Summary

News of the week: 

• Julián García Vargas has passed away. Minister of Health (1986–1991), he implemented the then-newly approved General Health Act, founded the ONT (National Transplant Organization) and the Carlos III Health Institute, and drove the Abril Report.

The most impactful healthcare news stories of the week were:

• Biomedicine: Researcher Helen Hobbs wins the 6th “Abarca Prize” for her contribution to the genetics of cardiovascular diseases.
• Global health: Life expectancy has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a WHO report.
• International health policy: Burnham (British politician): the new NHS-style National Care Service will be funded through pension reform.
• National health policy: The housing crisis is overshadowing the healthcare policy agenda, with a possible general election on the horizon.
• Companies: The European Commission projects that the digital health market will grow fivefold by 2035.

Biomedicine

• Researcher Helen Hobbs wins the 6th “Abarca Prize” for her contribution to the genetics of cardiovascular diseases. She defined the relationship between LDL-C levels and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
• Understanding peripheral artery disease in the modern era. Atherosclerotic disease remains the leading cause of premature death; while attention is primarily focused on the heart and brain, there is a growing prevalence of this condition affecting the lower limbs.
• Cancer: one in eight cases globally is linked to infections such as Epstein-Barr. The study was conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Global Health

• Life expectancy has nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to a WHO report. However, recovering years of good health appears to be taking longer. •Ebola in the DR Congo: death toll reaches 4,000.

International Health Policy

• Burnham: the new NHS-style National Care Service will be funded through pension reform to avoid raising taxes.
• According to RFK Jr., AI should be promoted to fight “medical tyranny,” whereas many American voters fear AI could threaten their livelihoods.
• Australia battles the black market for tobacco following years of tax hikes; continued tobacco tax increases can lead to such effects.
• Brazil: The government is considering adding anti-obesity medications to the SUS (Unified Health System).
• Chile: issues regarding the ease of obtaining medical leave certificates.
• The OECD calculates the cost of preparing for a future pandemic: “It is an affordable investment.” The organization estimates a one-in-two chance of another pandemic similar to COVID-19 within the next 25 years and calls for proactive measures, such as increased epidemiological surveillance and prevention strategies.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Julián García Vargas has passed away. Minister of Health (1986–1991), he implemented the then-newly approved General Health Law, founded the National Transplant Organization (ONT) and the Carlos III Health Institute, and championed the Abril Report.
• The housing crisis is overshadowing the health policy agenda amidst the prospect of a general election. Political turmoil surrounding housing decrees is sidelining major healthcare reforms as uncertainty regarding the legislative term grows.
• The Ministry of Health announces the provision of medical abortions in primary care centers. Minister Mónica García has announced plans to initiate the process of modifying the product specifications for mifepristone and updating the common package of health services.
• The Xunta (Galician regional government) will reform primary care payment models to reward the management of complex patient cases and improve working conditions. The new remuneration model, which will cover all professional categories, also takes into account geographical dispersion and factors such as isolation or working in remote locations.
• Galicia is allocating €45 million to a plan aimed at preventing work-related medical leave and facilitating the return to work. The President of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, announced that the regional cabinet approved the ‘Comprehensive Plan for Improving Prevention, Workplace Well-being, and a Healthy Return to Work in Galicia (2026–2029)’ this Monday. This roadmap—described as “pioneering in Spain”—is the result of an agreement reached through the Social Dialogue process involving the Galician government, the UGT-Galicia trade union, and the Confederation of Galician Employers.
• Galicia will launch a strategic plan for digital health (2027–2030). In 2027, the Regional Ministry of Health will implement a new strategic roadmap to integrate emerging technologies and continue modernizing the Galician public healthcare system.
• Doctors have called for an indefinite national strike starting October 28, though unions from Madrid, Catalonia, and Galicia are not participating.
• Feijóo proposes allowing mutual insurance companies to authorize a return to work for certain medical leave cases. The PP’s proposal would expand these entities’ authority regarding the management of temporary disability.
• Healthcare spending projections in Spain, according to the Institute of Actuaries. A study presented by the Spanish Institute of Actuaries (IAE) estimates that public health spending could range from 9.25% to 11.01% of GDP by 2070, depending on the assumptions used.

Companies

• International
  • The European Commission forecasts a fivefold increase in the digital health market by 2035.
  • Novartis reaches a $7.8 billion agreement with China’s Abogen for an mRNA drug.

• Domestic
  • Health clinics are breaking away from insurers: 15% are already seeking patients elsewhere. Tensions between major insurers and medical professionals over frozen reimbursement rates are driving many clinics to reduce their reliance on insurers and shift toward a new model based on private, direct-pay patients.

Biomedicine

• Researcher Helen Hobbs wins the 6th “Abarca Prize” for her contribution to the genetics of cardiovascular diseases. She defined the relationship between LDL-C levels and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20261001/helen-hobbs-ganadora-vi-abarca-prize-aportacion-genetica-enfermedades-cardiovasculares/1003744404639_0.html)
• Are GLP-1 drugs rewriting the history of weight loss and mental illness? Companies offering these medications are providing more than just the possibility of losing weight (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/09/mental-health-weight-loss-glp1/688823/)
• Understanding peripheral artery disease in the modern era. Atherosclerotic disease remains the leading cause of premature death; while attention is primarily focused on the heart and brain, there is a growing prevalence of this condition affecting the lower limbs (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00846-9/fulltext)
• A large-scale national (UK) comparison of outcomes between conventional and robotic hip replacement surgeries. No significant differences found in survival rates, reasons for revision, or intraoperative complications (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100709)
• Cancer: one in eight cases globally linked to infections such as Epstein-Barr. The study was conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (https://www.bmj.com/content/395/bmj-2026-101015)
• AI-powered medical devices must be tested in real-world settings, similar to the testing required for pharmaceuticals or autonomous vehicles (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-03046-7)
• Menopause: thrombosis risk associated with hormonal treatments confirmed in a large Danish study published in the *BMJ* (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2026/09/27/menopause-le-risque-de-thrombose-associe-aux-traitements-hormonaux-oraux-confirme-par-une-vaste-etude_6783761_1650684.html) Access the original article: https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100688
• Results for a new pancreatic cancer drug that extended survival are being questioned; it appears that drug resistance develops in some cases (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/science/pancreatic-cancer-drug-daraxonrasib-ben-sasse-resistance.html)
• Several EU countries are testing the first public advanced therapy for leukemia, developed in Spain. This was developed at the Clínic de Barcelona (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20261001/varios-paises-ue-prueban-primera-terapia-avanzada-publica-europea-origen-espanol-leucemia/1003744403511_0.html)
• An AI system can predict pancreatic cancer risk three years before diagnosis with 85% accuracy (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260928/ia-capaz-predecir-riesgo-cancer-pancreas-anos-diagnostico-precision/1003744397796_0.html)
• The unexpected side effect of GLP-1 medications (https://www.larazon.es/salud/inesperado-efecto-secundario-medicamentos-glp1_202610016abbee23a520494aafd9709c.html)
• Cancer rates among young people keep rising, but the concern goes beyond just the number of cases (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-10-04/el-cancer-preocupa-entre-los-jovenes-y-no-solo-por-el-numero-de-casos_4436343/)

Global Health

• Fiji declares a national emergency over HIV (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01983-5/fulltext)
• Life expectancy is nearly back to pre-pandemic levels, according to… •A WHO report. It appears that recovering years of good health is taking longer (https://sante.lefigaro.fr/social/sante-publique/l-esperance-de-vie-est-quasiment-revenue-a-son-niveau-d-avant-la-pandemie-de-covid-dans-le-monde-20261002)
• Ebola in the DR Congo: death toll reaches 4,000 (https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2026/10/03/ebola-en-rdc-la-pire-epidemie-de-l-histoire-du-pays-franchit-la-barre-des-4-000-morts_6787324_3212.html)
• Bangladesh warns that the dengue epidemic could worsen (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/bangladesh-warns-dengue-outbreak-could-worsen-after-deadly-september-2026-10-01/)

International health policy

• USA
  • Divisions within MAHA reveal that not everything is going smoothly with RFK Jr.’s “health revolution” (https://www.ft.com/content/a1bff0d7-be5a-434f-8856-c45337b9449f?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • According to RFK Jr., AI must be promoted to fight “medical tyranny,” whereas many American voters fear that AI could threaten their lives (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/29/rfk-maha-summit-artificial-intelligence-01098696)
  • The overturning of *Roe* (the US Supreme Court ruling that established a constitutional right to abortion) changed doctors; now it is changing politics (https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/10/03/abortion-doctors-politics-roe-dobbs-01105039)

• United Kingdom
  • The National Care Service may not launch until 2030; proposals suggest it would be funded through pension spending reform (https://www.ft.com/content/e9f2345f-6d7b-4fbb-831a-5fe576317701?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • What does the Prime Minister mean by “National Care Service”? Free at the point of use (https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/what-does-the-prime-minister-mean-by-a-national-care-service)
  • Burnham: the new NHS-style National Care Service will be funded through pension reform (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100995)
  • NHS activists oppose Palantir. The goal is to pressure the NHS to end its relationship with the company (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01982-3/fulltext)
  • The Neighbourhood Centers envisaged in the 10-year health plan for England can learn from similar successful models in other countries. It appears that Brazil, Singapore, and New Zealand are among the examples being considered (https://www.bmj.com/content/395/bmj-2026-101003)

• France
  • West Nile virus is spreading in France, reaching 145 human cases. It is transmitted from birds to humans via the common mosquito (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/10/02/le-virus-west-nile-flambe-en-france-atteignant-un-record-de-145-cas-humains_6787189_3244.html)

• Australia
  • Australia is battling the black market for tobacco following years of tax increases. Continued increases in tobacco taxes can have those effects (https://www.ft.com/content/d2916f8b-c53b-4c64-a9f8-37807bf5383f?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • The Medicare breach in Australia alerts global cyber-defense to the role of AI in hybrid attacks. The intrusion of a commercial algorithm into the Australian health system exposes the extreme vulnerability of healthcare infrastructure to intelligence and sabotage operations (https://www.consalud.es/politica/la-brecha-de-medicare-en-australia-alerta-a-la-ciberdefensa-global-sobre-el-papel-de-la-ia-en-los-ataques-hibridos.html)

• Latin America
  • Brazil
    • The government is considering adding anti-obesity drugs to the SUS (Unified Health System) (https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/equilibrioesaude/2026/09/ministro-da-saude-preve-caneta-emagrecedora-no-sus-para-milhoes-e-custo-de-r-15-bi-por-ano.shtml)
    • Public healthcare takes center stage in the Brazilian presidential elections (https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/equilibrioesaude/2026/09/como-os-presidenciaveis-querem-melhorar-a-saude-publica-no-brasil.shtml)
    • A study analyzes the efficiency of public hospitals (https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/equilibrioesaude/2026/09/estudo-mostra-que-organizacoes-sociais-elevam-produtividade-e-aumentam-internacoes-em-hospitais.shtml)

• • Chile
    • Issue regarding medical leave certificates that are easily obtained (https://noticias.unab.cl/encuesta-de-salud-unab-senala-que-persiste-idea-de-facilidad-para-obtener-licencia-medica-a-pesar-de-efecto-contraloria/)

• • Peru
    • Reports of rodents at a hospital in Piura (https://elcomercio.pe/peru/piura/piura-denuncian-la-presencia-de-roedores-en-el-area-de-dengue-del-hospital-de-essalud-ii-en-sullana-ultimas-noticia/)

• • Colombia
    • Lung cancer alert in Bogotá: cigarettes and vapes among the main factors (https://citytv.eltiempo.com/programas/arriba-bogota/alerta-en-bogota-por-cancer-de-pulmon-cigarrillos-y-vapeadores-entre-los-principales-factores_95795)

• OECD
  • The OECD calculates the cost of preparing for a future pandemic: “It is an affordable investment.” The organization estimates a one-in-two chance of another pandemic similar to COVID-19 occurring within the next 25 years and calls for proactive measures by increasing epidemiological surveillance and prevention strategies (https://www.consalud.es/politica/la-ocde-calcula-el-coste-de-preparacion-para-una-futura-pandemia-es-una-inversion-asumible.html)

National Health Policy

• Death of Julián García Vargas
  • Minister of Health (1986–1991); he implemented the then-recently approved General Health Act, founded the National Transplant Organization (ONT) and the Carlos III Health Institute, and drove the Abril Report (https://www.eldebate.com/obituarios/20260930/servidor-publico-companero-amigo_464193.html)

• Central Administration
  • The housing crisis overshadows the health policy agenda, with a possible general election on the horizon. Political turmoil surrounding housing decrees sidelines major healthcare reforms as uncertainty regarding the legislative term grows (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/crisis-vivienda-agenda-politica-sanitaria-elecciones-generales/)
  • The Ministry of Health announces the provision of medical abortion in primary care centers. Minister Mónica García has announced plans to initiate the process of modifying the technical specifications for mifepristone and updating the common service portfolio (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/sanidad-anuncia-aborto-farmacologico-centros-atencion-primaria.html)
  • Primary care physicians accuse the Ministry of announcing the medical abortion initiative behind their backs. The Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians believes the measure could improve equity and access for women, but calls for resources, training, protocols, and prior consultation with professionals (https://www.vozpopuli.com/sanitatem/los-medicos-de-familia-acusan-a-sanidad-de-anunciar-el-aborto-farmacologico-en-primaria-a-sus-espaldas-no-se-ha-contado-con-los-profesionales.html)
  • Regional governments oppose the approval of the decree on waiting lists (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260928/ccaa-oponen-aprobacion-real-decreto-listas-espera-quedan-temas-aclarar/1003744396886_0.html)
  • Mónica García’s bill to limit private management of public hospitals remains in parliamentary limbo (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260929/ley-monica-garcia-limitar-gestion-privada-hospitales-publicos-queda-limbo-parlamentario/1003744400373_0.html)
  • The Ministry of Health lays the groundwork for obtaining Medical Genetics and Laboratory Medicine qualifications via an extraordinary pathway (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/politica/ministerio-sanidad/20261002/sanidad-sienta-las-bases-para-acceder-los-titulos-de-genetica-medica-laboratorio-por-via-extraordinaria/354681_0.html)

• Regional administrations
  • The Xunta …will reform primary care payment structures to reward patient complexity and working conditions. The new remuneration model, which will cover all professional categories, also takes into account geographic dispersion, isolation, and remoteness factors (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/xunta-reformara-pago-ap-premiar-complejidad-pacientes-condiciones-trabajo.html)
  • Galicia is allocating €45 million to a plan aimed at preventing work absences and facilitating the return to work. Xunta President Alfonso Rueda announced that the Council approved the ‘Comprehensive Plan for Improving Prevention, Workplace Well-being, and a Healthy Return to Work in Galicia 2026-2029’ this Monday; this roadmap is “pioneering in Spain” and stems from an agreement reached within the framework of Social Dialogue between the Galician government, the UGT-Galicia trade union, and the Confederation of Galician Employers (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/galicia/20260928/galicia-destina-millones-un-plan-para-prevenir-bajas-laborales-facilitar-la-reincorporacion/354089_0.html)
  • Galicia will launch a strategic plan for digital health (2027–2030). In 2027, the Department of Health will launch a new strategic roadmap to integrate emerging technologies and continue modernizing the Galician public health system (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/galicia-plan-estrategico-salud-digital/)
  • Catalonia allocates €27 million to boost healthcare AI and medical imaging interoperability (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/innovacion/sanidad-digital/20261001/cataluna-destina-millones-impulsar-la-ia-sanitaria-interoperabilidad-de-imagen-medica/354446_0.html)
  • Son Espases (Balearic Islands) promotes a Personalized Medicine Institute. The new center will strengthen the prevention and diagnosis of rare diseases and cancer using state-of-the-art genomic technology (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/20260929/son-espases-impulsa-el-primer-instituto-de-medicina-personalizada-baleares/354203_0.html)

• The Ceuta conflict
  • Ceuta’s health challenge: dozens of cases of tuberculosis, scabies, and chickenpox emerge among migrants. Authorities in the Autonomous City have confirmed official diagnoses of 8 cases of tuberculosis, 15 of chickenpox, and an outbreak involving 29 cases of scabies (https://www.vozpopuli.com/espana/el-desafio-sanitario-de-ceuta-afloran-decenas-de-casos-de-tuberculosis-sarna-y-varicela-en-inmigrantes.html)

• Medical dispute regarding professional status
  • Doctors call for an indefinite national strike starting October 28, without the participation of unions from Madrid, Catalonia, and Galicia (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260928/medicos-convocan-huelga-nacional-indefinida-sin-sindicatos-madrid-cataluna-galicia/1003744399689_0.html)

• Sick leave
  • Feijóo proposes allowing mutual insurance associations to authorize a return to work for certain medical leave cases. The PP’s proposal would expand the powers of these entities regarding the management of temporary disability (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/politica/20260929/feijoo-plantea-que-las-mutuas-puedan-dar-el-alta-en-algunas-bajas-medicas/354246_0.html)

• Medicines Act
  • Healthcare professionals, politicians, and patients call for changes to the Medicines Act (https://diariofarma.com/2026/10/02/profesion-politicos-y-pacientes-piden-cambios-en-el-proyecto-de-ley-de-medicamentos)

• Proton therapy
  • Spain to have Europe’s largest proton therapy network. Spain will have proton therapy machines available at eleven public healthcare centers. Ten of these were acquired thanks to a €280 million donation from the Amancio Ortega Foundation (https://forbes.es/health/1030260/espana-ultima-preparativos-para-contar-con-la-mayor-red-publica-de-protonterapia-de-europa/)

• Healthcare spending in Spain
  • Healthcare spending projections for Spain, according to the Institute of Actuaries. A study presented by the Spanish Institute of Actuaries (IAE) estimates that public health spending could range from 9.25% to 11.01% of GDP by 2070, depending on the assumptions used (https://actuarios.org/2026/09/25/gasto-salud/). Access to the original document: https://actuarios.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/20260925-GastoSalud_ESD.pdf

• Pharmacists
  • Pharmacists adopt a “Decalogue” (Oviedo Decalogue) at their National Congress (https://diariofarma.com/2026/10/01/declaracion-de-asturias-la-farmacia-pide-integrar-los-spfa-en-la-cartera-del-sns)

• IDIS Foundation
  • The IDIS Foundation analyzes public-private interactions, calling for greater integration between public and private healthcare (https://www.consalud.es/industria/sanidad-privada/fundacion-idis-e-iqvia-reclaman-una-mayor-integration-entre-la-sanidad-publica-y-la-privada.html)

Companies

• International
  • Novartis reaches a $7.8 billion deal for an mRNA drug with China’s Abogen (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/novartis-strikes-about-78-billion-mrna-deal-with-chinas-abogen-2026-10-02/)
  • Novo acquires rights to a Chinese weight-loss pill for $2.6 billion (https://www.ft.com/content/ea8f48de-d2e4-4c0b-bccf-1f310660d8c7?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Fresenius completes the acquisition of Mabxience, which will continue serving its current clients (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/empresas/20261001/fresenius-completa-la-adquisicion-de-mabxience-que-continuara-prestando-servicio-sus-clientes-actuales/354420_0.html)
  • The European Commission projects the digital health market will grow fivefold by 2035 (https://forbes.es/health/1034457/mercado-salud-digital/)
  • David Ricks, Global CEO of Lilly: “Europe has to decide; if it wants new medicines, prices must rise” (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260930/david-ricks-ceo-global-lilly-europa-decidir-quiere-nuevos-medicamentos-subir-precios/1003744401925_0.html)

• Domestic
  • Health clinics are breaking away from… Insurers: 15% are already seeking patients elsewhere. Tension between major insurers and medical professionals over frozen reimbursement rates is driving many clinics to reduce their reliance on insurers and shift toward a new model based on private, direct-pay patients (https://theobjective.com/economia/2026-10-04/clinicas-salud-desenganchan-aseguradoras-pacientes/)
  • AstraZeneca announces layoffs in Spain to reduce its workforce of nearly 2,000 employees. The pharmaceutical company has issued formal notice to union representatives and scheduled the first negotiating committee meeting for October 13 (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2026-10-03/astrazeneca-comunica-despidos-en-espana_4437198/)
  • Grifols and PharmaMar avoid Trump’s 15% tariffs, while Almirall limits their impact (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/14017502/09/26/grifols-y-pharmamar-eluden-el-arancel-del-15-de-trump-y-almirall-acota-su-impacto.html)
  • Antitrust authorities approve Ribera’s acquisition of HCB Hospitales, subject to conditions (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/14017511/09/26/competencia-autoriza-a-ribera-la-compra-de-hcb-hospitales-con-condiciones.html)

 

Summary

News of the Week:

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

The week’s most impactful healthcare news stories were:

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

Biomedicine

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

Global Health

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

International Health Policy

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

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The unions deny that a parliamentary intergroup is sufficient to halt the indefinite doctors’ strike. The proposal put forward by the Health Minister and the Medical Profession Forum has not changed their stance; they maintain that the indefinite strike scheduled to begin on October 28 is “going ahead.” While a strike is by no means desirable—and unions have other avenues for action—it must be remembered that for years, the Minister expressed staunch, partisan opposition to the Medical Statute, a position that runs counter to the norm in Europe. The “parliamentary intergroup” idea, however well-intentioned, may amount to little more than a spur-of-the-moment notion, given that the Framework Statute is already under discussion in Parliament. If the Ministry is truly interested in the Medical Statute, the logical step would be to clearly leave that door open within the Framework Statute—though, in any case, the latter is unlikely to be passed.
• Congress endorses a major reform regarding long-term care dependency, focusing on more personalized attention and improved home care. The legislation, which also amends the disability law, provides for new services and a reduction in red tape.
• The Basque Country is set to launch an advanced therapy biomanufacturing hub to boost its standing in Europe. The Basque Health Cluster and seven Basque companies are forming a committee—backed by the Basque Government—to strengthen industrial capacity, attract investment, and compete in international markets.
• Andalusia will establish a Committee for Evaluation, Innovation, and Operational Reform in healthcare. It will launch in October to carry out “the greatest transformation and modernization” of the public healthcare system.
• Healthcare landscape in Ceuta: tuberculosis, chickenpox, scabies, and six doctors handling 300 emergency cases.

Companies

• International
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturers are preparing for a new phase of space-based research and manufacturing—specifically, research and production in Earth’s orbit.
  • Novo drops “Nordisk” from its name in a rebranding effort.
  • Novo partners with Anthropic to accelerate the development of anti-obesity drugs using Claude AI.

• Domestic
  • The Vivanta dental clinic chain files for insolvency four years after its bailout by SEPI.
  • HM plans to open a hospital in the new southeastern developments of the Madrid region.
  • CUN is a pioneer in treating Alzheimer’s with donanemab and plans to add lecanemab to its treatment options. The arrival of donanemab at the University of Navarra Clinic (CUN) marks the start of biological therapies for Alzheimer’s disease in Spain, supported by a European research project aimed at optimizing diagnosis and monitoring.
  • One in five health technology companies suffered losses in 2025, and the situation is set to worsen due to the war involving Iran. This warning was issued by Pablo Crespo, Secretary General of FENIN.

Biomedicine

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

Global Health

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

International health policy

• USA
  • The Trump Administration is moving quickly to integrate AI into healthcare, despite reluctance and concerns. They activate AI to diagnose and prescribe therapies (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/14/health/ai-doctors-medicare-fda.html)
  • Trump says he will ask that some childhood vaccines be divided into five shots. No scientific evidence for the measure (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/trump-says-he-will-demand-some-childhood-vaccines-be-split-into-five-shots-2026-09-18/)
  • The Pennsylvania measles outbreak is huge. The last two deaths suggest that the number of cases is higher than what is said (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/09/measles-deaths-pennsylvania-outbreak-kennedy/688647/)
  • Nursing home beds are disappearing. As older baby boomers reach age 80, there will not be enough nursing home beds (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/well/family/nursing-home-beds-baby-boomers.html)
  • Kennedy assures vaccine skeptics that they have a friend in the White House. He even said that the success of the polio vaccine was a fraud (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/17/health/kennedy-vaccines-childrens-health-defense.html)
  • The USA could save up to 10,038 million euros with the most favored nation pricing system. A study published in The Lancet analyzes the potential impact of the GLOBE and GUARD payment models, announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in December 2025 (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/eeuu-ahorrar-sistema-precios-nacion-favorecida/)

• United Kingdom
  • GP data is gradually being incorporated into the NHS Palantir platform. This means an expansion, beyond hospitals (https://www.ft.com/content/5d15de64-49cc-4b6a-a2ea-51061f1cddc7?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Andy Burnham says the UK is seriously committed to reaching zero emissions by 2050 (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/17/andy-burnham-uk-must-fully-commit-to-reaching-net-zero-by-2050)

• Latin America
  • Chile
    • Radiography of oncology in Chile, only 249 specialists practice in the country and 70% in Santiago (https://www.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2026/09/17/1211684/oncologia-cancer-especialistas-regiones-chile.html)
    • Life-threatening patients waited up to 73 hours, according to data from the Comptroller’s Office (https:/ww.emol.com/noticias/Nacional/2026/09/14/1211402/contraloria-y-espera-urgencias.html)
  • Brazil
    • The financing of the SUS, the waiting lists and the effect of the betting houses, the challenges to the new president (https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2026/09/finamento-do-sus-filas-de-consultas-e-efeito-das-bets-desafiam-novo-presidente-na-area-da-saude.shtml)
  • Peru
    • El Niño threatens the first line of health: 4,393 establishments are at risk due to rains and floods (https://elcomercio.pe/peru/el-nino-amenaza-la-primera-linea-de-salud-4393-establecimientos-estan-en-riesgo-ante-lluvias-e-inundaciones-apuesplan-noticia/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  • Colombia
    • This is the government’s shock plan to address the crisis in the health system: “We want the sector to know that it can talk to the Ministry.” The Vice Minister of Social Protection, Marcela Brun, explained at the AFI Summit 2026 the short, short and medium-term measures that will be implemented (https://www.eltiempo.com/salud/asi-es-el-plan-de-choque-del-gobierno-para-atender-la-crisis-del-sistema-de-salud-queremos-que-el-sector-sepa-que-con-el-ministerio-se-trabajo-hablar-3586898)
  • Mexico
    • The president acknowledges that the healthcare backlog cannot be resolved quickly. President Claudia Sheinbaum admitted that more hospital beds are still needed and that the backlog accumulated over 36 years cannot be resolved in just one or two years (https://www.reforma.com/admite-csp-que-rezago-en-salud-no-se-resuelve-rapido/ar3278261)

• Europe
  • The European Commission proposes a ban on social media for children under 13. Von der Leyen announced this at a press conference (https://www.reuters.com/world/eu-commission-proposes-social-media-ban-children-under-13-2026-09-17/)
  • Childhood vaccination rates are declining in several European countries since COVID-19, according to a survey published by *The Lancet* (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/09/18/la-vaccination-des-enfants-en-recul-dans-plusieurs-pays-d-europe-selon-une-etude_6776517_3224.html)
  • Trump’s pharmaceutical plan threatens Europe: higher drug prices and delays in new therapies. International researchers warn of the potential impact on the EU of Washington’s policies aimed at lowering prices within the US (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-09-14/el-plan-farmaceutico-de-trump-amenaza-a-europa-medicamentos-mas-caros-y-retrasos-en-las-nuevas-terapias.html)
  • One million professionals, better wages, and AI: the European Parliament’s proposals to sustain healthcare systems. The European Parliament calls for public investment, job stability, and measures to address healthcare worker burnout (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/propuestas-aprobadas-parlamento-europeo-condiciones-sanitarios/)
  • Seeking plasma self-sufficiency: Europe’s plan to stop “sucking the blood” of the US (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-09-20/busca-autosuficiencia-de-plasma-en-europa-eeuu_4426088/)

• OECD
  • The OECD warns of the impact of a new pandemic: healthcare systems could be overwhelmed within two months. The organization analyzes five pandemic scenarios and concludes that early action would reduce mortality and avoid the need for more restrictive measures (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/la-ocde-alerta-del-impacto-de-una-nueva-pandemia-los-sistemas-sanitarios-podrian-verse-desbordados-en-dos-meses.html)

National health policy

• Central Administration
  • Congress approves the major long-term care reform: more personalized attention and better home-based care. The legislation, which also amends the disability law, introduces new services and aims to reduce bureaucracy (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-09-16/las-nuevas-leyes-de-dependencia-y-discapacidad-afrontan-su-ultimo-paso-en-el-congreso-mas-cuidados-en-casa-menos-burocracia.html)
  • The new long-term care law will face implementation challenges and require “much more than money,” according to FUNCAS (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260917/nueva-ley-dependencia-dificultades-implantacion-exigira-dinero-funcas/1003744386947_0.html)
  • The government will mandate greater in-person attendance for university degree programs in health sciences. This will require “organizational resources, management resources, and time-intensive resources.” This was noted by Elisa Chuliá, a researcher at Funcas (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/politica/20260918/el-gobierno-exigira-mayor-presencialidad-en-los-grados-universitarios-de-ciencias-la-salud/353174_0.html)

• Regional administrations
  • It is reported (El País) that one of Madrid’s largest hospitals is altering severity ratings to mask surgical waiting list figures (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2026-09-15/uno-de-los-mayores-hospitales-madrilenos-altera-la-gravedad-de-los-pacientes-para-maquillar-su-lista-de-espera-quirurgica.html)
  • The Basque Country will launch an advanced therapy biomanufacturing hub to increase its influence in Europe. The Basque Health Cluster and seven Basque companies are forming a committee—with support from the Basque Government—to boost industrial capacity, attract investment, and compete in international markets (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/euskadi/20260918/euskadi-impulsara-un-hub-de-biofabricacion-terapias-avanzadas-para-ganar-peso-en-europa/353184_0.html)
  • Andalusia will establish a Committee for Evaluation, Innovation, and Operational Reform in healthcare. It will launch in October to carry out “the greatest transformation and modernization” of the public healthcare system (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/andalucia/20260919/andalucia-creara-un-comite-de-evaluacion-innovacion-reforma-operativa-en-sanidad/353193_0.html)

• The Ceuta conflict
  • Map of Ceuta’s healthcare situation: tuberculosis, chickenpox, scabies, and six doctors handling 300 emergency cases (https://theobjective.com/sanidad/2026-09-18/mapa-sanidad-ceuti-tuberculosis-varicela-sarna-medicos-urgencias/)
  • Doctors and nurses in Ceuta have called for a strike on September 24. CEMSATSE expresses its absolute rejection of the Health Department’s statements denying the existence of an emergency situation (https://theobjective.com/sanidad/2026-09-15/medicos-enfermeros-ceuta-convocan-huelga-24-septiembre/)

• Medical dispute
  • Medical unions rule out calling off the strike for now: “The conditions are not currently met.” CESM highlights the Medical Profession Forum’s support for the doctors’ demands, although the proposal to open a new avenue for dialogue via a Parliamentary Intergroup raises doubts among the Strike Committee (https://medicinaresponsable.com/politica-sanitaria/sindicatos-medicos-alejan-huelga-no-condiciones)
  • Unions deny that a parliamentary intergroup is sufficient to halt the indefinite doctors’ strike. The proposal from the Minister of Health and the Medical Profession Forum has not changed their stance; they state that the indefinite strike scheduled to begin on October 28 is “going ahead” (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/sindicatos-niegan-intergrupo-parlamentario-baste-frenar-huelga-medica-indefinida.html)
  • The Minister is fully in favor of the parliamentary intergroup (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/politica/20260917/sanidad-ve-en-el-grupo-interparlamentario-una-salida-al-conflicto-medico-totalmente-favor/352905_0.html)
  • The PP attacks Sánchez over the Framework Statute: “More than 4 million medical appointments have been cancelled as a result of the strike” (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/pp-carga-sanchez-estatuto-marco-cancelado-citas-medicas-huelga/)

Companies

• International
  • Drugmakers prepare for a new phase of space-based manufacturing, involving research and production in Earth’s orbit (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/drugmakers-prepare-next-phase-space-pharmaceuticals-iss-retirement-nears-2026-09-17/)
  • Advent set to invest $328.5 million for a stake in India’s Yatharth Hospital (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/advent-invest-3285-million-indias-yatharth-hospital-249-stake-2026-09-17/)
  • FDA approves Lilly’s breast cancer drug combination (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-fda-approves-lillys-breast-cancer-drug-combo-2026-09-18/)
  • Novo drops “Nordisk” from its name in a rebranding effort (https://www.ft.com/content/3984d89d-64ed-43e0-a6fe-0804173fa5c0?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Lilly says Foundayo has captured 30% of new U.S. patients for oral anti-obesity therapy (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/lilly-says-foundayo-has-captured-over-30-new-us-patients-oral-weight-loss-drugs-2026-09-14/)
  • GE Healthcare in talks to acquire a cancer marker for $1 billion. It would be the second acquisition following the split from GE (https://www.ft.com/content/21b663e4-60ee-4937-a561-5b0f505676a2?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • BioNTech says lung cancer drug candidate extends survival in trials compared to traditional therapy (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/biontech-says-lung-cancer-drug-candidate-prolonged-lives-trial-2026-09-14/)
  • Pfizer, Roche, and AstraZeneca challenge Lilly and Novo in the obesity market (https://theobjective.com/economia/2026-09-20/pfizer-roche-astrazeneca-desafian-dominio-lilly-novo-obesidad/)
  • Novo partners with Anthropic to accelerate anti-obesity drug development using Claude AI (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-09-16/novo-se-alia-con-anthropic-para-acelerar-el-desarrollo-de-medicamentos-antiobesidad-con-la-ia-de-claude.html)

• Domestic
  • Cost of a place in a private nursing home rises 18% over five years (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260915/plaza-residencia-mayores-privada-sub)
  • Pelayo Cortina secures loan from Goldman Sachs to relaunch the former Incosol (https://www.elconfidencial.com/inmobiliario/inversiones-alternativas/2026-09-14/lujo-pelayo-cortina-goldman-sachs-incosol-oakmond_4423393/)
  • The network of  Vivanta dental clinic chain files for insolvency four years after SEPI bailout (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-09-15/la-red-de-clinicas-dentales-vivanta-entra-en-concurso-de-acreedores-cuatro-anos-despues-del-rescate-de-la-sepi.html)
  • Instituto Médico Láser files for bankruptcy (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2026-09-16/instituto-medico-laser-iml-quiebra-concurso-litigios_4424318/)
  • HM plans to open a hospital in the new southeastern developments of the Madrid region (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-09-15/hm-planea-abrir-un-hospital-en-los-nuevos-desarrollos-del-sureste-de-la-comunidad-de-madrid.html)
  • Spain lags behind the rest of Europe in granting health technology patents: only 91 approved in nine years (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260918/espana-cola-europa-concesion-patentes-tecnologia-sanitaria-solo-aprobado-anos/1003744387199_0.html)
  • Health insurance sector turns to personalization and digitalization to balance premiums amidst demographic challenges. Insurers face the challenge of an aging population and the emergence of younger customers in the private health insurance market (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/empresas/sanidad-privada/20260913/el-seguro-de-salud-opta-por-la-personalizacion-digitalizacion-para-equilibrar-las-primas-en-pleno-reto-demografico/350561_0.html)
  • Donte Group bids €57.2 million for Aestes dental clinics, the majority of which belong to Vivanta (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260915/donte-group-ofrce-millones-clinicas-dentales-aestes-mayoria-vivanta/1003744382488_0.html)
  • CUN, a pioneer in treating Alzheimer’s with donanemab, plans to add lecanemab to its treatment options. The arrival of donanemab at the University of Navarra Clinic (CUN) marks the start of biological therapies for Alzheimer’s disease in Spain, supported by a European research project aimed at optimizing diagnosis and monitoring (https://diariofarma.com/2026/09/14/la-cun-pionera-en-espana-en-tratar-del-alzheimer-inicial-con-donanemab-y-preve-sumar-lecanemab)
  • Clínica Diagonal transforms into Diagonal University Hospital (https://www.consalud.es/lupa-sanitaria/clinica-diagonal-se-transforma-en-el-diagonal-hospital-universitari.html)
  • One in five health technology companies suffered losses in 2025, and the situation will be exacerbated by the war in Iran. This warning was issued by Pablo Crespo, Secretary General of FENIN (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260916/empresas-tecnologia-sanitaria-sufrio-perdidas-situacion-agravara-guerra-iran/1003744385169_0.html).

 

 

Summary

News of the week:

• The decline of humanity: the birth rate crisis is reaching every corner of the world and faster than expected.

The most impactful health news of the week were:

• Biomedicine: Pig kidney successfully transplanted into humans.
• Global health: How to save the WHO, which is in a critical situation.
• International health policy: $480,000 a year represents the new normal for cancer drugs.
• National health policy: The Treasury pushes through the reform of regional financing, agreed only with Catalonia, which, in relative terms, harms all the autonomous communities under the common regime.
• Companies: Vithas enters the race for health data.

Biomedicine

• Pig kidney successfully transplanted into humans. Trials in the USA and real clinical cases are promising. The shortage of organs is the biggest problem for transplants.

Global Health

• How to save the WHO. The WHO is in a critical situation, as serious as the one a few years ago that led to the election of former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland as its director. The deadline for submitting applications is September 24, and four candidates are known. The article does not mention Spain’s potential candidacy.
• The WHO expects the results of clinical trials for the Ebola vaccine in October or November.

International Health Policy

• $480,000 a year represents the new normal for cancer drugs. Revolution Medicines, the manufacturer of the new therapy for pancreatic cancer, has set a price of $480,000 a year, or $663 per tablet, a cost that would have been unthinkable not long ago.
• The Trump Administration announces pricing agreements with Alcon, Astellas, BeOne, BridgeBio, CSL, Kyowa Kirin, Sun Pharma, Teva, and UCB, which commit to applying Most Favored Nation pricing and increasing their production in the US.
• In France, a proposal has been made to create an independent authority whose mission is to evaluate the health impact of laws and public policies, as the defense of health is sometimes at odds with other interests.
• The US Embassy issues a health alert in Cuba, following the embargo, citing a spike in intestinal illnesses and diarrhea.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The Treasury pushes through the reform of regional financing, with the support of Catalonia and the Canary Islands. The new model was approved because the Government, which holds 50% of the vote, only needed the support of one region. The agreement was negotiated with Oriol Junqueras and, in relative terms, is detrimental to the other autonomous communities under the common regime. • Healthcare unions denounce the lack of transparency from the Health Ministry, which they claim is attempting to conceal the true state of healthcare in Ceuta.
• Doctors will begin an indefinite strike in October to protest the Framework Statute and the government.

Companies

• International
  • The arrival of generic GLP-1 drugs will expand access, which is currently very limited.
  • Kylian Mbappé founds a healthcare startup to expand in West Africa and buys an insurance company in Senegal.

• National
  • Vithas enters the healthcare data race: a billion-euro business expected to grow by 15%. The hospital group launches the ‘Vithas Data Space’ platform to leverage its anonymized clinical information.

Biomedicine

• Pig kidney successfully transplanted into humans. Trials in the USA and real clinical cases are promising. The organ shortage is the biggest problem with transplants (https://www.ft.com/content/e9548ff5-3b59-4d69-be26-5882e2c4a716?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
• Lights and shadows of the Ozempic era. An editorial in Science focuses on the significance of these drugs. While they promise to revolutionize the approach to obesity, they face the commercial push for their use, which threatens to exacerbate the health inequality gap. On the other hand, the World Health Organization (WHO) and experts stress that the solution to obesity is not purely pharmacological, but requires medical support, healthy habits and preventive measures (https://www.elmundo.es/salud/2026/09/03/6a99a839e9cf4a5b668b45b7.html). Access the Science editorial titled “Unintended consequences of the widespread use of GLP-1 drugs” (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ael8715)
• Rethinking maternal cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular problems complicate 15% of pregnancies and are the cause of one-third of maternal deaths (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01759-9/fulltext)
• What we need to know about postpartum mental illness, a topic brought to the forefront by the jury trial of a woman who killed her three children in the postpartum period (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/what-know-about-postpartum-mental-illness-2026-09-04/)
• Memory loss, depression, and aggression: brain alterations in contact sports practitioners. This is seen in the post-mortem examination of the brains of these athletes (https://sante.lefigaro.fr/medecine/pertes-de-memoire-depression-et-agressivite-la-responsabilite-des-sports-de-contact-plus-que-jamais-etablie-dans-les-degenerescences-cerebrales-20260905)
• A trial with asymptomatic patients to see if Alzheimer’s can be predicted. The aim is to recruit 1,600 volunteers between 55 and 80 years old worldwide (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/sep/05/alzheimers-trial-drug-dementia)
• Could we really live to 120? Among people who live past 110, they are almost exclusively women. (https://sante.lefigaro.fr/mieux-etre/pourrions-nous-vraiment-vivre-jusqu-a-120-ans-20260902)
• The drug that will revolutionize the treatment of pancreatic cancer is already available in the USA. When will it arrive in Europe? The EMA takes an average of three months longer to approve medications (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260901/farmaco-revolucionara-cancer-pancreas-disponible-eeuu-llegara-europa/1003744368372_0.html)
• This is how DNA shapes our personality: more than 1,200 genetic variants help determine personality. A large-scale study analyzing more than one million people concludes that the influence of the family environment on the development of curiosity or kindness is less than previously thought. (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-09-02/asi-moldea-el-adn-nuestra-forma-de-ser-mas-de-1200-variantes-geneticas-ayudan-a-determinar-la-personalidad.html)
• Spanish gene therapy for Alzheimer’s reaches the clinical phase. Álvaro Pascual-Leone, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and medical director of Tetraneuron (a spin-off of the Cajal Institute-CSIC), pours all his scientific enthusiasm into a project by this biotechnology company that could represent a turning point in Alzheimer’s disease (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/neurologia/terapia-genica-espanola-alzheimer-llega-fase-clinica-aspiramos-revertir-patologia.html)
• Longevity revolution 2026: the first clinical trials to reverse aging begin in Humans. From this perspective, aging is considered a treatable medical condition (https://www.eltiempo.com/mas-cincuenta/revolucion-de-la-longevidad-2026-inician-los-primeros-ensayos-clinicos-para-revertir-la-edad-en-humanos-3575840

Global Health

• The decline of humanity: the birth rate crisis is reaching every corner of the world, and faster than expected. Humanity has entered a new era. For the first time in history, the birth rate is below the replacement rate of about 2.2 children per woman. And what is surprising is the pace of change. The collapse in the birth rate has arrived with greater intensity than demographers anticipated in all regions of the world. (https://www.elconfidencial.com/economia/2026-09-06/declive-humanidad-crisis-natalidad-llega-todos-los-rincones_4417654/)
• How to save the WHO. The WHO is in a critical situation, as serious as the one a few years ago that led to the election of former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland as its director. The deadline for submitting applications is September 24, and four candidates are known, among whom Spain is not mentioned in the article (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)01805-2/fulltext)
• More than 6,000 people affected by Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to government figures (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/more-than-6000-people-infected-with-ebola-congo-government-figures-show-2026-08-31/)
• The WHO expects the results of clinical trials of the Ebola vaccine by October or November (https://sante.lefigaro.fr/social/sante-publique/ebola-en-rdc-l-oms-espere-des-essais-cliniques-de-vaccins-des-octobre-ou-novembre-20260902)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The uncomfortable discovery of “Make America Healthy Again”. Public health in the USA is threatened, as its institutions are being colonized by anti-vaxxers and prestigious scientists are being dismissed (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/blogs/uncomfortable-make-america-healthy-again-public-health)
  • Subscription medications. Two-State Experience (https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20260831.263402/full/)
  • The Trump Administration announces pricing agreements with Alcon, Astellas, BeOne, BridgeBio, CSL, Kyowa Kirin, Sun Pharma, Teva, and UCB, which commit to Most Favored Nation pricing and increased US production (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/trump-administration-announce-drug-pricing-deals-2026-08-31/)
  • The Pentagon-NIH agreement on biodefense raises alarm among Democrats (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/04/us/politics/pentagon-nih-biodefense-agreement.html)
  • Hospitals say the expected Trump Administration regulations will be Worse than Medicaid cuts (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/02/hospitals-say-coming-regulations-worse-than-medicaid-cuts-01060086)
  • $480,000 a year represents the new normal for cancer drugs. Revolution Medicines, the maker of the new pancreatic cancer therapy, has set a price of $480,000 a year or $663 per tablet, a cost that would have been unthinkable not long ago (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/business/pancreatic-cancer-drug-prices.html)
  • 600,000 seniors have already signed up for anti-obesity medication under Medicare (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/600,000-seniors-have-signed-up-obesity-drugs-under-new-medicare-program-2026-08-31/)

• China
  • Science, pigs, and money: the race between the US and China to make animal-to-human transplants viable. Techniques like CRISPR gene editing are already making survival rates of nearly a year possible, something unheard of until recently (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-09-06/ciencia-cerdos-y-dinero-la-carrera-entre-ee-uu-y-china-por-hacer-viables-los-trasplantes-de-animales-a-humanos.html)

• United Kingdom
  • 24-hour prevention: how Greater Manchester is putting prevention into practice, where the new Prime Minister Andy Burnham comes from (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/blogs/greater-manchester-prevention-practice)
  • The UK offers an additional £50 million to contain Ebola in the DRC (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/uk-pledges-additional-50-million-help-contain-ebola-outbreak-congo-2026-09-01/)

• France
  • They propose the creation of an independent authority whose mission is to evaluate the health impact of laws and public policies. This is because the defense of health is sometimes in tension with other interests (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/09/03/nous-proposons-la-creation-d-une-autorite-independante-dont-la-mission-sera-d-evaluer-l-impact-sanitaire-des-lois-et-des-politiques-publiques_6765130_3232.html)
  • Shared electronic health records are not yet sufficiently developed to be fully interoperable. Doctors are not contributing enough to the shared medical record (https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/le-dossier-medical-partage-n-a-pas-atteint-un-niveau-suffisant-pour-en-faire-un-outil-pleinement-mobilisable-20260902)
  • Heat wave in France registers 7,000 additional deaths by the end of July, according to the health minister (https://sante.lefigaro.fr/vagues-de-chaleur-la-france-a-enregistre-7000-morts-supplementaires-jusqu-a-fin-juillet-annonce-la-ministre-de-la-sante-20260904)

• Latin America
  • The US Embassy issues a health alert in Cuba following the blockade, which has led to a spike in intestinal illnesses and diarrhea (https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-embassy-issues-health-alert-cuba-amid-oil-blockade-sanctions-2026-09-05/)
  • Suicide now causes more deaths in Argentina and Uruguay than homicides (https://www.vozpopuli.com/internacional/el-suicidio-ya-causa-mas-muertes-en-argentina-y-uruguay-que-los-homicidios.html)
  • Patients in Colombia urge the government to urgently identify those responsible for key entities within the healthcare system. The organization warns that pending appointments are affecting institutional capacity amid the sector’s crisis (https://www.eltiempo.com/salud/pacientes-colombia-pide-al-gobierno-definir-con-urgencia-responsables-de-entidades-clave-del-sistema-de-salud-3581808)

• Europe
  • Medical consultations are increasing in Europe; telemedicine is gaining ground in much of the region. Estonia, Portugal, and Sweden are the countries that have made the most use of telemedicine in recent years, according to data published by Eurostat (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/aumentan-las-consultas-medicas-en-europa-la-telemedicina-gana-peso-en-gran-parte-del-territorio.html)
  • There is no basis for forcing pharmaceutical companies to pay for wastewater treatment, according to the Advocate General of the CJEU (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260904/no-base-obligar-pharmas-pagar-tratamiento-aguas-residuales-abogada-general-tjue/1003744372951_0.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Administration
  • The Treasury pushes through the reform of regional financing, with the support of Catalonia and the Canary Islands. The new model has gone ahead because the government, which holds 50% of the vote, only needed the support of one autonomous community (https://elpais.com/economia/2026-09-04/el-gobierno-sienta-a-las-comunidades-del-pp-en-la-reunion-con-hacienda-a-pesar-del-planton-de-ayuso.html)
  • Catalonia will have better healthcare and education. The autonomous communities, however, reject the fact that it was designed unilaterally with the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), whose leader, Oriol Junqueras, was in charge of announcing it after meeting with Pedro Sánchez at the Moncloa Palace. The reform is also steeped in the principle of ordinality, a demand of Catalan separatists, to ensure that Catalonia is not disadvantaged when distributing the system’s resources (https://www.eldebate.com/economia/20260905/cataluna-tendra-mejor-sanidad-educacion-consejeros-psoe-desarman-financiacion-impuesta-sanchez_455529.html)

• Regional Administrations
  • The relocation of the Hospital Clínic, the creation of one million homes, and the relocation of the Faculty of Pharmacy to Esplugues (https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2026-09-02/el-traslado-del-hospital-clinic-de-barcelona-habra-un-millar-de-viviendas-y-esplugues-acogera-la-facultad-de-farmacia.html)
  • La Rioja increases its healthcare budget by 70 million in 2027, reaching 749 million (https://diariofarma.com/2026/09/01/la-rioja-elevara-el-presupuesto-de-sanidad-en-70-millones-en-2027-hasta-alcanzar-los-749)
  • Catalonia opens two new private medical schools in the 2026-27 academic year (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/cataluna-estrena-nuevas-facultades-medicina-privadas-curso-2026-27.html)
  • The new hospital in Teruel opens. Finally, after a long wait, the new Obispo Polanco Hospital in Teruel has opened its doors. Problems finding professionals (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/aragon/abre-el-nuevo-hospital-de-teruel-da-igual-la-infraestructura-si-no-hay-profesionales-para-utilizarla.html)
  • Real cost, transparency, and legal certainty: Madrid and the Basque Country’s objectives for the Health Cohesion Fund (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/20260831/costes-reales-transparencia-seguridad-juridica-objetivos-de-madrid-euskadi-para-el-fondo-cohesion-sanitaria/349393_0.html)

• The Ceuta conflict
  • Healthcare unions denounce the lack of transparency from the Ministry of Health in an attempt to hide the reality of healthcare in Ceuta (https://medicinaresponsable.com/actualidad-sanitaria/sindicatos-denuncian-opacidad-sanidad-ceuta)

• Conflict Doctors
  • Doctors will begin an indefinite strike in October in protest against the Framework Statute and the government (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260902/medicos-haran-huelga-indefinida-partir-octubre-rechazo-estatuto-marco-gobierno/1003744370149_0.html)
  • Legal action against the Framework Statute is among the options doctors are considering to join the strike (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/politica/20260905/la-via-legal-contra-el-estatuto-marco-se-cuela-entre-las-opciones-de-los-medicos-para-sumarla-la-huelga/350065_0.html)

• Hospitals
  • Best in Class Hospital Ranking 2026 (https://gacetamedica.com/mas/bic/ranking-hospitales-best-in-class-2026-mejores-centros-espana/)
  • The Jiménez Díaz Foundation leads in patient experience in Spain, followed by CHUS and Sant Pau (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/madrid/20260903/la-jimenez-diaz-lidera-la-experiencia-del-paciente-en-espana-seguida-por-el-chus-sant-pau/350132_0.html)

Companies

• International
  • What the arrival of GLP-1 generics will mean. Generics will expand access, which is currently very limited (https://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100748)
  • Lilly is going to buy Merida Biosciences for up to $2.088 billion (https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/eli-lilly-buy-merida-biosciences-288-billion-deal-2026-08-31/)
  • Lilly is suing Galenicum in the USA for infringing Mounjaro’s patents (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/14011583/09/26/el-gigante-lilly-demanda-a-galenicum-en-eeuu-por-la-infraccion-de-patentes-de-mounjaro.html)
  • Kylian Mbappé is founding a health start-up for Expanding in West Africa and buying an insurance company in Senegal (https://www.ft.com/content/c4cc661e-cb38-4d40-9d34-950c22e02301?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • From Korea to Europe: the automated pharmacy revolution (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/profesion/corea-europa-revolucion-farmacia-automatizada.html)
  • Nestlé agrees to sell its vitamin business to a fund for 850 million euros (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-09-01/nestle-acuerda-la-venta-de-su-negocio-de-vitaminas-a-un-fondo-por-850-millones-de-euros.html)

• NationalNews
  • Vithas enters the health data race: a business of 1 billion to grow at 15%. The hospital group launches the ‘Vithas Data Space’ platform to leverage its anonymized clinical data (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/14010866/08/26/vithas-entra-en-la-carrera-de-los-datos-sanitarios-un-negocio-de-1000-millones-que-crecera-al-15.html)
  • PharmaMar anticipates public reimbursement of its anti-cancer drug in 95% of the EU by 2027 (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/14010539/08/26/pharmamar-preve-el-reembolso-publico-de-su-antitumoral-en-el-95-de-la-ue-en-2027.html)
  • Palex increases revenue but loses €31 million after closing five acquisitions (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2026/08/30/6a948eaee5fdeac70d8b459a.html)

 

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)