 20 years and is now a global health problem. Researchers attribute this to lifestyle factors: diet and obesity (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2025-11-13/tasas-hipertension-infantil_4245970/)
• Official statistics underestimate deaths from extreme weather. Research reveals that many more deaths are caused by torrential rains and floods (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03669-2)
• Mpox in Kenya, which is experiencing its first pandemic of this disease (https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(25)02314-1.pdf)
• Failure is not an option for the new African Medicines Agency. The unequal distribution of vaccines during COVID-19 demonstrates the need to increase production capacity and specific regulation in this area (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03668-3)
• Avoiding the climate “ambition trap.” China has reduced its emissions levels, although some say its ambition is limited (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aed3356)
• Malaria is resurging in Myanmar, raising alarm bells. Cuts in aid funding are undermining eradication efforts (https://www.ft.com/content/6d5e15e4-cff4-415c-996a-643f67bcaef1)
• Healthcare in Gaza remains in critical condition a month after the ceasefire. There is a shortage of medicines, surgical supplies, and diagnostic equipment (https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2025-11-14/la-sanidad-en-gaza-continua-en-cuidados-intensivos-un-mes-despues-del-alto-el-fuego-esto-no-es-vida-esta-realidad-se-parece-a-la-muerte.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The agreement to end the government shutdown puts the health of 24 million people at risk. Republicans are only committing to a vote in December to see if the subsidies will continue (https://elpais.com/us/2025-11-11/el-acuerdo-para-acabar-con-el-cierre-del-gobierno-pone-en-riesgo-la-sanidad-de-24-millones-de-personas.html)
  • Trump secures the support of 8 Democratic senators to proceed with reopening the government, reaching 60 out of 40 votes, to end the shutdown that has already lasted 40 days (https://www.eldiario.es/internacional/trump-logra-voto-punado-senadores-democratas-acabar-cierre-gobierno-garantizar-ayudas-sanitarias_1_12754636.html)
  • The White House knows it must act to make healthcare economically affordable. Talks among senior administration officials about how to end Obamacare and replace it with another approach are in the preliminary stages (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/13/the-white-house-knows-it-needs-to-act-on-health-care-affordability-heres-whats-on-the-table-00649118)
  • Obamacare could collapse under Trump’s new plan, according to political experts. Republicans say that giving the money directly to citizens would give them more control over their coverage (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/11/obamacare-could-collapse-under-trumps-new-plan-policy-experts-say-00647246)
  • Food stamps are back, but millions will permanently lose the benefits (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/15/food-stamps-snap-trump-one-big-beautiful-bill-impact-00653447)

• China
  • China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or declining over the past 18 months. Good news, considering that China is the world’s largest carbon emitter (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/11/china-co2-emissions-flat-or-falling-for-past-18-months-analysis-finds)

• United Kingdom
  • Is the NHS on the road to recovery? The waiting list, a closely watched and valued indicator, fell slightly: from 7.41 million in August to 7.39 million in September (https://www.ft.com/content/72bd88d9-fb5d-4f7e-8c34-47ca509994d8)
  • The NHS is in crisis, should I pay for health insurance? According to the author of this article, BUPA’s 15% premium increase led them to cancel their policy (https://www.ft.com/content/69e31e83-1723-4d06-a3a4-f73b6880138f)

• Canada
  • Canada is no longer a measles-free country after almost 30 years, more than 5,000 cases, and two deaths. This coincides with a decline in vaccination rates (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20251112/canada-deja-pais-libre-sarampion-anos-casos-vacunadosydosmuertes/1003744008116_0.html)

• World Health Organization
  • The WHO Director-General has a message for Trump. He says Trump should reconsider the US withdrawal from the organization (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/09/world-health-organization-tedros-trump-un-global-health-00641160)
  • The WHO warns of the tobacco industry’s “attempts to infiltrate” meetings. Days before the anti-tobacco convention meeting, the WHO speaks out about the tobacco industry’s new strategies (e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, and other alternative products). The WHO statement says that “there is no evidence that they benefit public health and growing evidence of their harm” (https://www.diariomecom/medicina/medicina-preventiva/oms-advierte-intentos-industria-tabaquera-infiltrarse-reuniones.html)

• European Union
  • Europe cannot be left out of basic health needs. The Hungarian government is sponsoring MEHA (Make Europe Healthy Again), similar to the American initiative, with anti-vaccine messaging. However, Europe faces significant challenges, as highlighted in the “2024 European Health Report” (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02270-6/fulltext?rss=yes). Access the 2024 European Health Report: https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-EURO-2025-10668-50440-76183

National Health Policy

• Impact of General Policy on Healthcare
  • Sánchez denigrates private healthcare to attack Ayuso. The president uses his Wednesday parliamentary address to attack public-private partnerships in healthcare (https://www.larazon.es/salud/sanchez-denigra-sanidad-privada-atacar-ayuso_2025111669192475eba8bc0ece00f92b.html)
  • The government will take Ayuso to court over the list of conscientious objectors to abortion. An administrative lawsuit has been announced against the Community of Madrid (https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20251115/monica-garcia-anuncia-llevara-ayuso-tribunales-negarse-crear-registro-medicos-objetores-conciencia/1003744015380_0.html)
  • The polarization of society in Spain is extending to health issues. Pilar Astier, the Spanish woman who will preside over the world’s family doctors, says that “polarization damages health” (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/20251113/polarizacion-sociedad-espana-extiende-temas-salud-supone-grave-amenaza/1003744010075_0.html). Article published in Science Advances, demonstrating which factors cause polarization to harm health: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ady5064

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The Interterritorial Council of the National Health System (NHS) approves the Artificial Intelligence Strategy for the NHS. Its objective is to coordinate the use of AI in the healthcare system. To this end, a shared governance model is established between the Ministry of Health and the Autonomous Communities (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/gabinete/notasPrensa.do)
  • The Interterritorial Council of the National Health System approves the Cybersecurity Strategy 2025-2028, a key document to address the growing number of attacks and ensure the confidentiality of medical records (https://www.consalud.es/politica/ministerio-sanidad/el-gobierno-aprueba-la-estrategia-de-ciberseguridad-2025-2028-para-blindar-los-datos-del-sns.html)
  • The Ministry and the Autonomous Communities agree to share screening data with three basic indicators. The Ministry accepts that the autonomous communities can send information “in any format” about the population they invite to screenings, how many respond, and how many test positive (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/ministerio-ccaa-acuerdan-compartir-datos-cribados-tres-indicadores-basicos.html)

• Initiatives of the autonomous communities
  • Catalonia, the first community to launch the national AI plan in healthcare. A €27 million agreement will be signed between Óscar López and Salvador Illa (https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2025-11-13/cataluna-primera-comunidad-en-arrancar-el-plan-de-estatal-de-implantacion-de-inteligencia-artificial-en-la-sanidad.html)
  • Catalonia is the region where the waiting list is growing the most, by 8%, while in Castile and León it is falling by 20% (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251108/cataluna-region-sube-tiempo-espera-operarse-castilla-leon-cae/1003744004747_0.html)

• Avian flu
  • Government agreement to close all farms in Spain due to avian flu. This is the maximum safety measure. Fourteen outbreaks have been identified, forcing the culling of 2.5 million chickens (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/gobierno-confina-explotaciones-aves-corral-aire-libre-gripe-aviar_20251113691598e1360d0840bcd57145.html)
  • Avian flu in Spain: how it spreads, detected cases and risk areas (https://www.elcomercio.es/economia/gripe-aviar-espana-contagia-casos-detectados-zonas-20251113140332-ntrc.html)

• The controversy over breast cancer screening in Andalusia
  • The Andalusian Regional Government goes on the offensive against Amama and officially requests data on the 4,000 people affected by the screenings. The Regional Ministry claims that the figures released by Amama do not correspond to the official figures from the Administration (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-11-13/la-junta-de-andalucia-requiere-a-amama-la-informacion-de-las-4000-mujeres-afectadas-por-los-fallos-en-los-cribados.html)

• Framework Statute
  • Doctors again take to the streets in Madrid and other capital cities to protest Mónica García’s Framework Statute. The CESM and SMA unions are organizing a march, ahead of the four-day strike called for next December (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2025-11-14/manifestacion-medicos-estatuto-marco_4247377/)

• CAR-T Therapy Strategy
  • This strategy is progressing; 14 regions offer it, and there are already more than 40 authorized centers. Extremadura, La Rioja and Castilla-La Mancha are the three regions that still do not have these treatments in public centers (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251112/estrategia-publica-terapias-car-t-avanza-comunidades-ofrecen-centros-autorizados/1003744008737_0.html)

Companies

• International
  • A new pill from Merck may lower cholesterol levels, according to trials, potentially giving millions of people a more affordable way to reduce their risk of heart disease (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/health/merck-cholesterol-pill-pcsk9.html)
  • The “most favored nation” clause faces legal and operational hurdles for the pharmaceutical industry, according to an analysis by David Cantarero, professor at the University of Cantabria (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/clausula-nacion-mas-favorecida-obstaculos-legales-operativos-industria-farmaceutica/)
  • Pharmaceutical companies’ flattery of Trump could open a European front. Executives at major pharmaceutical companies are bowing to Trump, given that the US is their most important market. The application of the “most favored nation” clause could force a drop of up to 90% in the price of medicines in the USA, which could lead to their withdrawal from Europe to avoid comparisons (https://cincodias.elpais.com/opinion/2025-11-12/la-adulacion-de-las-farmaceuticas-a-trump-puede-abrir-un-frente-europeo.html)
  • The rise and fall of Novo Nordisk, which was once the most valuable company in Europe and has now fallen to twelfth place (https://cincodias.elpais.com/mercados-financieros/2025-11-13/auge-y-caida-de-novo-nordisk-la-que-fue-empresa-mas-valiosa-de-europa-y-ha-bajado-al-decimotercer-puesto.html)
  • The courts accept the €6.369 billion agreement addressing the role Purdue Pharma’s role in the opioid crisis (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251114/justicia-acepta-acuerdo-millones-aborda-papel-purdue-pharma-crisis-opiaceos/1003744015122_0.html)

• National News
  • Almirall’s shares soar by up to 10% on the stock market, as sales improve by 12.8% (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2025-11-10/almirall-se-dispara-hasta-un-10-en-bolsa_4244833/)
  • Grifols restructures its €1.3 billion debt to facilitate refinancing (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/13638750/11/25/grifols-armoniza-su-deuda-de-1300-millones-para-facilitar-su-refinanciacion.html)
  • Open legal proceedings delay the start of construction on the Quirón hospital in Gijón. The CSI (Leftist Trade Union Current) has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court requesting the annulment of the agreement between the City Council and the company. It has been four years since Quirón expressed its interest in building a hospital in Gijón (https://www.elcomercio.es/gijon/procesos-judiciales-abiertos-retrasan-inicio-hospital-quiron-20251109000227-nt.html)
  • The pharmaceutical company Medichem (which will create 30 jobs) is finalizing its construction in Asturias (https://www.lne.es/llanera/2025/11/11/farmaceutica-medichem-ultima-obras-nave-123565351.html)

 

 

Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: First transplant of kidneys modified with human renal organoids in pigs.
• Global Health: Aid cuts are devastating health services in Africa.
• International Health Policy: Health in the midst of the US government shutdown.
• National Health Policy: The Minister of Health announces “legal action” to obtain screening data from the autonomous communities governed by the People’s Party (PP).
• Business: The pharmaceutical industry announces more than $450 billion in investments in the USA.

Biomedicine

• First transplant of kidneys modified with human renal organoids in pigs. Spanish scientists have successfully tested a human renal organoid technology to repair kidneys and improve their viability for transplantation.
• A drug has saved the lives of eight young people with the most common childhood cancer, specifically B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The sophisticated experimental treatment involves extracting a sample of immune cells, redesigning them in the laboratory to increase their ability to destroy cancer cells, and then reintroducing them into the body to kill the tumor. The lead researcher, pediatrician Antonio Pérez, presented the results this Thursday at La Paz University Hospital in Madrid.
• Eleven children with incurable deafness can hear again thanks to gene therapy. One of the first gene therapies developed to cure congenital deafness has just shown initial success, potentially reversing a disease for which there is currently no cure. In rare cases, children are born with genetic defects that prevent them from hearing anything, even though their ears are physically intact. The new treatment has been applied to 12 children, several of them in Spain, and has worked in 11. It has restored completely normal hearing ability to three of them.

Global Health

• Aid cuts are devastating health services in Africa. The rapid dismantling of USAID is leading to more deaths and illnesses.
• The genocide in Gaza has not stopped, according to charitable organizations, as Israel continues to block aid. Agencies warn that Israel continues to hinder the delivery of aid to Gaza, despite ceasefire agreements.
• The Gates Foundation has become the key force at the WHO following the withdrawal of US aid. In fact, after the US withdrawal, it is the main funder, something Bill Gates says is “a very strange thing.”

International Health Policy

• Health during the US government shutdown. The US government shutdown is now the second longest in history. One cause of this shutdown is disagreements over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Its extension is affecting Medicare home hospitalization. The lockdown is also affecting access to healthcare for those most in need.
• The unstoppable rise of medical science in China. American shortsightedness and restrictions on research funding have left China with free rein for decades.
• The British government’s plan to bring care to the community is under threat. The CQC (Care Quality Commission) report says that the 10-year health plan’s targets may not be met without sufficient community support for vulnerable groups who have to endure long waits, access problems, and worse outcomes.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The Minister of Health announces “legal action” to obtain screening data from the PP-governed autonomous communities. Health Minister Mónica García stated this Thursday that the Government will take “all legal action” to obtain the data from cancer screening programs that the PP-governed autonomous communities refuse to share with the Ministry. “This information doesn’t belong to Moreno Bonilla, nor to the current regional health minister, nor to the three ministers who came before him; it belongs to the citizens who want to know what happened so they can restore peace of mind and confidence in their healthcare system,” said the Sumar leader after meeting in Seville with Ángela Claverol, president of Amama, the association of Andalusian women who are breast cancer survivors. Aside from other considerations, it was surely a serious mistake on the part of the PP to refuse to provide this information, as it appears they are trying to hide the truth.
• Catalonia announces the creation of Integrated Health Areas (AIS) at the territorial level. This is a proposal from Cairós to the Ministry of Health to improve coordination between public health, primary care, hospitals, intermediate care, mental health, and emergency services.
• The Spanish Medical Association (OMC) warns: Spain does not have a shortage of doctors, and urges a replacement agreement to distribute them equitably. The General Council of Official Medical Associations (CGCOM) presents its 2025 Medical Demographics Study, following the last one published in 2017, which concludes that to ensure the sustainability of the system, a dynamic adjustment of the MIR (Medical Residency Exam), expanded use of new technologies and AI, and the promotion of female leadership will also be necessary. This is a significant contribution from the OMC, which also contradicts the oft-repeated claim that Spain lacks doctors, a claim frequently used by both the government and healthcare companies.
• Andalusia allocates 31% of its budget to healthcare following the screening crisis, although the healthcare problem is not only one of money but also “structural” and related to management, as acknowledged by the Andalusian president, Juan Manuel Moreno, on the 15th.

Companies

• International
  • The pharmaceutical industry announces more than $450 billion in investments in the USA, following Trump’s threats. MSD, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, J&J, Roche, GSK, Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi, Gilead, Biogen, Amgen, and even Rovi are in the running. From this perspective, Trump’s policy has been extremely successful.

• National
  • HM will double the number of nursing homes in Madrid. The hospital group will open four social and healthcare centers under its joint venture, Valdeluz Mayores.

Biomedicine

• Early detection of prostate cancer. After much controversy regarding the value of PSA for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer, a large study published in the NEJM has shown that the use of this marker reduces prostate cancer mortality by 13% (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2509793)
• Pig kidney removed from a transplant recipient after nine months. Of the four patients transplanted with a pig kidney, this one lasted the longest. The first two patients died shortly after receiving the transplant; the third had to have it removed after 130 days due to rejection; in this case, the removal was due to declining kidney function (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/27/health/pig-kidney-tim-andrews.html)
• First transplant of kidneys modified with human kidney organoids into pigs. Spanish scientists have successfully tested a human kidney organoid technology to repair kidneys and improve their viability for transplantation (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/10/31/6904dbdae85ecea30b8b4583.html)
• A drug saves the lives of eight young people with the most common childhood cancer, specifically B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The sophisticated experimental treatment involves extracting a sample of immune cells, re-engineering them in the laboratory to increase their ability to destroy cancer cells, and then reintroducing them into the body to kill the tumor. The lead researcher, pediatrician Antonio Pérez, presented the results this Thursday at La Paz University Hospital (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2025-10-30/un-medicamento-viviente-que-cabe-en-una-cuchara-salva-la-vida-de-ocho-jovenes-con-el-cancer-infantil-mas-comun.html). Access the original article on eBiomedicine: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396425003160
• Eleven children with incurable deafness can hear again thanks to gene therapy. One of the first gene therapies developed to cure congenital deafness has just shown initial success, potentially reversing a disease for which there is currently no cure. In rare cases, children are born with genetic defects that prevent them from hearing anything, even though their ears are physically intact. The new treatment has been applied to 12 children, several of them in Spain, and has been successful in 11. It has restored completely normal hearing to three of them. (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2025-10-28/once-ninos-con-sordera-incurable-vuelven-a-oir-gracias-a-la-terapia-genica.html). Access the original article in the NEJM: https://www.nejm.org/doi/abs/10.1056/NEJMoa2400521

Global Health

• Trust and science: the essential elements missing from the plastics treaty. More than 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced annually and growing. A better understanding of the science’s findings and more informal space for delegates can change this situation (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03469-8)
• The tobacco treaty has to deal with new nicotine products (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02206-8/fulltext)
• The counterintuitive economics of tobacco. Although the number of smokers is decreasing, the value of tobacco company stocks continues to rise. This is because the remaining smokers are “price inelastic” and willing to tolerate cigarette price increases (https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/10/26/the-counterintuitive-economics-of-smoking).

• The genocide in Gaza has not stopped, according to charitable organizations, as Israel continues to block aid. The agencies warn that Israel continues to hinder the delivery of aid to Gaza, despite ceasefire agreements. (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2247?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)
• Aid cuts are devastating healthcare services in Africa. The rapid dismantling of USAID is leading to more deaths and illnesses (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/10/30/aid-cuts-are-devastating-health-services-in-africa)
• The return of cholera to Haiti, where numerous displaced people are surviving in catastrophic conditions. Since the beginning of the year, this disease has affected 3,000 people and caused 53 deaths (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2025/10/27/a-haiti-ou-de-nombreux-deplaces-survivent-dans-des-conditions-catastrophiques-le-retour-du-cholera_6649830_3244.html)
• The Gates Foundation becomes the key force at the WHO, following the withdrawal of US aid. In fact, after the US withdrawal, it is the main funder, something Bill Gates says is “a very strange thing” (https://www.ft.com/content/d2c6dcf9-0023-4fe1-a146-162051457002)
• More than 500,000 deaths a year from heat: climate denial and inaction threaten the lives of millions. The thousands of deaths worldwide due to emissions show the health impact of the setbacks being made by oil companies, banks, and governments like those of Trump, Milei, and Orbán (https://elpais.com/clima-y-medio-ambiente/2025-10-29/mas-de-500000-muertos-al-ano-por-calor-el-negacionismo-y-la-inaccion-climatica-amenazan-la-vida-de-millones-de-personas.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The Trump Administration’s approach to global health is flawed, but fixable. It’s hard to imagine that the evidence of the damage done won’t lead to a change in policy, given that more than three-quarters of Americans support the policy of saving lives. “America First” doesn’t necessarily mean Africans last (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2025/10/30/the-trump-administrations-approach-to-global-health-is-flawed-but-fixable)
  • Health during the US government shutdown. The US government shutdown is now the second longest in history. One cause of this shutdown is precisely the disagreements surrounding Obamacare. Its extension is affecting Medicare home hospitalization. The shutdown is affecting access to healthcare for those most in need (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02207-X/fulltext)
  • Obamacare prices made public, revealing significant increases. The Trump Administration has released health insurance prices from marketplaces in 30 states created by Obamacare. Substantial increase in health insurance prices (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/health/obamacare-prices-health-insurance.html)

• China
  • The unstoppable rise of medical science in China. American shortsightedness and restrictions on research funding have left China with free rein for decades (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2303)

 

• United Kingdom
  • The British government’s plan to bring care to the community is under threat. The CQC (Care Quality Commission) report says that the health plan’s 10-year targets may not be met without sufficient community support for vulnerable groups who have to endure long waits, access problems, and worse outcomes. (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2255?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)
  • From Hospital to Community: International Lessons on Moving Care to the Proximity. This Nuffield Trust study analyzes the experience of two countries, Denmark and Ireland, committed to rebalancing hospital/community care. It demonstrates that this is probably the most challenging ambition in England’s 10-year health plan (https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/from-hospital-to-community-international-lessons-on-moving-care-closer-to-home). To read the full report: https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-09/Nuffield%20Trust%20-%20From%20hospital%20to%20community_WEB.pdf
  • NHS priorities, from 2026/27 to 2028/29. Experts from the King’s Fund analyze NHS priorities in light of the 10-year health plan for England (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/blogs/nhs-priorities-2026-27-to-2028-29-system-staff-patients)

• France
  • The difficult fight against social inequalities in health. As Social Security celebrates its 80th anniversary, stark health inequalities are also evident (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/10/26/sante-la-difficile-lutte-contre-les-inegalites-sociales_6649650_3224.html)
  • The rise in neonatal mortality in France is concentrated in the poorest communities, according to a comprehensive study published in September (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/10/26/la-hausse-de-la-mortalite-neonatale-se-concentre-sur-les-communes-les-plus-pauvres_6649674_3224.html)
  • The 2026 Social Security budget: our system is becoming self-destructive (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2025/10/30/budget-de-la-securite-sociale-2026-notre-systeme-de-sante-devient-autophage-il-se-nourrit-de-ses-propres-organes_6650248_3232.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The Minister of Health announces “legal action” to obtain screening data from the PP-governed autonomous communities. The Minister of Health, Mónica García, stated this Thursday that the Government will take “all legal action” to obtain the data from cancer screening programs that the PP-governed autonomous communities refuse to share with the Ministry. “This information doesn’t belong to Moreno Bonilla, nor to the current health minister, nor to the three ministers who came before him; it belongs to the citizens who want to know what happened so they can restore peace of mind and confidence in their healthcare system,” said the leader of Sumar after meeting in Seville with Ángela Claverol, president of Amama, the association of Andalusian women who are victims of breast cancer. (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-10-30/la-ministra-de-sanidad-anuncia-medidas-legales-para-obtener-los-datos-de-cribados-de-las-comunidades-autonomas-del-pp.html)
  • The government approves the extension of the ALS Law to other irreversible diseases. The aid will be extended to illnesses with no therapeutic response, requiring complex care and rapid progression (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-10-28/el-gobierno-aprueba-la-ampliacion-de-la-ley-ela-a-otras-enfermedades-irreversibles.html)
  • The Ministry of Health is “open” to the MIR exam being administered in Basque and other languages. However, in his response, Padilla explained that the ministry requested a report from the State Attorney’s Office, and their response was that the request “would be difficult to reconcile” with current legislation. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/ministerio-sanidad-abierto-examen-mir-haga-euskera-lenguas.html)

• Initiatives of the Autonomous Communities
  • Only three autonomous communities have consolidation plans for the development of precision oncology medicine. Specifically, Galicia, Catalonia, and the Valencian Community (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251028/solo-ccaa-cuentan-planes-consolidacion-desarrollo-medicina-oncologica-precision/1003743988847_0.html)
  • Catalonia announces the creation of Integrated Health Areas (AIS) at the territorial level. This is a proposal from Cairós a Salud to improve coordination between public health, primary care, hospitals, intermediate care, mental health, and emergency services (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/cataluna-anuncia-creacion-areas-integradas-salud-ais-territoriales.html)
  • Asturias will reconsider its exclusivity. “We understand that exclusivity must continue, but we also want to be attractive to professionals and not stand out as much as the other regions,” according to statements by the Regional Minister (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/asturias/asturias-repensara-la-exclusividad-medica-pero-la-abrira-a-mas-profesiones-1969)
  • Aragon promotes innovative procurement to transform its healthcare system (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/aragon/aragon-impulsa-la-compra-publica-innovadora-y-agregada-para-modernizar-su-sistema-sanitario.html)

• Medical Demographics
  • The OMC warns: Spain does not have a shortage of doctors, and urges a replacement agreement to distribute them equitably. The General Council of Official Medical Associations (CGCOM) presents its 2025 Medical Demographics Study, following the last one published in 2017. The study concludes that ensuring the sustainability of the system will also require a dynamic adjustment of the MIR (Medical Residency Exam), expanded use of new technologies and AI, and the promotion of female leadership (https://isanidad.com/348778/la-omc-avisa-espana-no-tiene-deficit-de-medicos-e-insta-a-un-pacto-de-reposicion-para-distribuirlos-equitativamente/). Access the original report: https://www.cgcom.es/sites/main/files/files/2025-10/OMC_Demografía_Médica_2025.pdf.

• Sick Leave
  • Agreements with mutual insurance companies to expedite sick leave are not taking off. The Social Security system is trying to revive the signing of these agreements in the face of resistance from the autonomous communities and collaborating entities. The problem of sick leave is a major concern, both due to its volume and its upward trend. Currently, only the Balearic Islands, Asturias, and Catalonia have any kind of agreement in place (https://elpais.com/economia/2025-11-01/los-pactos-con-las-mutuas-para-agilizar-las-bajas-medicas-no-despegan-solo-tres-comunidades-los-han-suscrito-en-un-ano.html).
• The controversy surrounding breast cancer screening in Andalusia and the plans of the new Andalusian Health Minister.
  • Andalusia allocates 31% of its budget to healthcare following the screening crisis, although the healthcare problem is not only financial but also “structural” and related to management, as acknowledged by the Andalusian president, Juan Manuel Moreno, on [date missing]. 15.(https://elpais.com/espana/andalucia/2025-10-28/andalucia-destina-el-31-de-su-presupuesto-a-sanidad-tras-la-crisis-de-los-cribados.html)

Companies

• International
  • Weight-loss drugs are spreading worldwide, especially following the upcoming patent expirations in China and India (https://www.economist.com/business/2025/10/28/weight-loss-drugs-are-spreading-across-the-world)
  • The pharmaceutical industry announces over $450 billion in investments in the USA, following Trump’s threats. MSD, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, J&J, Roche, GSK, Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi, Gilead, Biogen, Amgen, and even Rovi are in that race (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251028/industria-farmaceutica-anuncia-inversiones-eeuu-amenazas-donald-trump/1003743979112_0.html)

• National
  • Novo Nordisk restores regular supply of Ozempic in Spain after three years of shortages. The Spanish Agency for Medicines has removed the drug from the list of therapies with stock shortages (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/13614147/10/25/novo-nordisk-restablece-el-suministro-regular-de-ozempic-en-espana-tras-tres-anos-de-escasez.html)
  • HM will double the number of nursing homes in Madrid. The hospital group will open four social and healthcare centers under its joint venture Valdeluz Mayores (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/13620431/10/25/hm-hospitales-duplicara-su-numero-de-residencias-en-madrid.html)
  • Healthcare Activos invests 150 million in the purchase of seven social and healthcare centers (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2025/10/27/68ffd07f468aeba7168b4577.html)