Summary

News of the week:

• Medical milestone: Moderna and Merck’s mRNA vaccine against melanoma appears to be the prelude to the introduction of mRNA technology in cancer vaccines.

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: Deaths from GLP-1. Are obesity drugs linked to hundreds of deaths?
• Global health: US policies are making the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases inevitable.
• International health policy: Obamacare, increasingly fragile, is causing the percentage of the population covered in the US to decrease.
• National health policy: Catastrophic intervention by the Minister of Health in Ceuta, linking the problems of the invasion of that city to “xenophobia”.
• Companies: The race to renew portfolios is driving biopharmaceutical acquisitions in 2026.

Biomedicine

• Medical milestone: Moderna and Merck’s mRNA vaccine against melanoma. Pharmaceutical companies Moderna and MSD (Merck in the US and Canada) saw their stock prices soar on Wednesday after announcing the success of a Phase III trial of their experimental personalized melanoma vaccine. While the results are not yet supported by a scientific publication with data on increased survival or relapse rates, it is perceived as an unprecedented medical breakthrough. The trial involved 1,137 patients.
• Deaths from GLP-1. Are obesity drugs linked to hundreds of deaths? Stories linking the use of these drugs to hundreds of deaths and adverse effects have appeared in the British press in recent weeks.
• Liquid biopsy in saliva could advance the diagnosis of colon and stomach cancers. Research suggests that analyzing the oral microbiome using a simple mouthwash could help detect gastric and colorectal cancer.

Global Health

• US policies are making the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases inevitable. The Administration’s skepticism toward vaccines is causing a loss of faith in them among the population.
• The world is suffering from a shortage of healthcare workers: 34.4 million are needed. Between 1990 and 2023, the number of healthcare workers nearly tripled, reaching 122.1 million. Even so, there are still not enough healthcare workers for even moderate universal coverage.

International Health Policy

• Obamacare is increasingly fragile. The USA is the only developed country without universal coverage. Obamacare tried to address this through subsidies for enrolling in Medicaid. But the Trump Administration’s withdrawal of these subsidies is causing the percentage of the population covered to decline.
• Assisted dying has been officially authorized in France, following the enactment of the law by Macron. The text was published on Wednesday, August 19, in the Official Gazette.
• Big Pharma warns Germany about its attempts to lower drug prices, saying it risks weakening one of the major centers of innovation, to the benefit of the US and China.
• The health crisis is worsening in Cuba. Severe shortages of energy and medical supplies have plunged the healthcare system into chaos.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Mónica García leaves a trail of indignation in Ceuta by attributing the health crisis following the invasion to “xenophobia.” García criticized the lack of “speed” in providing spaces for migrants as they were during the previous migration crisis of 2021. Mónica García’s entire intervention in the serious crisis in Ceuta is a complete absurdity. It seems difficult to move from the sectarian slogans of the White Tide movement to state policy.
• Moncloa underestimates the importance of healthcare in its new funding model tailored to Catalonia. Health and Education account for more than 76% of regional spending, but represent only 58.5% of the budget formula designed by the Treasury.
• More than one million new users on the IDIS Foundation’s electronic health record platform. miHC, the interoperability platform developed by the IDIS Foundation, has reached a new milestone in active users. The system has surpassed one million new users (1,031,337) and three million accesses (3,062,861).

Companies

• International
  • The race to renew portfolios is driving biopharmaceutical acquisitions in 2026. In the first quarter of the year alone, the value of announced deals in this sector exceeded $65 billion, almost double that of the same period in 2025, thanks to the signing of 16 acquisitions valued at over $1 billion, the fastest pace recorded in recent years.
  • Nestlé is considering developing weight-loss products. The company believes new opportunities are emerging for it through products designed to reduce the risks of rapid weight loss.

• National News
  • Private hospital revenue in Spain exceeded €14.6 billion in 2025, a 5.3% increase, according to DBK.
  • Quirónsalud grew by 4% in the first half of the year, reaching €2.839 billion.

Biomedicine

• Medical milestone: Moderna and Merck’s mRNA vaccine against melanoma. Pharmaceutical companies Moderna and MSD (Merck in the USA and Canada) saw their shares soar on Wednesday after announcing the success of a Phase III trial of their experimental personalized melanoma vaccine. While the results are not yet supported by a scientific publication with data on increased survival or recurrence rates, it is perceived as an unprecedented medical breakthrough. The trial involved 1,137 patients (https://www.expansion.com/directivos/estilo-vida/salud/2026/08/20/6a8691dce5fdea45358b4595.html)
• There won’t be one vaccine against cancer, but rather a different one for each patient and tumor. According to experts, a universal vaccine like the one for COVID-19 is impossible, and in fact, this type of treatment is “like giving a different COVID-19 vaccine to each person.” (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-08-23/no-habra-una-vacuna-contra-el-cancer-sino-una-distinta-para-cada-paciente-y-tumor.html)
• Deaths from GLP-1. Are obesity medications linked to hundreds of deaths? Stories linking the use of these drugs to hundreds of deaths and adverse effects have appeared in the British press in recent weeks (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100557)
• A revolutionary stem cell therapy must be operated responsibly to achieve its potential. Although totipotent stem cells were discovered 20 years ago, their therapeutic potential is only now being realized (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02524-2)
• Liquid biopsy in saliva could advance the diagnosis of colon and stomach cancers. Research suggests that analyzing the oral microbiome with a simple mouthwash could help detect gastric and colorectal cancer (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/aparato-digestivo/biopsia-liquida-saliva-podria-adelantar-diagnostico-canceres-colon-estomago.html)

Global Health

• US policies are making the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases inevitable. The Administration’s vaccine skepticism is eroding public faith in vaccines (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100562)
• The Lancet editorial: Attacks on the LGBTQ+ community are a threat to everyone. In many parts of the world, LGBTQ+ identities are criminalized (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01704-6/fulltext)
• Ebola in the DRC: The epidemic is progressing exponentially and has already reached 2,500 deaths, according to the UN (https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/08/21/ebola-en-rdc-l-epidemie-progresse-de-facon-exponentielle-et-depasse-2-500-morts-alerte-l-onu_6752079_3212.html)
• The DRC will receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine to contain the Ebola outbreak. The response to Ebola is weakening due to a lack of resources and public distrust (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/congo-set-receive-70000-ervebo-vaccines-contain-ebola-outbreak-who-says-2026-08-20/)
• The WHO says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be under control within three months. Despite this assertion, the data only worsens (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-says-congo-ebola-outbreak-can-still-be-brought-under-control-within-three-2026-08-18/)
• Myanmar faces a cholera epidemic, exacerbated by the underlying problem of insufficient childhood vaccination coverage (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/08/21/la-birmanie-enregistre-une-epidemie-de-cholera-sur-fond-de-baisse-de-la-couverture-vaccinale-des-enfants_6752263_3244.html)
• Attacks on health facilities in conflict zones will reach more than four per day by 2026, according to the WHO (https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/attacks-healthcare-conflict-zones-averaging-more-than-four-day-2026-world-health-2026-08-14/)
• The world is suffering from a shortage of healthcare workers: 34.4 million are needed. Between 1990 and 2023, the number of healthcare workers nearly tripled, reaching 122.1 million. Even so, there are still not enough healthcare workers for moderate universal coverage (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260819/mundo-sufre-escasez-sanitarios-faltan-millones-pesar-haberse-triplicado-numero-anos/1003744356621_0.html). Access the original article in The Lancet Public Health: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(26)00145-3/fulltext

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Obamacare, increasingly fragile. The USA is the only developed country without universal coverage. Obamacare tried to address this through subsidies for Medicaid enrollment. But the Trump Administration’s withdrawal of aid is causing the percentage of the population covered to decrease (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/08/16/obamacare-is-becoming-even-more-frail)
  • Cyclosporiasis in the US reaches 15,716 cases, according to the CDC (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/cyclosporiasis-cases-us-climb-15716-cdc-says-2026-08-18/)
  • Alfalfa outbreaks linked to illness in 15 states, according to the FDA, due to a mixture of Salmonella and E. coli (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/us/alfalfa-sprouts-recall-salmonella-ecoli.html)
  • Trump offered states lower Medicaid prices for weight-loss drugs. The majority rejected the agreement, saying it was beyond the reach of state budgets (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/22/states-reject-trump-medicaid-weight-loss-drug-price-deal-01045776)
  • The American right reconciles with “psychedelic drugs.” From public enemy to national medical hope. The Republican Party abandons the stigma of the ‘hippie’ counterculture and promotes research into these substances as a strategic public health treatment (https://www.vozpopuli.com/internacional/la-derecha-en-eeuu-se-reconcilia-con-las-drogas-psicodelicas-de-enemigo-publico-a-esperanza-medica-nacional.html)

• China
  • A Chinese website is selling information on 500,000 volunteers from a UK database. The medical data—genetic, physiological, and health-related—of half a million volunteers collected by the UK was put up for sale for several hours before being taken down by a Chinese website associated with the e-commerce giant Alibaba (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-04-23/una-pagina-web-china-pone-a-la-venta-informacion-medica-de-500000-voluntarios-de-una-base-de-datos-del-reino-unido.html)
• France
  • Assisted dying, officially authorized after Macron enacted the law. The text was published on Wednesday, August 19, in the Official Gazette (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/08/19/l-aide-a-mourir-officiellement-autorisee-en-france-apres-la-promulgation-de-la-loi-par-emmanuel-macron_6749291_3224.html)
  • Infant mortality: the debate focuses on the organization of maternity wards, while the determining factors are elsewhere. The greatest risk is extremely premature infants (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/08/17/mortalite-infantile-le-debat-se-concentre-sur-l-organisation-des-maternites-alors-que-les-determinants-sont-ailleurs_6747973_3232.html)

• Germany
  • Germany becomes the leading European cannabis market. Critics call for stricter laws two years after the drug was partially liberalized (https://www.ft.com/content/6541cb37-1bc7-4f52-a8ef-f503d13be4ce)
  • Big Pharma warns Germany about its attempts to lower drug prices, saying it risks weakening one of the biggest centers of innovation, to the benefit of the US and China (https://www.ft.com/content/8891d59f-f4e0-4f81-bfae-b686cd1c4d98?syn-25a6b1a6=1)

• Egypt
  • Obstetric violence in Egypt. Cases are multiplying in that country (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01705-8/fulltext)
• Cuba
  • The health crisis is worsening. Severe shortages of energy and medical supplies have plunged the healthcare system into chaos (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01706-X/fulltext)

• Chile
  • The Kast government intends to withdraw healthcare benefits from those convicted of organized crime and terrorism. Major divisions within the right wing that supports the government on this issue (https://elpais.com/chile/2026-08-16/el-gobierno-de-kast-pretende-retirar-las-prestaciones-de-salud-a-los-condenados-por-crimen-organizado-y-terrorismo.html)

National health policy

• Central Administration
  • Moncloa underestimates the weight of healthcare in its new financing model tailored to Catalonia. Health and Education concentrate more than 76% of regional spending, but they barely weigh 58.5% in the formula designed by the Treasury (https://www.eldebate.com/economia/20260819/moncloa-subestima-peso-sanidad-nuevo-modelo-finacion-medida-cataluna_450392.html)
  • The Government reduces the weight of health and education in the new regional financing, despite the fact that they represent 76% of spending. Fedea demands that the transfer of VAT to the territories be limited and denounces the inclusion of mechanisms that especially favor Catalonia (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/economia/macroeconomia/20260818/gobierno-rebaja-peso-sanidad-educacion-nueva-finacion-autonomica-pese-suponen-gasto/1003744355064_0.html)
  • Fedea questions the “more than debatable” logic of the regional financing plan that the government will approve in September (https://www.eleconomista.es/economia/noticias/14008396/08/26/fedea-questiona-la-logica-mas-que-discutible-del-plan-de-finacion-autonomica-que-el-gobierno-aprobara-en-septiembre.html)

• Autonomous administrations
  • Aragon accredits 21 nurses for medication indication (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/20260817/aragon-acredita-enfermeras-para-indicacion-de-medicamentos/349209_0.html)
  • An appeal conditions the start of construction of the new Tolosa hospital. The regional government maintains that the Basque infrastructure works will begin “during 2028” (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/euskadi/20260817/un-recurso-condition-el-comienzo-de-la-construccion-del-nuevo-hospital-tolosa/349249_0.html)
  • The map of waiting lists in Catalonia: the delay in seeing the specialist increases. The average waiting time for a first visit goes from 93 days to almost 120 from 2023, with a special deterioration in the Vallès hospitals (https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2026-08-17/el-mapa-de-las-listas-de-espera-en-cataluna-la-demora-para-ver-al-especialista-aumenta-casi-un-mes-en-tres-anos.html)

• The Ceuta conflict
  • Mónica García leaves a trail of indignation in Ceuta, for attributing the health alarm after the invasion to “xenophobia”. García has criticized the fact that spaces for migrants are not made available with the “agility” with which they were given in the previous migration crisis of 2021. (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260817/monica-garcia-deja-estela-indignacion-ceuta-atribuir-xenophobia-alarma-sanitaria-invasion/1003744354685_0.html)
  • Enrique Roviralta, president of the Ceuta College of Physicians: “There is a real risk of an epidemic, this is a ticking bomb” (https://www.abc.es/sociedad/enrique-roviralta-presidente-medicos-ceuta-riesgo-real-20260816014727-nt.html)
  • The Ministry, failing to comply with its own strategy, goes to the communities to vaccinate immigrants in Ceuta. This is because the Ministry does not have its own reserve of doses, although it should do so, according to the “Vaccination strategy for migrants and refugees arriving irregularly to Spain.” (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260823/monica-garcia-carece-reserva-vacunas-inmigrantes-irregulares-incumple-propria-estrategia-apela-ccaa/1003744360273_0.html)
  • Mónica García calls Feijóo’s request to confine migrants due to the health risk “unjustified.” Health authorities in the region warn of the spread of different infectious diseases, such as gastroenteritis, scabies, impetigo and tuberculosis (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-08-23/enfermedades-ceuta-emergencia-sanitaria-feijoo-confinamiento_4410043/)
  • The government admits 2,500 irregular immigrant minors in Ceuta, double what it admitted two weeks ago. The Government delegate spoke of only 500 minors a week after the start of the migratory wave (https://www.vozpopuli.com/espana/el-gobierno-admite-ya-mas-de-2500-menores-inmigrantes-irregulares-en-ceuta-el-doble-de-lo-que-jado-hace-dos-semanas.html)

• Health technology in Spain
  • One third of hospital equipment is obsolete. There is a lack of fixed plans in the renewal of health technology in Spain. “This generates extra costs and impacts the patient,” the doctors denounce (https://www.elmundo.es/salud/2026/08/20/6a8181e5e4d4d8d97b8b4586.html)

• Silicosis on the rise in Spain
  • Cases of silicosis are growing and Labor multiplies fines for companies by five. The infractions sanctioned by the Labor Inspection, to which EL PAÍS has had access through Transparency, skyrocket while the reports of occupational diseases due to exposure to crystalline silica grow. (https://elpais.com/economia/2026-08-23/la-silicosis-renace-en-espana-con-25-millones-de-euros-en-multas-a-empresas- desde-2019-me-falta-el-aire.html)

• IDIS
  • More than one million registrations on the IDIS Foundation’s medical history platform. miHC, the interoperability platform promoted by the IDIS Foundation, reaches a new milestone in active users. The system exceeds one million registrations (1,031,337) and three million accesses (3,062,861)(https://diariofarma.com/2026/08/21/la-historia-clinica-compartida-de-la-fundacion-idis-mihc-supera-el-millon-de-altas)

Companies

• International
  • Nestlé is considering developing products to lose weight. The company believes that new opportunities are being created for it, through products aimed at reducing the risks of rapid weight loss (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/nestle-looks-develop-new-products-serve-users-weight-loss-drugs-2026-08-17/)
  • Big Pharma in search of weight loss drugs without side effects (https://www.ft.com/content/ba401de2-f60d-49fc-a862-aa491ee0dfad?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • An advance in the mRNA vaccine for melanoma boosts Moderna by nearly 200% in the stock market (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2026-08-19/avance-vacuna-melanoma-moderna-bolsa_4408442/)
  • The race to renew portfolios triggers biopharmaceutical acquisitions in 2026. In the first quarter of the year alone, the value of transactions announced in this sector exceeded $65 billion, almost double that of the same period in 2025, thanks to the signing of 16 acquisitions exceeding $1 billion, the highest rate recorded in recent years, according to the report “Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences: US Deals 2026 Midyear Outlook”, by PwC. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/empresas/carrera-renovar-carteras-dispara-adquisiciones-biofarmaceuticas-2026.html)
  • Astra Zeneca suspends a clinical trial of a drug against lung cancer (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-08-17/astrazeneca-suspende-un-ensayo-clinico-de-un-medicamento-contra-el-cancer-de-pulmon.html)

• National
  • The turnover of private hospitals in Spain exceeded 14.6 billion euros in 2025, 5.3% more, according to DBK (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260819/facturacion-hospitales-privados-espana-supero-millones-euros/1003744357709_0.html)
  • Quirónsalud grows 4% in the first half, with 2,839 million (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/industria/2026/08/16/6a7f4ce2468aeb815f8b4574.html)
  • Cofares consolidates itself as one of the largest cold pharmaceutical platforms in Spain and gains weight in southern Europe (https://www.consalud.es/salud35/nacional/cofares-se-consolida-entre-las-mayores-plataformas-de-frio-farmaceutico-de-espana-y-gana-peso-en-el-sur-de-europa.html)

Summary

News of the Week:

• Uncontrolled wildfires: a new health emergency.

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: LDL cholesterol continues to drive the global cardiovascular epidemic despite advances in prevention and treatment.
• Global Health: How poor countries are coping with cuts in US aid for HIV/AIDS.
• International Health Policy: The US restores some vaccine and health aid to UNICEF, Gavi, and the World Food Programme.
• National Health Policy: Doctors in Ceuta demand an emergency health plan.
• Business: AstraZeneca begins talks with BMS to create a company valued at $400 billion.

Biomedicine

• LDL cholesterol continues to drive the global cardiovascular epidemic despite advances in prevention and treatment. Deaths and disability associated with “bad” cholesterol have increased by 39% since 1990 due to population aging and growth, although age-adjusted rates show a favorable trend.
• A study reveals that prolonged sedentary behavior is associated with a higher risk of cancer. Data from more than 91,000 participants in the UK Biobank confirms an association between prolonged sedentary behavior and the risk of death from cancer.

Global Health

• Uncontrolled wildfires: a new health emergency. Europe is burning, particularly France and Spain. There is evidence of the short-, medium-, and long-term impact of wildfires on health.
• How poor countries are coping with cuts in US aid for HIV/AIDS. 570,000 people died of AIDS last year, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. US aid continues to decline, although the US remains the largest donor.
• Fifty years after the emergence of Ebola: lessons learned. NEJM Review: Fifty years after the first Ebola outbreak, the priorities remain: rapid detection, clinical care, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, dignified funeral practices, community engagement, and evaluation of potential vaccines and therapies.

International Health Policy

• The US is restoring some vaccine and health aid to UNICEF, Gavi, and the World Food Programme. The funding is less than when USAID was active, but it recovers some of the US effort in health aid.
• Why MAGA is obsessed with Fauci. Twelve years ago, Fauci was a popular figure after a long career dedicated to research. Since 2020, he has been the leading figure in the fight against COVID-19. He was on the cover of Time magazine. Today, he faces a Senate committee whose chairman, Rand Paul, a fierce critic of Fauci, wants to see the 85-year-old scientist in jail.
• Four-fifths of British trusts (public hospitals) still use pen and paper for their histories, 25 years after the push for digitization.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Ceuta doctors demand an emergency health plan. Doctors who have been working double shifts since last Thursday due to the massive influx of migrants into Ceuta are demanding “an action plan or protocol for emergencies and disasters.” Enrique Roviralta, president of the Ceuta Medical Association, goes further, claiming that “it should have been a joint protocol from the Ministries of Defense and Health.”
• Doctor, nurse, and assistant: the model that has led to three improvements in Catalan primary care. This means that each basic care unit is made up of a doctor, a nurse, and a clinical assistant, a model that was already being implemented in some primary care centers, especially those belonging to the Catalan Association of Grassroots Organizations (ACEBA).
• Doctors are already preparing indefinite strikes after the summer to stop Mónica García’s Framework Statute. Six out of ten doctors support intensifying protests against the Health Ministry.

Companies

• International
  • AstraZeneca begins talks with BMS to create a company valued at $400 billion. If it goes ahead, it will be the largest pharmaceutical company.
  • Swedish company Medicover will sell its hospital business in India for $1.2 billion to KKR.

• National
  • Sacyr and Built win the contract to build a hospital in Australia. The construction of the Madura hospital (Australia) is valued at €580 million.
  • Sacyr and ACS launch the plan for new hospitals in England with multi-billion euro projects. Sacyr will build Frimley Park, budgeted at €1.75 billion, and ACS will build West Suffolk, a project worth over €1 billion.

Biomedicine

• Global advances in AI in healthcare: an imperative for healthcare workers. The global healthcare workforce is approaching a shortage of 11 million professionals by 2030. AI should be viewed more as a retention strategy than a replacement strategy (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00693-8/abstract)
• The ethical dangers of gene therapy. Cases from China highlight the risks of this therapy (https://www.ft.com/content/c1e34575-9d72-4699-90a8-3052ca648282?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• AI creates the first synthetic virus. The genomic language model has great potential for redesigning organisms such as bacteria. Advances at Stanford University (https://www.ft.com/content/5ab33fb4-2636-4bb0-aa0e-3da6a8f71838?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• Bacteria in semen also affect pregnancy success. An analysis suggests that organisms in sperm are linked to miscarriages and fewer births after fertility treatments (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-08-06/las-bacterias-en-el-semen-tambien-condicionan-el-exito-de-los-embarazos-en-las-clinicas-de-fertilidad-se-sigue-tratando-sobre-todo-a-la-mujer.html)
• A study reveals that prolonged sedentary behavior is associated with a higher risk of cancer. Data from over 91,000 participants in the UK Biobank confirms an association between prolonged sedentary behavior and the risk of death from cancer (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/un-estudio-revela-que-el-sedentarismo-prolongado-esta-asociado-a-un-mayor-riesgo-de-cancer.html)
• Three cardiovascular risk factors determine whether or not dementia develops over 13 years. Not smoking, and the absence of hypertension and diabetes in middle age are associated with a significant increase in life expectancy without cognitive decline (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/neurologia/tres-factores-riesgo-cardiovascular-condicionan-13-anos-o-demencia.html)
• PeptiVerse: the AI ​​platform that promises to shorten the path to new medicines. The open-source tool PeptiVerse, launched by the University of Pennsylvania, predicts the absorption, stability, and toxicity of therapeutic molecules before they are manufactured in the laboratory (https://www.consalud.es/tecnologia-sanitaria/la-universidad-de-pensilvania-presenta-un-sistema-de-inteligencia-artificial-para-acelerar-el-desarrollo-de-medicamentos.html)
• LDL cholesterol continues to drive the global cardiovascular epidemic despite advances in prevention and treatment. Deaths and disability associated with “bad” cholesterol have increased by 39% since 1990 due to population aging and growth, although age-adjusted rates show a favorable trend (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/el-colesterol-ldl-sigue-impulsando-la-epidemia-cardiovascular-mundial-pese-a-los-avances-en-prevencion-y-tratamiento.html)

Global Health

• Uncontrolled wildfires: a new health emergency. Europe is burning, particularly France and Spain. There is evidence on the short-, medium-, and long-term impact of wildfires on health (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01593-X/fulltext)
• Why the WHO has never been more needed. Article in Nature by the WHO Director-General (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02358-y)
• Uganda ends Ebola outbreak, but risk remains. Uganda has declared the end of the Ebola outbreak, but the persistence of the problem in neighboring Congo remains a threat (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01594-1/fulltext)
• How poor countries are coping with cuts in US aid for HIV/AIDS. 570,000 people died of AIDS last year, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. American aid continues to decline, although the US remains the largest donor (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/08/03/how-poor-countries-are-dealing-with-americas-aids-cuts)
• Fifty years after the Ebola outbreak: lessons learned. NEJM review. Fifty years after the first Ebola outbreak, the priorities remain: rapid detection, clinical care, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, dignified funeral practices, community engagement, and evaluation of potential vaccines and therapies (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2607819)
• The Ebola outbreak in Congo surpasses 4,000 cases. The epidemic has been described as the fastest spreading (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/congos-ebola-infections-rise-above-4000-first-time-outbreak-2026-08-07/)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Why MAGA is obsessed with Fauci. Twelve years ago, Fauci was a popular figure, after a long career dedicated to research. Since 2020, he has been the leading figure in the fight against COVID-19. He was on the cover of Time magazine. Today, he faces a Senate committee whose chairman, Rand Paul, a fierce critic of Fauci, wants to see the 85-year-old scientist in jail (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/fauci-paul-covid-wuhan/688233/)
  • A US Senate committee recommends Fauci’s prosecution. He is accused of lying by the chairman of the Senate committee, Rand Paul (https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/08/06/une-commission-du-senat-americain-recommande-des-poursuites-contre-anthony-fauci-l-ex-conseiller-covid-19-de-la-maison-blanche_6739958_3210.html)
  • The USA restores some vaccine and health aid to UNICEF, Gavi, and the World Food Programme. The money is less than when USAID was active, but it recovers part of the American effort in health aid (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/02/health/trump-health-aid-state-department.html)
  • RFK, Jr. tells CNN that the Constitution takes precedence over certain public health priorities. In his speech, he attacked Fauci and the media (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/02/rfk-jr-dana-bash-cnn-covid-01021641)
  • In the USA, the “explosive diarrhea” epidemic causes two deaths (https://sante.lefigaro.fr/social/sante-publique/aux-etats-unis-l-epidemie-de-diarrhees-explosives-fait-deux-morts-20260805)
  • Congress ends “surprise bills,” despite opposition from doctors and insurers. Although a similar law was passed six years ago, it was ineffective (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/01/congress-ended-surprise-medical-bills-doctors-and-insurers-hate-it-01020991)

• China
  • In China, a gene therapy trial resulted in the deaths of two children. The patient was participating in a clinical trial with an experimental therapy to correct Duchenne muscular dystrophy (https://www.abc.es/salud/muere-segundo-nino-tratado-china-terapia-edicion-20260806151951-nt.html)

• United Kingdom
  • Four-fifths of British trusts (public hospitals) still use paper and pencil for medical records, 25 years after the push for digitization (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100436)

• European Union
  • From Britain’s smoke-free generation to smoking in German bars, this is how Europe is fighting tobacco. Restrictions vary between countries, from those that allow smoking in restaurants to those that prohibit vaping and nicotine pouches (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-07-23/de-la-generacion-sin-humo-britanica-a-fumar-en-los-bares-alemanes-asi-lucha-europa-contra-el-tabaco.html)
  • Should the EU follow Japan’s model to strengthen the competitiveness of the pharmaceutical sector? A few days ago, the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) cited Japan as an example of how to integrate pharmaceutical innovation into a country’s economic strategy and urged the EU to adopt a similar approach to strengthen its global competitiveness. This was the argument put forward by Thomas Gelin, EFPIA’s Executive Director of International Affairs, in an analysis published by the organization itself (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/ue-modelo-japon-competitividad-sector-farmaceutico/).

National Health Policy

• Central Government
  • Ceuta doctors demand an emergency health plan. Doctors who have been working double shifts since last Thursday due to the massive influx of migrants into Ceuta are demanding “an action plan or protocol for emergencies and disasters.” Enrique Roviralta, president of the Ceuta Medical Association, goes further, claiming that “it should have been a combined protocol from the Ministries of Defense and Health.” (https://www.elmundo.es/salud/2026/08/04/6a70b332fdddff90368b456e.html)

• Regional Governments
  • Madrid and Galicia will complete the installation of the proton therapy equipment donated by Amancio Ortega in September. These are the most advanced communities in this installation (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260803/madrid-galicia-concluiran-instalacion-equipos-protonterapia-donados-amancio-ortega-septiembre/1003744341041_0.html)
  • The Public Prosecutor’s Office dismisses the last two cases regarding cancer screenings in Andalusia. None of the fifteen lawsuits filed against the regional government have been successful (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-08-03/la-fiscalia-archiva-las-dos-ultimas-causas-por-los-cribados-de-cancer-en-andalucia.html)
  • Doctor, nurses, and assistant: the model that achieves 3 improvements in Catalan primary care. This means that each basic care unit is made up of a doctor, a nurse, and a clinical assistant, a model that was already being applied in some primary care centers, especially those belonging to the Catalan Association of Community-Based Entities (ACEBA). (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/catalunya/20260807/medico-enfermera-asistente-el-modelo-que-logra-mejoras-en-la-primaria-catalana/348762_0.html)
  • Catalonia promotes a law to foster professionalism in healthcare management. The Catalan government has approved a law to professionalize public management within the Generalitat, a regulation that could affect healthcare management personnel (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/catalunya/20260808/cataluna-impulsa-una-ley-para-cercar-al-maximo-los-dedazos-de-directivos-sanitarios/348635_0.html)

• Framework Statute
  • Doctors are already preparing indefinite strikes after the summer to stop Mónica García’s Framework Statute. Six out of ten doctors support intensifying protests against the Health Ministry (https://www.elmundo.es/salud/2026/08/07/6a74878bfdddff1a2b8b45a3.html)

• Sick leave
  • Social Security spending on sick leave has increased by 10% in one year and now exceeds 9.5 billion euros. Spending on temporary disability benefits continues to grow and consumes almost 10% of social security contributions (https://www.elindependiente.com/economia/2026/08/03/el-gasto-de-la-seguridad-social-en-bajas-se-dispara-un-10-en-un-ano-y-ya-supera-los-9-500-millones/)

• Heat-related deaths
  • Spain equals the decade’s record for heat-related deaths: more than 3,000 fatalities in three months (https://www.elmundo.es/salud/2026/08/03/6a6cb1fb21efa0fa538b459c.html)

• Tobacco companies
  • Tobacco companies threatened the government with multimillion-dollar compensation claims if it approved plain packaging (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-08-04/las-tabacaleras-amenazaron-al-gobierno-con-pedir-indemnizaciones-multimillonarias-si-aprobaba-el-empaquetado-generico.html)

• Primary Care
  • Why is there still a shortage of family doctors in Spain? The report “Need for Specialist Doctors in Spain 2023-2035” on the supply and demand of specialists estimates that the shortage of family doctors will continue to increase in the coming years and could reach around 5,500 professionals by 2029. (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/por-que-siguen-faltando-medicos-de-familia-en-espana-las-claves-de-un-problema-que-lleva-anos-agravandose.html)

Companies

• International
  • AstraZeneca begins talks with BMS to create a company valued at $400 billion. If it goes ahead, it will be the largest pharmaceutical company (https://www.ft.com/content/e9027253-e13c-460a-a4b1-f9047e5a6ca7?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Trying to make sense of the AstraZeneca-BMS merger (https://www.ft.com/content/eddbdc29-5206-4c79-9ea7-f1a06ff040f1)
  • Sweden’s Medicover will sell its hospital business in India for $1.2 billion to KKR (https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/medicover-sell-india-hospital-business-kkr-12-billion-2026-08-06/)
  • From Lilly to Abbie: Pharmaceutical companies are rushing to buy psychedelics to treat mental illness. This type of drug is opening avenues for treating serious mental illnesses (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260806/lilly-abbvie-farmaceuticas-lanzan-compra-psicodelicos-tratar-enfermedades-mentales/1003744344882_0.html)
  • The world’s 20 largest pharmaceutical companies are accelerating the changing cycle. Lilly has joined the ranks of the giants: J&J, Roche, MSD, Pfizer, and Novartis (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/empresas/20-mayores-farmaceuticas-mundo-aceleran-cambio-ciclo.html)
  • The end of patents will cost pharmaceutical companies $440 billion. Merck, MSD, and Abbie, the most exposed (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/industria/2026/08/06/6a73a316468aeb196b8b4596.html)

• National
  • Sacyr and Built win the contract to build a hospital in Australia. The construction of the Madura hospital (Australia) is valued at 580 million euros (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/2026/08/05/6a731912468aebc0378b4594.html)
  • Sacyr and ACS launch the plan for new hospitals in England with multi-billion euro projects. The first will build Frimley Park, budgeted at 1.75 billion euros, and the second will sign the West Suffolk project, worth more than 1 billion euros (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-08-03/sacyr-y-acs-arrancan-en-el-plan-de-nuevos-hospitales-de-inglaterra-con-proyectos-milmillonarios.html)
  • Prim goes shopping again and acquires the Andalusian company Ortopedia Queraltó. The company recently acquired the French firm Impulseo, specializing in physiotherapy and podiatry (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-08-03/prim-vuelve-a-salir-de-compras-y-se-hace-con-la-andaluza-ortopedia-queralto.html)
  • Sanitas is deploying one hundred AI projects, using it to improve the patient experience and streamline processes (https://www.expansion.com/directivos/2026/08/04/6a7073f6468aebae4c8b456e.html)

Summary

News of the week:

• 1,700 HIV treatment centers closed after Trump’s cuts.

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: How peptides (short chains of amino acids) are becoming longevity drugs.
• Global health: Ebola must be prevented from becoming a regional and international threat.
• International health policy: Is the United States’ scientific supremacy at risk?
• National health policy: The new drug law reaches Congress.
• Companies: SegurCaixa, Sanitas, and Asisa lead the sector’s revenue growth.

Biomedicine

• How peptides (short chains of amino acids) are becoming longevity drugs. A large group of wealthy individuals are using these drugs to achieve perfection, but their safety is questionable.
• Psychedelic drugs are now commonplace. A major commercial success in the USA.
• A new map of the human genome reveals a key dimension for understanding life. Major research shows how the physical organization of DNA controls gene activity and shapes cell identity.
• A study of more than 150,000 people suggests that the rise in cancer among young people is due to premature aging. It analyzes the gap between biological and chronological age.

Global Health

• 1,700 HIV treatment centers closed following Trump’s cuts, according to a study. New research finds that children and high-risk adult populations are the most affected.
• Ebola must be prevented from becoming a regional and international threat.

International Health Policy

• Is America’s scientific supremacy in danger? The news that American Nobel Prize-winning chemist Omar Yaghi will leave his position at the University of California, Berkeley, to head a scientific center in China has shaken the academic world in the United States.
• Trump says he will impose tariffs on generic drugs in August 2028. If implemented, the tariffs would be 100% the first year and 200% the following year.
• The opportunity presented by ambient voice technology in the NHS. Currently, most users are doctors, but there is also interest among nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and care staff.
• Energy drinks will be banned for those under 16 from April 2027 in the UK.
• Emergency rooms: A letter from the French Ministry of Health defends patients’ right to be accompanied.
• The French government is strengthening co-payments for medications, dental care, and ambulance transport.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The new Medicines Act, which includes provisions for strategic medicines, accelerating innovation processes, and nurse prescribing, has reached Parliament. The Ministry of Health is bringing the legislative reform of medicines to Parliament to reduce the waiting time for access to innovative therapies to 180 days, prevent shortages, and enable nurses and physiotherapists to prescribe them. While there are debatable points, according to various stakeholders, there is no doubt that this is a bill that has been extensively developed and discussed with the sector, representing progress compared to the current situation.
• The government approves the anti-smoking bill. This law, however, appears to be a political improvisation and could have waited for European legislation, which is currently being prepared.
• The bill harmonizing newborn screening across all regions has been approved. The text, which includes the annual update of the screening program in all autonomous communities, incorporates an amendment from the People’s Party (PP) that links its funding to the General State Budget.
• The new priorities for the transformation of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS): debureaucratization, waiting lists, and professional leadership. Councilor Antonio Sanz has announced the creation of a General Directorate to lead the change process.

Companies

• International
  • AstraZeneca strengthens its position in rare diseases with an $80 billion increase in revenue, according to statements by the CEO of Alexion, AstraZeneca’s American subsidiary.

• National
  • SegurCaixa, Sanitas, and Asisa lead the sector’s revenue: they grew by 10% compared to 6.9% for the rest of the healthcare sector. The three companies hold 60.2% of the market share.
  • Vithas acquires GenesisCare Spain and strengthens its healthcare network with 18 centers.

Biomedicine

• We are what we eat. How food synchronizes liver clocks. The type of food synchronizes the liver’s circadian expression via hormones and the regulation of nutrition through the mTOR pathway (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aej7423)
• The surprising benefits of red light. According to an article in The Economist, it produces better skin, faster wound healing, and reduces age-related vision decline (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/07/20/the-surprising-benefits-of-red-light)
• Should GLP-1 drugs be microdosed for weight loss? Possibly, but only under medical supervision (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/07/17/should-you-microdose-glp-1-drugs-for-weight-loss)
• How generative AI will transform clinical decision-making. Some limitations are discussed (https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2026.13187)
• Governance for AI in health. Conclusions from a European meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01495-9/fulltext)
• The best genetic risk tools don’t work equally well for everyone. Genetic prediction models have been tested with European DNA, which is now being addressed (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/science/polygenic-risk-scores-diversity.html)
• Psychedelic drugs are now commonplace. A huge commercial success in the USA (https://www.ft.com/content/dd268ceb-e664-4e37-b304-e16dd5142946?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• “Ozempic face” and hair loss: what evidence is there about the side effects of these drugs? These effects are being studied (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jul/25/weight-loss-drug-side-effects-evidence-nausea-ozempic-face)
• How peptides (short chains of amino acids) are becoming longevity drugs. A large group of wealthy individuals are using these drugs to achieve perfection, but their safety is questionable (https://www.ft.com/content/f0f66461-269c-42ab-876e-b1ec9dfe3cb9)
• A new map of the human genome reveals a key dimension for understanding life. Major research shows how the physical organization of DNA controls gene activity and shapes cell identity (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-07-23/un-nuevo-mapa-del-genoma-humano-revela-una-dimension-clave-para-comprender-la-vida.html). Access the original article in Science: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aek3868
• A study of more than 150,000 people suggests that the rise in cancer among young people is due to premature aging. Analyze the gap between biological and chronological age (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260720/estudio-personas-sugiere-aumento-cancer-jovenes-debe-envejecen/1003744325003_0.html). Access the original study in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-026-04448-w
• Cloning cannot replace sexual reproduction: it becomes incompatible with life. Repeated cloning cannot be sustained indefinitely in mammals, according to a major study conducted on mice over 20 years, whose findings are published in Nature (https://www.expansion.com/directivos/estilo-vida/salud/2026/03/24/69c125b5e5fdea8e718b45aa.html). Access the original article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-69765-7

Global Health

• Lead contamination poses health risks, according to research commissioned by the FT, analyzing areas with remnants of abandoned mines (https://www.ft.com/content/92b0ffcb-3878-400b-ad1a-80597b7b9450?syn-25a6b1a6=1). Access the original article: https://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/ProjectDetails?ProjectId=21981
• Senegal, the new platform for cocaine consumed in Europe (https://www.lemonde.fr/series-d-ete/article/2026/07/20/le-senegal-nouvelle-plaque-tournante-de-la-cocaine-consommee-en-europe_6726704_3451060.html)
• Ebola must be prevented from becoming a regional and international threat (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/07/22/il-faut-empecher-qu-ebola-ne-devienne-une-menace-regionale-et-internationale_6730046_3232.html)
• 1,700 HIV treatment centers closed following budget cuts Trump, according to a study. New research finds that children and high-risk adult populations are the most affected (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/health/hiv-trump-cuts-pepfar.html)
• Trump’s new conditions for funding the fight against HIV force a restriction of services (https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2026-07-22/las-nuevas-condiciones-de-trump-para-financiar-la-lucha-contra-el-vih-obligan-a-restringir-servicios.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Is the United States’ Scientific Supremacy in Danger? The news that American Nobel Prize-winning chemist Omar Yaghi will leave his position at the University of California, Berkeley to head a scientific center in China has shaken the academic world in the United States (https://www.elespanol.com/opinion/columnas/20260726/peligra-supremacia-cientifica-unidos/1003744329191_12.html)
  • Cyclospora infections are on the rise as authorities struggle to find the source (https://www.ft.com/content/8497ab71-cfa3-4651-bf9e-40c63e23cf15?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Trump says he will impose tariffs on generic drugs in August 2028. If implemented, the tariffs would be 100% the first year and 200% the following year (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/21/trump-says-he-will-impose-tariffs-on-generic-drugs-starting-in-august-2028-01007137)
  • The FDA’s decision on prescription peptides, prompted by pressure from RFK, Jr., raises concerns about a boom in prescriptions, a multi-billion dollar business (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/24/us/politics/fda-panel-vote-peptides.html)
  • The CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) suspends $1 billion in funding to Minnesota and California due to suspected fraud (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/21/cms-suspends-medicaid-dollars-to-minnesota-california-over-fraud-01006397

• United Kingdom
  • Why should Burnham consider “health first” as the basis of his policy? According to a Health Foundation report, the level of health has deteriorated in the UK since 2014, and recovering this level would represent a significant saving of £72 billion (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100362). Access the original Health Foundation document: https://www.health.org.uk/sites/default/files/upload/publications/2026/Health_Foundation_Health%20as%20an%20economic%20asset_2026.pdf
  • The opportunity of ambient voice technology in the NHS. In Currently, most users are doctors, but there is also interest among nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and care staff (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/seizing-a-rare-opportunity-scaling-ambient-voice-technology-in-the-nhs)
  • Explaining the Health Bill (NHS Modernisation Bill 2026) (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/long-reads/explaining-nhs-modernisation-health-bill-2026)
  • Energy drinks banned for those under 16 from April 2027 in the UK (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100322)
  • Why the UK is unable to fix social services. The failure of successive governments to address the problem leads to a high political cost (https://www.ft.com/content/c3141534-9cbb-4126-b36e-621fd6a9c312?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • The NHS adds caution to Palantir data, following a report (https://www.ft.com/content/5aa0363c-63ff-4afe-96c8-2f3fc5bd14bd?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • The shortage of nurses after Brexit is linked to almost 4,000 deaths in British hospitals (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/enfermeria/la-falta-de-enfermeras-europeas-tras-el-brexit-esta-relacionada-con-casi-4000-muertes-en-hospitales-britanicos.html)

• France
  • Emergency Rooms: A letter from the Ministry of Health defends patients’ right to be accompanied (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/05/19/urgences-une-charte-du-ministere-de-la-sante-defend-le-droit-a-un-accompagnant-pour-les-patients_6691543_3224.html)
  • Reimbursement for anti-obesity treatments: a complex equation for Health Insurance (https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2026/06/15/le-remboursement-des-traitements-anti-obesite-une-equation-complexe-pour-l-assurance-maladie_6703158_3234.html)
  • The government strengthens co-payments for medications, dental care, and ambulance transport (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/07/24/le-gouvernement-precise-sa-feuille-de-route-d-economies-pour-la-sante-ciblant-les-medicaments-les-soins-dentaires-et-les-transports-sanitaires_6731538_3224.html)
  • The High Authority for Health recommends vaccination of healthcare workers against the flu (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2026/07/20/la-haute-autorite-de-sante-recommande-la-vaccination-obligatoire-des-soignants-contre-la-grippe_6727440_1650684.html)
  • Heat wave in France: 5,764 excess deaths recorded during the June episode (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/07/22/canicule-en-france-5-764-morts-en-exces-constatees-pendant-l-episode-de-juin-selon-sante-publique-france_6730037_3244.html)

• European Union
  • EFPIA reiterates its demands on trials and incentives in the face of the public consultation on the Biotech Act (https://diariofarma.com/2026/07/23/la-efpia-reitera-sus-demandas-sobre-ensayos-e-incentivos-ante-la-consulta-publica-sobre-la-biotech-act)
  • From €3 to €25, the fee pharmacists charge for vaccinations in other EU countries (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/comunitaria/3-25-euros-cobran-farmaceuticos-vacunar-paises-ue.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Administration
  • Medicines Act
    • The new medicines act reaches Congress: strategic medicines, accelerating innovation processes and nurse prescribing. The Ministry of Health is taking its legislative reform of medicines to Parliament to reduce the waiting time for access to innovative therapies to 180 days, prevent shortages, and enable nurses and physiotherapists to prescribe (https://www.elmundo.es/salud/2026/07/22/6a5f4bb6e4d4d886458b458a.html)
    • The Ministry of Health will allow generic drugs to compete on price, requiring patients to pay more for brand-name drugs (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-07-21/sanidad-permitira-que-los-medicamentos-genericos-compitan-por-precio-y-que-el-paciente-pague-mas-si-quiere-uno-de-marca.html)
    • The Ministry of Health will require pharmaceutical companies to pay a fee for hospital medications. This refers to the controversial Sixth Additional Provision of the law, which stipulates that pharmaceutical companies will have to make a contribution to the State based on their sales volume to the National Health System (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260721/sanidad-obligara-farmaceuticas-pagar-tasa-medicamentos-hospitalarios/1003744327509_0.html)
    • Biosim sees inconsistencies in dynamic pricing under the Medicines Law (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/industria/ley-medicamentos-biosim-ve-inconsistencias-precios-dinamicos.html)
    • The government will seek to cut spending by 2.1 billion euros with the Medicines Law. Farmaindustria warns of the “industrial impact” of the new pricing and tax system on hospital sales (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/14001670/07/26/el-gobierno-buscara-un-recorte-del-gasto-de-2100-millones-con-la-ley-del-medicamento.html)
  • Tobacco Law
    • Government gives green light to the new anti-smoking law: more smoke-free spaces and a focus on new consumption patterns. It will prohibit smoking on terraces, beaches, swimming pools, sports facilities, outdoor events, and national parks (https://www.consalud.es/politica/el-gobierno-da-luz-verde-a-una-nueva-ley-antitabaco-con-mas-espacios-sin-humo-y-foco-en-los-nuevos-consumos.html)
    • For the first time, it prohibits minors from smoking. The text regulates electronic cigarettes, which 49.5% of young people have tried at least once (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/gobierno-aprueba-proyecto-ley-tabaco-primera-vez-prohibe-menores-fumar.html)
    • Vaping is prohibited, and there are penalties for underage use: this is the reform that seeks to curb smoking. New forms of smoking will be treated the same as traditional cigarettes, in terms of where they can be used and age restrictions (https://www.elmundo.es/salud/2026/07/21/6a5f11c321efa05a548b4590.html)
    • The hospitality, tourism, and tobacco industries oppose the new anti-smoking law. Business associations criticize the fact that the EU regulations were not reviewed and warn that Spain will be an “exception in Europe” (https://elpais.com/economia/2026-07-21/la-hosteleria-y-el-sector-del-tabaco-rechazan-la-prohibicion-de-fumar-en-terrazas-y-la-equiparacion-con-vapeadores.html)
    • The Ministry of Health begins processing the Royal Decree to protect those dependent on electricity for medical reasons from power outages. A national registry will be created (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260724/sanidad-inicia-tramitacion-decreto-proteger-personas-electrodependientes-apagones/1003744333002_0.html)
  • Spain promotes the new international guide against precocious puberty. The country has been key in the new guidelines for the treatment of a rare but potentially serious condition, which is sometimes accompanied by brain tumors (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-07-23/espana-impulsa-la-nueva-guia-internacional-contra-la-pubertad-precoz.html)
  • The bill harmonizing newborn screening across all regions has been approved. The text, which includes the annual update of the screening program in all autonomous communities, incorporates an amendment from the People’s Party (PP) that links its funding to the General State Budget. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/aprobada-proposicion-ley-armoniza-ccaa-cribado-neonatal.html)

• Regional Administrations
  • The new pillars for the transformation of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS): debureaucratization, waiting lists, and professional leadership. Regional Minister Antonio Sanz has announced the creation of a General Directorate to lead the change process.(https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/andalucia/20260722/los-ejes-para-la-modernizacion-del-sas-desburocratizacion-listas-de-espera-liderazgo-profesional/347758_0.html)
  • The Community of Madrid will integrate the Alcorcón hospital into the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS) in 2027. This measure modifies the legal framework for the current staff, who will be subject to the general regional collective agreement while the Ministry of Health paves the way for their transition to the statutory system (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/madrid/20260724/la-comunidad-de-madrid-integrara-el-hospital-alcorcon-en-sermas/348042_0.html).
  • Catalonia approves a networked care model to guarantee equity in genetic care. The Catalan Health Service (SCS) approves the regulation that organizes genetic care within a network through three levels of care. The measure aims to standardize access criteria for genetic testing and coordinate the activity of the Siscat centers (https://diariofarma.com/2026/07/20/cataluna-aprueba-un-modelo-asistencial-en-red-para-garantizar-la-equidad-en-atencion-genetica)

• MUFACE
  • 14, 000 members leave the MUFACE healthcare agreement. CSIF warns of the mutual insurance company’s financial situation and demands explanations for the reduction in activity in primary care, specialized care, and diagnostic tests (https://medicinaresponsable.com/politica-sanitaria/14000-mutualistas-abandonan-concierto-sanitario-muface-mientras-mutualidad-tira-remanente-falta-presupuestos)

Companies

• International
  • An American start-up receives EU approval for a bionic eye that restores vision (https://www.ft.com/content/a789fa81-6c39-48a1-9df3-33d67ce7a5ac?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Novo Nordisk sues Lilly over deceptive advertising of anti-obesity drugs (https://www.ft.com/content/812d7feb-34d6-4f0f-8193-b037aee7ec86?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • AstraZeneca strengthens its position in rare diseases with an $80 billion increase in revenue, according to statements by the CEO of Alexion, AstraZeneca’s American subsidiary (https://www.ft.com/content/159edf3d-4b88-4597-a8ef-a5fb955d2712?syn-25a6b1a6=1)

• National companies
  • SegurCaixa, Sanitas, and Asisa lead the sector’s revenue: they grew by 10% compared to 6.9% for the rest of the health insurance industry. The three companies hold 60.2% of the market share (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260724/segurcaixa-sanitas-asisa-lideran-facturacion-sector-crecen-frente-media-ramo-salud/1003744331450_0.html)
  • Rovi earns €84.4 million in the first half of the year and increases its revenue from third-party billing by 13% (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260723/rovi-gana-millones-doble-ano-eleva-ingresos-fabricacion-terceros/1003744331249_0.html)
  • Vithas acquires GenesisCare Spain and strengthens its healthcare network with 18 centers (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-07-21/vithas-compra-genesiscare-espana-y-refuerza-su-red-asistencial-con-18-nuevos-centros.html)
  • Barcelona-based Santé will open its first center in Madrid and expects to triple sales (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2026/07/20/6a5de7af468aeb793c8b458c.html)

Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: Dementia is being defeated.
• Global health: African countries under pressure sign the Trump America First Deal health agreement.
• International health policy: The NHS’s AI policy: means £10 billion in investment.
• National health policy: Notable increase in sick leave in Spain, largely attributable to delays in the healthcare system.
• Business: Investment funds are on a buying spree in Spain, targeting private healthcare.

Biomedicine

• How dementia is being defeated. The Economist article says that the incidence among the elderly is falling rapidly. According to their analysis published in JAMA, while 40 years ago 3 out of 10 people aged 85-89 had dementia, now it’s only one.
• Obesity is inherited: how genes determine our relationship with food. More than 3,000 genetic variants determine a predisposition to weight gain. A genetic predisposition that has been reinforced in recent years by environmental factors.
• Liquid saliva biopsy brings early detection of head and neck cancer closer.

Global Health

• African countries under pressure sign the Trump America First Deal health agreement; a few reject it. The multilateral approach is being replaced by bilateral agreements with countries, of which some 30 have already signed, driven by the need for aid.
• Ending HIV: a real possibility. In a new United Nations declaration, countries commit to ending HIV by 2030.
• The out-of-control Ebola epidemic is spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo at a record rate.
• Cancer is expected to increase globally, according to the WHO report.

International Health Policy

• The NHS’s AI policy: what the £10 billion investment means and what the concerns are. The initiative includes a triage tool to direct the patient to the appropriate service, a “write” tool to transcribe the conversation with the patient, and the NHS Hospital online initiative.
• The UK launches a national dementia registry to boost the search for treatments.
• While RFK, Jr. wants the population to have access to more preventative care, some experts say it’s a bad idea. RFK Jr. counts test manufacturers among his allies.
• Germany puts the death toll from the June heatwave at more than 5,000. The high number of fatalities highlights the country’s lack of preparedness for extreme temperatures.
• Record-breaking temperatures in Europe: Is the continent experiencing a new climate? Nature asks experts if super-hot summers will be the new norm in London, Paris, and Berlin.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The Ministry of Health approves the new euthanasia manual to expedite urgent cases, despite opposition from the Community of Madrid.
• All the sister autonomous communities oppose the Ministry of Health over the Framework Statute.
• Several autonomous communities reject the elimination of 24-hour on-call shifts for doctors, deeming it unfeasible. The Minister of Health has reiterated that eliminating 24-hour on-call shifts has been one of her ministerial team’s main objectives since the beginning of the legislature.
• The IDIS Foundation launches the data space on Private Healthcare in Spain after completing its development, a sector-wide initiative that marks a milestone in the management, governance, and use of healthcare information in Spain.

Companies

• International
  • Moderna signs a contract with Brussels for the supply of up to 24 million doses of its RSV vaccine.
  • Blackstone and TPG seek more than $4 billion to acquire Hologic.

• National
  • Investment funds are on a buying spree in Spain, targeting private healthcare. According to market sources, there will be at least one major transaction, a significant acquisition, between the end of 2026 and mid-2027.

Biomedicine

• How to prevent dementia? What science really says. The number of dementia cases is projected to fall from 57 million in 2019 to 153 million in 2050. Studies analyzed by Nature examine the effects of diet, exercise, and social activity (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02098-z)
• How dementia is being defeated. The Economist article states that the incidence among the elderly is falling rapidly. According to their analysis published in JAMA, while 40 years ago 3 out of 10 people aged 85-89 had dementia, now it is only one (https://www.economist.com/briefing/2026/07/09/how-dementia-is-being-defeated)
• From cloning to gene editing: the lasting impact of Dolly the sheep. Dolly the sheep sparked current discussions on reproductive technology (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02096-1)
• Ending HIV: a real possibility. In a new United Nations declaration, countries commit to ending HIV by 2030 (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01375-9/fulltext)
• A misguided bet by the WHO on complementary and alternative medicine. The use of traditional medicine must meet efficacy and safety standards (https://www.bmj.com/content/393/bmj-2026-100062)
• What’s really going on with mental health? (https://www.ft.com/content/063b7eed-3f13-43d4-8f12-ff6439b825e8?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• The genes that can avert a fatal diagnosis (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/07/genetic-outliers/687821/)
• Preconception genetic screening: The American Academy of Medicine recommends opening access to couples with no family history (https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2026/07/10/depistage-genetique-preconceptionnel-l-academie-de-medecine-recommande-d-ouvrir-l-acces-aux-couples-sans-antecedents-familiaux_6722448_1651302.html)
• Obesity is inherited: how genes determine the relationship with food. More than 3,000 variants determine the predisposition to weight gain. A genetic prophecy that has been reinforced in recent years by environmental factors (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-07-08/la-obesidad-se-hereda-como-los-genes-determinan-la-relacion-con-la-comida.html)
• Liquid saliva biopsy brings early detection of head and neck cancer closer (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/otorrinolaringologia/biopsia-liquida-saliva-acerca-deteccion-precoz-cancer-cabeza-cuello.html)

Global Health

• Ending HIV: a real possibility. In a new United Nations declaration, countries commit to ending HIV by 2030 (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01375-9/fulltext)
• The American response to Ebola and the future of global health leadership. The reduction in US aid (USAID) related to the virulence of the infection (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01291-2/fulltext)
• Children in all policies, an important report from The Lancet (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00856-1/fulltext)
• African countries under pressure sign the Trump America First health agreement; a few reject it. The multilateral approach is being replaced by bilateral agreements with countries, of which some 30 have already signed, driven by the need for aid (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100192)
• Congolese residents hopeful as first Ebola treatment trials begin (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/05/residents-in-congo-cling-to-hope-as-ebola-treatment-trial-begins-00987135)
• The ever-out-of-control Ebola epidemic is spreading in the DRC at a record pace (https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/07/10/l-epidemie-d-ebola-toujours-hors-de-controle-se-propage-en-rdc-a-une-vitesse-record_6722502_3212.html)
• The Ebola epidemic: deaths reach 600, according to the WHO (https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/07/09/epidemie-d-ebola-en-rdc-le-bilan-atteint-600-morts-selon-l-oms_6722070_3212.html)
• Cancer is expected to increase globally, according to the WHO report (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jul/08/health-who-global-persistent-inequities-progress-cancer-prevention-diagnosis-treatment-care). Access the WHO’s 2026 cancer report: (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240123977)
• The WHO estimates that 20% of the population will develop cancer and 92% will be affected by the disease. (https://www.expansion.com/directivos/estilo-vida/salud/2026/07/08/6a4e44c7e5fdea6f3a8b4577.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Elderly Care in the USA: The Staffing Crisis (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2604122)
  • While RFK Jr. wants more access to preventative care, some experts say it’s a bad idea. RFK Jr. counts test manufacturers among his allies (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/05/rfk-preventive-kidney-alzheimers-colon-cancer-00986644)
  • Efforts to Help Smokers Quit Under Trump. The CDC’s Office for Tobacco Control has been shut down for over a year (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/06/us/trump-anti-smoking-cuts.html)

• United Kingdom
  • British pharmacies report high demand for weight-loss pills (https://www.ft.com/content/5bb61b31-e168-41a4-b7f1-278122d001ee?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • UK launches national dementia registry to boost the search for treatments (https://www.ft.com/content/e45a07e4-8c63-4505-99b9-8dc24a811444?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Within the NHS, in trials of psychedelic drugs (https://www.ft.com/content/0a2da1de-1333-4d7c-a755-c8ebb3fbbc56?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • The NHS AI policy: what the £10 billion investment means and what the concerns are. The initiative includes a triage tool to send the patient to the right service, “Write” to transcribe the conversation with the patient, and the NHS Hospital online initiative (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100255)
  • The healthcare costs of the UK-US drug price agreement. According to the authors of this article, this agreement will divert money from healthcare and result in thousands of excess deaths (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-340588)
  • Consultants (heads of hospital departments) vote for an “industrial action” (strike) in England (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100209)

• France
  • Assisted dying: The Senate definitively abandons its attempt to amend the National Assembly’s text; the result will be announced on July 15 (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/07/08/aide-a-mourir-le-senat-renonce-definitivement-a-modifier-le-texte-de-l-assemblee-nationale_6721690_3224.html)
  • Mortality Perinatal mortality: always worrying figures and causes to explore (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/07/08/mortalite-perinatale-malgre-des-chiffres-toujours-inquietants-les-causes-restent-encore-a-explorer_6721555_3224.html)

• Germany
  • Germany puts the death toll from the June heatwave at more than 5,000. The high number of fatalities highlights the country’s lack of preparedness for extreme temperatures (https://elpais.com/clima-y-medio-ambiente/2026-07-09/alemania-cifra-en-mas-de-5000-las-muertes-por-la-ola-de-calor-de-junio.html)

• Europe
  • Record-breaking temperatures in Europe: Is the continent experiencing a new climate? Nature asks experts if super-hot summers will be the new normal in London, Paris and Berlin (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02046-x)

National Health Policy

• Central Government
  • The Ministry of Health approves the new euthanasia manual to expedite urgent cases, despite opposition from the Community of Madrid. This is one of 16 agreements reached at Friday’s Interterritorial Council meeting, although the Framework Statute dominated much of the discussion, to the point that the Minister announced a new plenary session of the Interterritorial Council next week (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/07/10/6a510af9e9cf4ac35c8b4589.html)

• Regional Governments
  • Madrid strengthens its Virtual Health Card with the ability to view medical tests. The Virtual Health Card already has more than 3.9 million registered users who access its 76 services and nearly 228 features (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/c-madrid/madrid-refuerza-su-tarjeta-sanitaria-virtual-con-la-visualizacion-de-pruebas-medicas.html)

• Framework Statute
  • All the sister autonomous communities against the Ministry of Health over the Framework Statute (https://www.consalud.es/politica/ministerio-sanidad/todas-las-ccaa-hermanadas-frente-al-ministerio-por-el-estatuto-marco-monica-garcia-esta-sola.html)
  • Feijóo demands the dismissal of Mónica García over the doctors’ conflict and accuses Sánchez of “washing his hands” (https://www.consalud.es/politica/feijoo-exige-el-cese-de-monica-garcia-por-el-conflicto-con-los-medicos.html)

• On-call shifts for doctors
  • Several autonomous communities have rejected the proposal to eliminate 24-hour on-call shifts for doctors, deeming it unfeasible. The Minister of Health has reiterated that eliminating 24-hour on-call shifts has been one of her ministerial team’s main objectives since the beginning of the legislature (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/ministerio-sanidad/el-rechazo-de-varias-ccaa-a-suprimir-las-guardias-de-24h-es-irrealizable-8180)

• Sick leave
  • 14 charts to explain the increase in sick leave in Spain. Employers and unions agree that the backlog in the public healthcare system is one of the main reasons for the rise in temporary disability claims, which Feijóo has described as “a cancer” (https://elpais.com/economia/2026-07-08/14-graficos-para-explicar-el-aumento-de-las-bajas-laborales-en-espana.html)
  • Escrivá (Bank of Spain) calls for greater intervention by mutual insurance companies to reduce absenteeism (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/economia/empleo/20260708/escriva-banco-espana-reclama-intervencion-mutuas-reducir-absentismo-laboral/1003744314440_0.html)
  • SEMFYC calls for an end to the “monopoly” of primary care in sick leave claims. Semfyc proposes allowing three days of self-justified sick leave and that any doctor can issue the sick leave certificate to reduce the bureaucratic burden. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/semfyc-pide-acabar-monopolio-atencion-primaria-bajas-laborales.html)

• Data Space on Private Healthcare in Spain
  • The IDIS Foundation launches the data space on Private Healthcare in Spain after completing its development, a sector-wide initiative that marks a milestone in the management, governance, and use of healthcare information in Spain (https://www.consalud.es/industria/sanidad-privada/la-fundacion-idis-lanza-el-espacio-de-datos-sobre-la-sanidad-privada-en-espana.html)

• Profarma Plan
  • The government consolidates Profarma as a cornerstone of its strategy to strengthen the pharmaceutical industry (https://www.consalud.es/industria/sanidad-destaca-los-beneficios-del-plan-profarma-en-i-d-desarrollo-industrial-y-acceso-a-medicamentos.html)

• Public funding for obesity drugs
  • The move in France to fund obesity drugs reopens the debate in Spain. France has become the first country in the European Union to fund these medications (https://www.consalud.es/politica/el-movimiento-de-francia-de-financiar-los-farmacos-contra-la-obesidad-reabre-el-debate-en-espana.html)

Companies

• International
  • Blackstone and TPG seek more than $4 billion to buy Hologic (https://www.ft.com/content/1096b05f-13c1-466c-90c1-54dc2d0728aa?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Bayer sells its contraception business to Apollo for $3 billion (https://www.ft.com/content/2ac9c03f-f810-4514-a11e-5802e86c0d12?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Vertex buys Crinetics for its endocrinology portfolio in a deal valued at €8.75 billion (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260707/vertex-compra-crinetics-portfolio-endocrinologia-operacion-valorada-millones-euros/1003744312581_0.html)
  • Moderna closes a contract with Brussels for the supply of up to 24 million doses of its RSV vaccine (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260710/moderna-cierra-contrato-bruselas-suministro-millones-dosis-vacuna-vrs/1003744316765_0.html)
  • Europe asks for the withdrawal of an Amgen drug from the market due to “incorrect and misleading” data, and the US is considering doing so (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260706/europa-pide-retirar-mercado-medicamento-amgen-datos-incorrectos-enganosos-eeuu-baraja-hacerlo/1003744309876_0.html)

• National
  • Investment funds are on a buying spree in Spain, targeting private healthcare. According to market sources, there will be at least one major transaction, a significant acquisition, between the end of 2026 and mid-2027 (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260706/fondos-inversion-compras-espana-objetivo-sanidad-privada/1003744309828_0.html)

Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: AI Large Language Models (LLMs) are capable of outperforming most real-world clinical reasoning experiences.
• Global Health: The Ebola epidemic is not an inevitability, but the first consequence of a deliberately created void.
• International Health Policy: The anti-obesity drugs Wegovy and Mounjaro will be reimbursed by Social Security in France starting Monday.
• National Health Policy: For the first time, the People’s Party (PP) is leaning towards adapting the labor framework to the specific needs of doctors.
• Business: The pharmaceutical industry faces losses of nearly €438 billion due to patent expirations.

Biomedicine

• The value of LLMs in clinical reasoning. 65 years ago, cases involving complex clinical reasoning were the gold standard for evaluating physicians’ abilities. A study published in Science shows that AI, using Large Language Models (LLMs), is capable of outperforming most real-world clinical reasoning.
• AI matches or surpasses doctors in diagnosis. Two AI tools improve upon doctors’ diagnostic accuracy and treatment suggestions. One is MIRA, developed by researchers in Germany, and the other is AMIE, based on Google Gemini.
• A new drug targets one of the changes in cancer. It is for treating pancreatic cancer, is called “daraxonrasib,” and was developed by a Californian company called Revolution Medicines.

Global Health

• USAID: The Ebola epidemic is not an inevitability, but the first bill for a deliberately created void. In 2024, USAID had donated $1.2 billion to the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2025, that number dropped to $67 million. The US withdrawal benefits China, according to historian Mauro Campus, in an opinion piece for Le Monde.
• Migration: a reality, not an emergency. The review published in The Lancet states that migration and forced displacement continue to grow, and in 2024 more than 300 million people were international migrants. If they were a nation, they would be the fourth most populous. Human mobility is not an aberration but a fact of modern existence. It should not be treated as an extraordinary problem.
• The Ebola epidemic: one month after it began, the death toll has surpassed 200 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a mortality rate of 23%. There is neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment for this type of virus.

International health policy

• The anti-obesity medications Wegovy and Mounjaro will be reimbursed by Social Security in France starting Monday. Social Security will cover 65% of the cost for patients with massive obesity without comorbidities or severe obesity with comorbidities.
• France intends to make antibiotic resistance a strategic health security priority during its G7 presidency, considering it a global health and economic threat of the greatest magnitude.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• For the first time, the People’s Party (PP) is leaning towards specific labor regulations for doctors. Feijóo will make healthcare a “national priority” in the face of the new week of doctors’ strike. PP spokesperson and Deputy Secretary for Culture and Sport, Borja Sámper, stated this Monday, coinciding with the start of another week of doctors’ strike over the Framework Statute, that Alberto Núñez Feijóo will make healthcare a “national priority.” The PP leader conveyed his party’s support for some of the demands of the medical community and defended the need to adapt the labor framework to the specific needs of these professionals.
• The pharmaceutical reform bill is open for public consultation. The draft royal decree introduces dynamic pricing to strengthen competition in medicines that have already lost exclusivity and to encourage a gradual decrease in prices linked to the entry of generics and biosimilars.
• Medical unions will call an indefinite strike after the summer due to the “total lack of proposals” from the Ministry of Health. The Strike Committee warns of an escalation of the conflict to “maintain the demands of the group” if no progress is made in the coming weeks.

Companies

• International
  • The pharmaceutical industry faces losses of almost €438 billion due to the expiration of patents. To mitigate the blow, companies are focusing their efforts on acquiring pharmaceutical companies.

• National
  • The CEOE (Spanish Confederation of Employers’ Organizations) is launching a full-scale attack against absenteeism: it is demanding that Social Security cover sick leave and replacements from the first day. Around twenty business leaders are proposing measures such as limiting bonuses and reinstating dismissal for absenteeism.

Biomedicine

• AI matches or surpasses doctors in diagnosis. Two AI tools are improving on doctors in diagnostic accuracy and treatment suggestions. One is MIRA, developed by researchers in Germany, and the other is AMIE, based on Google Gemini (https://www.ft.com/content/734a45ee-86c4-47e1-8323-569bc14dcdd7?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• The value of LLM models in clinical reasoning. Sixty-five years ago, cases with complex clinical reasoning were the gold standard for evaluating doctors’ abilities. A study published in Science shows that AI, with Large Language Models (LLMs), is able to outperform most real-world clinical reasoning exercises (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/06/ai-healthcare-uber-moment/687567/). Access the original Science study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz4433
• Ancient DNA studies are rewriting the history of the plague. The study published in Nature shows that this disease did not necessarily originate in large human settlements (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/06/17/ancient-dna-is-rewriting-the-history-of-plague)
• A new drug targets one of the key changes in cancer. It is used to treat pancreatic cancer, is called “daraxonrasib,” and was developed by a Californian company called Revolution Medicines (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/06/12/a-new-drug-targets-one-of-cancers-master-switches)
• Orphan drugs generate six times more years of healthy life than conventional drugs. Patients, laboratories, and academics are calling for consideration of the long-term social impact of drugs targeting rare diseases (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260619/medicamentos-huerfanos-generan-veces-anos-vida-calidad-convencionales/1003744291085_0.html)
• With the same genes, a young person from Generation Z gains twice as much weight as a baby boomer. A study in the United Kingdom shows that the environment increases the predisposition to weight gain and widens the inequality gap in new generations (https://www.abc.es/salud/genes-joven-generacion-engorda-doble-baby-boomer-20260618200007-nt.html)
• A new vaccine shows promise against herpes, chlamydia, and other sexually transmitted diseases. US scientists have designed nanoparticles that act as a molecular “beacon” to recruit elite defenses in the reproductive tract, a promising advance in the face of record-breaking infections in Spain and Europe (https://www.abc.es/salud/nueva-vacuna-abre-via-frenar-epidemia-herpes-20260619200002-nt.html)

Global Health

• UNAIDS: HIV control dealt a severe blow by funding cuts. 2025 was disastrous for HIV control programs. UNAIDS is calling on governments and donors to renew their commitment to prevent a resurgence of the epidemic (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01238-9/fulltext)
• Migration: a reality, not an emergency. The review published in The Lancet states that migration and forced displacement continue to grow, and in 2024 more than 300 million people were international migrants. If they were a nation, they would be the fourth most populous. Human mobility is not an aberration but a fact of modern existence. It should not be treated as an extraordinary problem (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01240-7/fulltext)
• The Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo: challenges and priorities for epidemic preparedness and response. This article in The Lancet analyzes immediate and long-term priorities (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01141-4/abstract)
• USAID: The Ebola epidemic is not an inevitability, but the first bill of a deliberately created void. In 2024, USAID had donated $1.2 billion to the DRC. In 2025, that figure dropped to $67 million. The US withdrawal benefits China, according to historian Mauro Campus, in an opinion piece for Le Monde (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/06/19/usaid-l-epidemie-d-ebola-n-est-pas-une-fatalite-mais-la-premiere-facture-d-un-vide-deliberement-creuse_6704910_3232.html).

• The Ebola epidemic: one month after it began, the death toll in the DRC has surpassed 200, with a mortality rate of 23%. There is neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment for this type of virus (https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2026/06/18/un-mois-apres-le-debut-de-l-epidemie-d-ebola-en-republique-democratique-du-congo-le-bilan-depasse-200-morts_6704568_1651302.html)
• The myth of leishmaniasis as a purely veterinary disease: the largest human outbreak in Europe began in Spain in 2009. Many people associate this disease with dogs, but the parasite Leishmania infantum is endemic in our country, is transmitted by the bite of a small insect, and more and more animals are being discovered that can host it (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/06/14/6a29e71ee9cf4a99328b456d.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The Trump Administration intends to delay HIV aid to South Africa, citing “insufficient measures taken following the administration’s request” (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/18/pepfar-south-africa-white-afrikaners-hiv-aids-00968479)

• United Kingdom
  • UK officials are considering changing certain benefits Financial assistance for illness, including support at work or mental health support (https://www.ft.com/content/19b6eb96-a558-41f7-853c-39d336c90023?syn-25a6b1a6=1)

• France
  • The anti-obesity medications Wegovy and Mounjaro will be reimbursed by Social Security starting Monday. Social Security will cover 65% of the cost for patients with massive obesity without comorbidities or severe obesity with comorbidities (https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2026/06/14/les-medicaments-antiobesite-wegovy-et-mounjaro-seront-rembourses-en-france-a-partir-de-lundi_6702600_1651302.html)
  • The Constitutional Council closes the door to a referendum on end-of-life issues (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/06/17/fin-de-vie-pourquoi-le-conseil-constitutionnel-ferme-la-porte-a-un-referendum_6704276_3224.html)
• G7
  • France intends to make antimicrobial resistance a priority during its G7 presidency strategic health security, considering it represents a global health and economic threat of the greatest scope (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2026/06/14/la-presidence-du-g7-constitue-une-occasion-unique-pour-la-france-de-faire-de-l-antibioresistance-une-priorite-strategique-de-securite-sanitaire_6702747_1650684.html)
• EU
  • The European Parliament requests a moratorium on the obligations of the Water Directive. The European Parliament supports the suspension of extended producer responsibility for pharmaceuticals until its impact on the production and supply of medicines is assessed (https://diariofarma.com/2026/06/18/el-parlamento-europeo-solicita-una-moratoria-en-las-obligaciones-de-la-directiva-de-aguas)

National Health Policy

• Central Administration
  • The Ministry of Health establishes a common vaccination strategy for migrants and refugees in Spain. The Ministry of Health is unifying criteria for immunizing newly arrived migrants with initial doses in the early weeks, prioritizing MMR, polio, tetanus, and diphtheria vaccines, with accelerated schedules and coordination between regional governments and reception centers (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-06-16/vacunacion-migrantes-refugiados-espana-1tps_4373489/)
  • The government will include autism in the list of illnesses that qualify for childcare benefits (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260620/gobierno-incluira-autismo-listado-enfermedades-dan-acceso-prestacion-cuidado-menores/1003744293210_0.html)
  • The pharmaceutical reform bill is open for public consultation. The draft royal decree introduces dynamic pricing to strengthen competition in medicines that have lost their exclusivity and to promote a gradual decrease in prices linked to the entry of generics and biosimilars (https://www.consalud.es/politica/ministerio-sanidad/sanidad-abre-a-audiencia-publica-la-norma-que-regulara-la-financiacion-y-precios-de-los-medicamentos.html)

• Regional governments
  • Three public hospitals in Madrid, national centers for obtaining stem cells for bone marrow transplants. La Paz, 12 de Octubre, and Gregorio Marañón hospitals have been designated for their experience, technical capacity, and high specialization in areas such as advanced therapies (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/c-madrid/eligen-tres-hospitales-publicos-madrilenos-como-centros-nacionales-para-obtener-celulas-madre-destinadas-a-trasplante-de-medula.html)
  • The Torrejón Hospital is asking the Community of Madrid not to accept new resident physicians as a cost-saving measure. It appears that in other regions, the salaries of resident physicians (MIRES) are covered by the regional governments (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2026-06-16/el-hospital-de-torrejon-pide-a-la-comunidad-de-madrid-no-recibir-nuevos-medicos-residentes-como-medida-de-ahorro.html)

• Medical conflict over the Statute
  • Medical unions will call an indefinite strike after the summer due to the “total absence of proposals” from the healthcare system. The Strike Committee is threatening to escalate the conflict to “maintain the demands of the group” if no progress is made in the coming weeks (https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/medicos-amenazan-huelga-indefinida-verano-ausencia-total-propuestas-sanidad_1_13302847.html)
• Euthanasia
  • Deaths by euthanasia increased by 32% last year. 565 people received euthanasia in Spain in 2025 (https://elpais.com/expres/2026-06-18/las-muertes-por-eutanasia-crecieron-un-32-el-ano-pasado.html)

• Feijóo’s statements on healthcare
  • Feijóo promises to respect the law on abortion time limits and “improve” the law regarding access to euthanasia. The leader of the People’s Party (PP) aspires to legislation regarding euthanasia that has “consensus” with “scientific societies,” “medical organizations,” “healthcare professionals,” and political groups, unlike the current law. It should be remembered that the euthanasia law was processed as a proposed law, not a bill, without any mandatory report (https://www.consalud.es/politica/feijoo-promete-respetar-la-ley-de-plazos-para-el-aborto-y-perfeccionar-la-relativa-al-acceso-a-la-eutanasia.html).
  • Feijóo will make healthcare a “national priority” in the face of the new week of doctors’ strike. The PP spokesperson and Deputy Secretary of Culture and Sport, Borja Sámper, stated this Monday, coinciding with the start of a new week of doctors’ strike over the Framework Statute, that Alberto Núñez Feijóo will make healthcare a “national priority.” The Popular Party leader has conveyed his party’s support for some of the demands of the medical community and has defended the need to adapt the labor framework to the unique characteristics of these professionals (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/feijoo-convertira-sanidad-prioridad-nacional-ante-huelga-medica-estatuto-marco/)

Companies

• International
  • Abbie closes a deal for nearly $11 billion to acquire biotech firm Apogee Therapeutics, developer of anti-inflammatory therapies (https://www.ft.com/content/cb5e94aa-1687-47fe-b55a-82e273e8b1bd?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Pharmaceutical patent applications decline for the second consecutive year, falling 6.5% in 2025. The explanation lies in the stabilization following Covid, higher R&D costs, and the advance of countries like China and India. (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260615/solicitudes-patentes-farmaceuticas-retroceden-segundo-ano-consecutivo-cayeron/1003744278143_0.html)
  • The pharmaceutical industry faces losses of almost 438 billion euros due to patent expirations. To mitigate the blow, companies are focusing their efforts on acquiring pharmaceutical companies. (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260619/industria-farmaceutica-enfrenta-perdidas-millones-euros-fin-patentes/1003744290775_0.html)
  • Novo Nordisk hopes to get Wegovy’s pill approved in China to overtake its competitor Lilly. The Danish pharmaceutical company is already ahead of its American counterpart in the US and UK markets. Both are betting on the success of oral treatment compared to injections (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-06-17/novo-nordisk-espera-aprobar-la-pastilla-de-wegovy-en-china-para-adelantar-a-su-competidora-eli-lilly.html)
  • According to Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK, the return on investment in the pharmaceutical sector will increase from 5% to 30% due to AI (https://www.eleconomista.es/mercados-cotizaciones/noticias/13978875/06/26/cathie-wood-ark-la-burbuja-tecnologica-creo-mucho-miedo-en-la-industria-de-la-inversion-y-eso-hoy-es-algo-bueno.html)

• National News
  • Grifols defends the IPO of its Biopharm business in the USA It will allow value to surface and debt to be reduced (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-06-18/grifols-defiende-que-la-salida-a-bolsa-del-negocio-de-biopharma-en-ee-uu-permitira-aflorar-valor-y-reducir-deuda.html)
  • Rovi specializes in the manufacture of injectable medications for obesity (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260618/rovi-especializa-fabricacion-inyectables-obesidad-clientes-ademas-roche/1003744289803_0.html)
  • The Valencian Regional Government is preparing multi-million euro claims against Sanitas and Ribera for the concessions. The Valencian Ministry of Health has informed healthcare concessionaires of an adjustment of between 50 and 60 million euros to compensate for ‘inflated’ settlements from the years of Covid (https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/comunidad-valenciana/2026-06-17/generalitat-sanitas-ribera-reclamacion-millonaria_4373881/)