Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: Sir Demis Hassabis, head of Google DeepMind and winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, wants to automate drug design.
• Global Health: US-Israeli attacks on Iran have damaged schools and hospitals.
• International Health Policy: Europe approves only 39% of innovative drugs compared to 85% in the United States.
• National Health Policy: The Strike Committee rejects the POP as a mediator in the conflict.
• Business: Pharmaceutical companies are accelerating their efforts in the “obesity market.”

Biomedicine

• Sir Demis Hassabis, head of Google DeepMind and winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, wants to automate drug design, using AI, to treat all diseases.
• A cancer treatment that does more than scientists thought. CAR-T therapy, originally developed for cancer, is now applicable to autoimmune diseases.

Global Health

• How the US-Israeli attacks on Iran have damaged schools and hospitals. The Iranian Red Cross said on April 2 that at least 763 schools and 316 healthcare facilities have been damaged or completely destroyed by the war.
• Health, the most powerful reason to act against climate change. The scientific evidence is unequivocal. The burning of fossil fuels is responsible for millions of deaths each year, both from the climate risks it exacerbates and from the even more immediate cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses, and cancers associated with the air pollution it generates.

International Health Policy

• Europe approves only 39% of innovative medicines compared to 85% in the United States, according to a report by the consultancy CRA, commissioned by EFÑPIA (the European pharmaceutical industry association).
• It is estimated that Long COVID will cost OECD economies $135 billion a year. The reasons are lower productivity, sick leave, and job abandonment.
• OECD healthcare systems face the challenge of an aging population: spending will increase by 2.8% of GDP by 2050. For the healthcare sector, this has a direct consequence: the need for much better integration of healthcare and coordination with social services.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The Strike Committee rejects the Public Health Policy (POP) as a mediator in the conflict, considering that it defends partisan positions and that a mediator should be required to be neutral.
• Sick leave in Spain reached another record high in 2025 with no solutions in sight. Social Security is seeking an agreement to address the problem with unions and employers, who disagree on the causes of the increase in temporary disability.

Companies

• International
  • Pharmaceutical companies are accelerating their efforts in the “obesity market.” Novo Nordisk will offer discounts of up to 50% on Wegovy and Ozempic to expand its customer base in the USA. The pharmaceutical company is betting on accessibility to conquer an underserved mass market
• National News
  • Quirón’s parent company, Fresenius, plans to open new hospitals and expand its centers in Spain during 2026. They anticipate an increase in demand for healthcare services.
  • The “5-star” hospital with which María Cordón wants to change the patient experience. The fully private hospital will operate using reimbursement cards. Located in Pozuelo, it represents an investment of around 100 million euros.

Biomedicine

• The future of pre-conception health. The current view not only affects women’s health, but also that of the couple from a health and nutrition perspective before conception (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00707-5/fulltext)
• Sir Demis Hassabis, head of Google DeepMind and winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, wants to automate drug design, using AI, to treat all diseases (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/04/09/sir-demis-hassabis-wants-to-automate-drug-design)
• Mammography should include AI assistance, allowing it to go beyond the capabilities of radiologists. (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00659-8/fulltext)
• How psychedelics affect the brain. Analysis of hundreds of images shows that psychedelics direct activity in various parts of the brain (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/health/psychedelic-medicine-brain.html)
• A cancer treatment that does more than scientists thought. CAR-T therapy, originally developed for cancer, is now applicable to autoimmune diseases (https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2026/04/car-t-cell-therapy-autoimmune-disease/686742/)
• Three new therapies that regenerate joints open the door to new hope for osteoarthritis. These therapies aim to regenerate cartilage (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260408/nuevas-terapias-regeneran-articulaciones-abren-puerta-nueva-esperanza-artrosis/1003744198105_0.html)
• Why drugs like Ozempic don’t work the same for everyone: age, sex, and genes all play a role. A study identifies genetic variants related to appetite that affect weight loss and the side effects of medications (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-04-08/por-que-los-farmacos-como-ozempic-no-funcionan-igual-para-todos-influye-la-edad-el-sexo-y-tambien-los-genes.html)
• Cancer therapy that has achieved remission in three autoimmune diseases (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-04-09/terapia-cancer-remision-enfermedades-autoinmunes_4335234/). Access the original document: https://www.cell.com/med/fulltext/S2666-6340(26)00078-4
• The largest study on the liver warns of the silent damage caused by poor diet and alcohol. One in 60 adults suffers unknowingly from hepatic fibrosis, a condition in which the organ becomes rigid, affecting its function and potentially progressing to cirrhosis and cancer (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-04-06/el-mayor-estudio-sobre-el-higado-alerta-de-los-estragos-silenciosos-que-de-la-mala-dieta-y-el-alcohol-nunca-me-habia-dolido-nada.html)
• A “smart eye” that self-medicates and keeps glaucoma at bay has been created. The Terasaki Institute in Los Angeles has been presenting science-fiction contact lenses for years. This time, it’s a polymer device that measures eye pressure and autonomously releases medication to reduce it (https://www.abc.es/salud/ojo-inteligente-medica-mantiene-glaucoma-raya-20260408200247-nt.html)
• New opportunity for Parkinson’s: deep brain stimulation with 4 electrodes, instead of the traditional two (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/neurocirugia/nueva-oportunidad-parkinson-estimulacion-cerebral-profunda-4-electrodos-vez-2-tradicionales.html)

Global Health

• Bangladesh launches an emergency vaccination program against the malignant measles epidemic. The death rate is the highest it has been in the last two decades (https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/04/05/le-bangladesh-lance-un-programme-de-vaccination-d-urgence-contre-une-epidemie-de-rougeole-meurtriere_6676907_3210.html)
• How US-Israeli attacks on Iran have damaged schools and hospitals. The Iranian Red Cross said on April 2 that at least 763 schools and 316 healthcare facilities have been damaged or completely destroyed by the war (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/04/09/world/middleeast/us-israel-strikes-iran-structures-damage.html)
• Health, the most powerful reason to act against climate change. The scientific evidence is unequivocal. The burning of fossil fuels is responsible for millions of deaths each year, both because of the climate risks it exacerbates, and because of the even more immediate cardiovascular diseases, respiratory illnesses and cancers associated with the air pollution it generates (https://elpais.com/opinion/2026-04-10/la-salud-la-razon-mas-poderosa-para-actuar-contra-el-cambio-climatico.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Trump’s new science advisors include 12 tech executives and one academic. The composition reflects a focus on technology and industry (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00977-z)

• UK
  • Why the UK can’t pass an assisted dying bill. The bill, passed by the Commons, has been rejected in the House of Lords (https://www.economist.com/britain/2026/04/09/why-cant-britain-pass-an-assisted-dying-bill)

• Brazil
  • There is little chance of abortion being legalized in Brazil. Other large Latin American countries have legalized or decriminalized this practice (https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/04/09/there-is-little-prospect-of-legalising-abortion-in-brazil)

• Europe
  • Europe only approves 39% of innovative medicines compared to 85% in the United States (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260411/europa-solo-da-luz-verde-medicamentos-innovadores-frente-unidos/1003744201991_0.html) Original report by the consultancy CRA, commissioned by EFPIA (https://www.efpia.eu/media/5mvbnamw/assessing-europe-s-competitiveness-as-a-location-for-the-life-sciences-industry.pdf)

• OECD
  • Long Covid is estimated to cost OECD economies $135 billion annually. The reasons include reduced productivity, sick leave, and job losses (https://www.ft.com/content/de4463af-093e-43e2-a928-c41429bccde8?syn-25a6b1a6=1). Access the original document: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2026/03/addressing-the-costs-and-care-for-long-covid_e203e3d0/87a0c171-en.pdf
  • OECD health systems facing the challenge of aging: spending will increase by 2.8% of GDP in 2050. For the health sector, this has a direct consequence: the need to much better integrate healthcare and coordinate with social services (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/los-sistemas-sanitarios-de-la-ocde-ante-el-reto-del-envejecimiento-el-gasto-aumentara-un-28-del-pib-en-2050.html) Access the original document: https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2026/04/future-long-term-care-expenditure-trajectories-across-oecd-countries_00aa6c05/800aba3e-en.pdf

National Health Policy

• Central Administration
  • The government is processing the abortion reform as a matter of urgency. The Socialists want the debate in Congress to take place on Thursday, April 30, coinciding with the poster campaign in Andalusia, which will be held that same evening (https://www.elespanol.com/espana/politica/20260410/gobierno-tramita-reforma-aborto-caracter-urgente-debate-coincida-campana-andaluza/1003744200546_0.html)
  • INGESA is preparing framework agreements to purchase healthcare technology. The agreement for the acquisition of computed tomography equipment is now ready, and the agreement for magnetic resonance imaging will soon be finalized (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260406/ingesa-prepara-acuerdos-marco-comprar-tecnologia-sanitaria-precio-anecdotico/1003744189717_0.html)
  • The reform of the Law on the Regulation of Healthcare Professions: a new problem for healthcare? The problem in this case arises from the professional classification of doctors and nurses (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/reforma-ley-ordenacion-profesiones-sanitarias-nuevo-problema-sanidad.html)
  • Double reform of the healthcare portfolio in the National Health System: nutrition and the catalog of orthotics and prosthetics. Introduces clinical malnutrition and updates products due to funding issues (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/ministerio-sanidad/doble-reforma-de-cartera-en-el-sns-nutricion-y-catalogo-de-ortoprotesis-4234)

• Regional Administrations
  • The Ayuso government delays approval of the new euthanasia manual from the Ministry of Health, which aims to expedite urgent cases (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-04-09/ayuso-retrasa-la-aprobacion-del-nuevo-manual-de-eutanasia-de-sanidad-que-busca-agilizar-los-casos-urgentes.html)
  • Córdoba adds its 405 pharmacies to the list for colon cancer prevention and detection. The province’s pharmacy network will distribute informational materials to reach patients between 50 and 69 years old (https://diariofarma.com/2026/04/09/cordoba-suma-a-sus-405-farmacias-en-la-prevencion-y-deteccion-del-cancer-de-colon)

• Framework Statute
  • The Strike Committee rejects the Public Health Program (POP) as a mediator in the conflict, considering that it defends partisan positions and that a mediator should be required to be neutral (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/comite-de-huelga-rechaza-la-decision-unilateral-del-ministerio-de-llevar-a-la-pop-a-la-reunion-de-este-miercoles.html)

• Sick Leave
  • Sick leave in Spain reached another record high in 2025 with no solutions in sight. Social Security is seeking an agreement to address the problem with unions and employers, who disagree on the causes of the increase in temporary disability (https://elpais.com/economia/2026-04-06/las-bajas-laborales-en-espana-marcaron-en-2025-otro-record-sin-soluciones-a-la-vista.html)

Companies

• International
  • Lilly climbs into the industry’s “top 3” for its anti-obesity treatments (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/industria/2026/04/06/69d2b729e5fdea2a578b458e.html)
  • Pharmaceutical companies are accelerating in the “obesity market.” Novo Nordisk will apply discounts of up to 50% on Wegovy and Ozempic to expand its customer base in the USA. The pharmaceutical company is betting on accessibility to conquer an underserved mass market (https://www.expansion.com/economia/financial-times/2026/04/11/69da1009e5fdea0c568b45ab.html)

• National News
  • Quirón’s parent company, Fresenius, plans to open new hospitals and expand its centers in Spain during 2026. They anticipate an increase in demand for healthcare services (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260408/matriz-quiron-fresenius-planea-abrir-nuevos-hospitales-ampliar-centros-espana/1003744197967_0.html)
  • The “5-star” hospital with which María Cordón wants to change the patient experience. The fully private hospital will operate using reimbursement cards. Located in Pozuelo, it represents an investment of around 100 million euros (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-04-09/nuevo-hospital-memorial-publio-cordon-cbtrrptj_4334318/)
  • CRB Health Tech, the venture capital firm focused on healthcare innovation (https://www.expansion.com/mercados/fondos/2026/04/09/69d75b97e5fdea336d8b4575.html)

Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: Changes in the geography of pharmaceutical innovation, favoring China, which now surpasses the USA.
• Global Health: Child mortality: millions of preventable deaths.
• International health policy: The politicization of the FDA erodes trust in this important institution with global influence.
• National health policy: The Ministry and the autonomous communities agree that an independent body will mediate with doctors to end the strike.
• Companies: Meta and Google held liable in the USA for harm to children’s mental health.

Biomedicine

• The geography of pharmaceutical innovation: USA and China in the new world order. China’s emergence as a powerhouse in drug development represents one of the most significant changes in recent times. The number of drug development programs is currently higher in China than in the USA.

Global Health

• Child mortality: millions of preventable deaths, while cuts in aid minimize progress, warns the United Nations. A report from this organization proves that 4.9 million children died before the age of 5 in 2024.
• The opportunity has arrived for the African Medicines Agency. Created in 2025 and currently under development, it already has a busy agenda.
• Meningitis caused more than 250,000 deaths in 2023, affecting African countries particularly, according to a study. Despite vaccination, the disease primarily affects poor countries, hindering progress toward global health goals.

International Health Policy

• The politicization of the FDA erodes trust. The role of the US FDA is to evaluate medicines from a safety and efficacy standpoint, and its decisions have a global impact. The changes implemented by the Trump Administration are eroding trust in this organization.
• The King’s Fund presents its report on public satisfaction with the NHS and social services in 2025. In that year, satisfaction scores improved for the NHS.
• The OECD presents its roadmap for the use of AI in health. The organization’s diagnosis is that the transformative potential of AI in health “is not being fully realized due to fragmented databases, a lack of coherence in policies and practices, and structural and governance barriers that hinder its scalability.”

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The Ministry and the autonomous communities agree that an independent body will mediate with doctors to end the strike. It was about time; however, it is not positive that one of the parties (the Ministry) is initially setting limits on what it is willing to offer, clearly excluding a specific statute for doctors.
• A decree is announced to determine the actual length of waiting lists. The Minister of Health, Mónica García, announced this Thursday that the Government will modify the royal decree regulating waiting lists to give the system “transparency and traceability.” Very importantly, in the past the Ministry of Health ignored waiting lists, considering it a problem for the regional governments, as if fulfilling a substantial part of the healthcare services portfolio were not also the Ministry’s responsibility.
• The Ministry prohibits cosmetic surgeries for doctors who are not specialists. The Council of Ministers approves a Royal Decree to guarantee that care is provided exclusively by personnel “with the appropriate qualifications and skills.”

Companies

• International
  • Meta and Google found liable in the USA for harm to children’s mental health caused by social media. The jury proposed fines of $3 billion, primarily against Meta, owned by Mark Zuckerberg, for its actions on Instagram.
• National
  • Juan Abarca, acting individually, not as HM Hospitals, buys Redacción Médica and opens a new chapter for this healthcare digital publication, with the ambition of influencing the sector. A move that will undoubtedly have consequences, given the importance of the professional healthcare press.

Biomedicine

• The Geography of Pharmaceutical Innovation: USA and China in the New World Order. China’s emergence as a drug development powerhouse represents one of the most significant changes in recent times. The number of drug development programs is currently higher in China than in the USA (https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2026.2390)
• A combination of radiotherapy and experimental gene therapy shows a “potent antitumor effect” in animal models. In mouse studies, the approach developed by researchers at CIMA (a research center affiliated with the University of Navarra) has shown it to be safe and effective (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/03/23/69c10ddfe4d4d8625a8b4570.html)

Global Health

• Child Mortality: Millions of preventable deaths, while aid cuts minimize progress, warns the United Nations. A United Nations report proves that 4.9 million children died before the age of 5 in 2024. (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s540?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra). To access the UN report: https://data.unicef.org/resources/levels-and-trends-in-child-mortality-2025/
• The opportunity has arrived for the African Medicines Agency. Established in 2025 and currently under development, it already has a busy agenda (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00601-X/fulltext)
• Meningitis caused more than 250,000 deaths in 2023, disproportionately affecting African countries, according to a study. Despite vaccination, the disease is hitting poor countries hardest, with progress toward global health goals slow (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/03/28/la-meningite-a-fait-plus-de-250-000-morts-en-2023-touchant-particulierement-les-pays-africains-selon-une-etude_6674793_3244.html)
• Diabetes, often overlooked and without proper screening, is a new risk for Africa. Diabetes deaths are approaching those from infectious diseases (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/23/health/diabetes-africa-cameroon-type-5.html)
• The Iran-Contra conflict threatens MRI scanners: a third of the world’s liquid helium comes from Qatar. This material is essential for cooling the magnets used in MRI machines, which need to be refilled periodically (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260326/guerra-iran-amenaza-resonancias-magneticas-tercio-helio-liquido-mundial-procede-qatar/1003744183688_0.html)
• Europe fails to detect one in five cases of tuberculosis. Europe continues to struggle with tuberculosis detection, failing to identify one in five cases, according to a report published Monday by the World Health Organization Europe and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/03/23/69c11e41fc6c83a3088b4590.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The politicization of the FDA erodes trust. The FDA’s role is to evaluate drugs from a safety and efficacy standpoint, and its decisions have a global impact. Changes under the Trump Administration are eroding trust in this organization (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00600-8/fulltext)
  • The Environmental Protection Agency is being sued by 24 states over changes to the criteria for regulating greenhouse gases. These states say that under the Trump Administration, the Agency is weakening the fight against these gases. (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s556?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)
  • RFK Jr. is losing control of the CDC (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2026/03/cdc-director-hhs-kennedy-bhattacharya/686541/)
  • As RFK Jr. tries to regulate food companies, they resist (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/27/health/rfk-food-ingredients-fda.html)

• United Kingdom
  • The King’s Fund presents its report on public satisfaction with the NHS and social services in 2025. In that year, satisfaction results improved in the NHS (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/reports/public-satisfaction-nhs-social-care-2025-bsa). Access the full document: https://assets.kingsfund.org.uk/f/256914/x/bd8551f32f/public_satisfaction_nhs_bsa2025_march2026.pdf

• France
  • The French healthcare system suffers from weaknesses in prevention policies (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/03/26/le-systeme-de-sante-francais-souffre-de-la-faiblesse-des-politiques-de-prevention_6674309_3232.html)

• OECD
  • The OECD presents its roadmap for the use of AI in healthcare. The organization’s diagnosis is that the transformative potential of AI in healthcare “is not being fully realized due to fragmented databases, a lack of coherence in policies and practices, and structural and governance barriers that hinder its scalability.” This is not a technological problem, but rather an organizational, regulatory, and cultural one. (https://www.consalud.es/politica/como-mejorar-el-uso-de-la-inteligencia-artificial-en-los-sistemas-sanitarios-la-ocde-presenta-su-hoja-de-ruta.html). Access the original document: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/scaling-artificial-intelligence-in-health_a436e12d-en.html

National Health Policy

• Central Administration
  • A decree is announced to determine the actual length of waiting lists. The Minister of Health, Mónica García, announced this Thursday that the Government will modify the royal decree regulating waiting lists to give the system “transparency and traceability” (https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/monica-garcia-anuncia-decreto-conocer-duracion-real-listas-espera-no-pasa-pacientes_1_13100879.html)
  • The Ministry will reduce bureaucratic delays in euthanasia procedures. It aims to approve a Good Practices Manual on Euthanasia by 2026 (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260326/sanidad-reducira-plazos-burocraticos-eutanasia-reforzara-papel-enfermera-proceso/1003744183563_0.html)
  • The drug law is diluted amidst the political and health debate. The Minister of Health highlighted the importance of the initiative without specifying its current status, despite the fact that the Ministry was “finalizing the last review” in October of last year (https://elglobalfarma.com/politica/ley-medicamentos-diluye-debate-politico-sanitario/).

• Framework Statute
  • The Ministry and the autonomous communities agree that an independent body will mediate with the doctors to end the strike (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260327/sanidad-ccaa-acuerdan-organismo-independiente-medie-medicos-poner-fin-huelga/1003744186788_0.html).
  • The Platform of Patient Organizations (POP) puts itself forward to mediate between the government and doctors. “We believe we can bring transparency to the negotiations,” explains Carina Escobar, president of the association.(https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260328/plataforma-pacientes-pop-postula-mediar-gobierno-medicos-buena-relacion/1003744187010_0.html)

• Violence against doctors
  • Violence against doctors reaches record levels in Spain. According to data from the Spanish Medical Association, there were 897 attacks on doctors in 2025. (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s560?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)

• Cosmetic Surgery
  • The Ministry bans cosmetic surgeries to doctors who do not have the specialty. The Council of Ministers approves a Royal Decree to guarantee that care is provided exclusively by personnel “with the appropriate qualifications and skills” (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-03-24/sanidad-veta-las-cirugias-esteticas-a-los-medicos-que-no-tengan-la-especialidad.html)

• Palliative care
  • Spain, at the bottom of the European rankings in palliative care teams, with only 0.6 per 100,000 inhabitants. Spain is at the bottom of the European rankings in palliative care and far from the two teams recommended by the European Association for Palliative Care, the association of professionals specializing in the field. (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260327/espana-cola-europa-equipos-cuidados-paliativos-solo-habitantes/1003744185609_0.html)

• Research
  • The end of Next-Gen funding plunges Spanish R&D into a crisis due to a lack of funding. In August of this year, the Next Generation EU funds, which the EU promoted as a resilience mechanism for economic recovery after the pandemic, will expire. (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260322/final-next-gen-arroja-id-espanola-crisis-falta-financiacion/1003744178176_0.html)

• Healthcare for immigrants
  • Vox drags the PP into the debate on restricting healthcare for immigrants. The PP advocates limiting… Emergency healthcare for undocumented immigrants, while far-right groups in Extremadura are demanding that nationals be given priority in all healthcare services (https://elpais.com/espana/2026-03-28/vox-arrastra-al-pp-al-debate-de-restringir-la-sanidad-a-los-inmigrantes.html)

Companies

• International
  • Ozempic, about to become generic for billions of people. In India, China, and other nations, Novo Nordisk is about to lose its patent (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/health/ozempic-wegovy-generic-india-china-canada.html)
  • Meta and Google held liable in the USA for harm to children’s mental health caused by social media. The jury proposed sanctions of $3 billion, primarily against Meta (https://www.ft.com/content/d3d80bd4-d2b1-4522-9752-4071df5b4c0a?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Merck reaches a $5.7 billion agreement with a biotech company to boost its cancer drugs (https://www.ft.com/content/3f695210-8cc0-4736-837a-7961d80588d9?syn-25a6b1a6=1)
  • Gilead Sciences buys autoimmune company Ouro Medicines for $2.2 billion (https://www.ft.com/content/81528c31-c735-41b7-b042-81a811a76877?syn-25a6b1a6=1
  • The two mistakes that the president of Novo Nordisk will have to explain to shareholders (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-03-26/los-dos-errores-que-el-presidente-de-novo-nordisk-tendra-que-explicar-ante-los-accionistas-enfadados.html)

• National News
  • Juan Abarca, acting individually, not as HM Hospitals, buys Redacción Médica and opens a new chapter for this healthcare digital publication (https://www.elconfidencialdigital.com/articulo/medios/presidente-hm-hospitales-compra-diario-online-redaccion-medica/202603271300001012367.html)
  • Grifols is considering an IPO in the United States for its biopharma division (https://www.larazon.es/economia/grifols-estudia-salida-bolsa-estados-unidos-division-biopharma_2026032469c2ffabe9252951fe88f7da.html)
  • Europe recommends Zepzeica (from Pharmamar) as maintenance therapy for small cell lung cancer (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260327/europa-recomienda-zepzelca-pharmamar-terapia-mantenimiento-cancer-pulmon-celula-pequena/1003744186557_0.html)
  • The United States approves the first gene therapy drug “made in Spain” (https://www.abc.es/salud/estados-unidos-aprueba-primer-medicamento-terapia-genica-20260328153659-nt.html)

Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: Changing guidelines on high blood pressure.
• Global health: Data control and sovereignty concerns lead African countries to reject agreements with the US.
• International health policy: One-third of Americans have cut spending or resorted to debt for healthcare.
• National health policy: The Council of Ministers approves the Royal Decree guaranteeing healthcare for undocumented migrants.
• Companies: The FDA proposes eliminating PK clinical trials (pharmacokinetic tests) to expedite the development of biosimilars.

Biomedicine

• Changing guidelines on high blood pressure. The trend is to lower the threshold for what is considered hypertension.
• Certain cancers may be less frequent among vegetarians: prostate, breast, pancreatic, etc. A study in four countries demonstrates a lower risk of cancer in those who abstain from eating meat.
• Breast cancer surgery can be less invasive without losing effectiveness. The study analyzed the evolution of axillary surgery in more than 17,300 breast cancer patients treated between 2010 and 2021 at 68 accredited centers across Europe.

Global Health

• Data control and sovereignty concerns are leading African countries to reject agreements with the US being designed under the increasingly criticized America First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS).
• The human consequences of Epic Fury. The health crisis in Iran and the surrounding Middle East is escalating rapidly, according to Hanan Balkhy, the WHO Regional Director for the Middle East.

International Health Policy

• One-third of Americans have cut back on healthcare spending or taken out loans. Many Americans are making sacrifices in the face of rising healthcare costs.
• UK-US agreement on drug prices. Ministers give NICE a role in approvals, despite reservations.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The Council of Ministers approves the Royal Decree guaranteeing healthcare for undocumented migrants. It appears the measure was improvised, without assessing the economic impact or the potential pull factor. According to this law, any relative of immigrants can come to Spain and seek medical treatment. It would be important to analyze comparative law to see if this is the case in other European countries. The People’s Party (PP) opposes this Royal Decree.
• The Community of Madrid is the first autonomous community to support the creation of its own statute for physicians.

Companies

• International
  • The FDA proposes eliminating PK clinical trials (pharmacokinetic tests) to expedite the development of biosimilars.

• National
  • Dental visits are the biggest healthcare expense for Spanish families. According to the Spanish Consumers and Users Organization (OCU), households spend an average of €667 annually on dental expenses, making it the largest single healthcare expenditure in the country.

Biomedicine

• Changing guidelines on high blood pressure. The trend is to lower the threshold for what is considered hypertension. (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/health/blood-pressure-guidelines-hypertension-dementia.html)
• The battle for supremacy in weight loss shifts from injections to pills. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy tablet offers the Danish manufacturer the opportunity to compete with Lilly (https://www.ft.com/content/6e805306-5195-40d5-b1a2-fe2700d7721b)
• Certain cancers may be less common among vegetarians: prostate, breast, pancreatic, etc. A study conducted in four countries shows a lower risk of cancer in those who abstain from eating meat (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/03/11/prostate-sein-pancreas-certains-cancers-seraient-moins-frequents-chez-les-vegetariens_6670539_3244.html)
• Wegovy is associated with a higher risk of “eye stroke” than other anti-obesity drugs. An FDA adverse effects analysis reveals that the chances of developing ischemic optic neuropathy are five times higher with this drug than with Ozempic. All signs point to high doses (https://www.abc.es/salud/wegovy-asocia-mayor-riesgo-infarto-ocular-farmacos-20260310042620-nt.html)
• Breast cancer surgery can be less invasive without losing effectiveness. The study analyzed the evolution of axillary surgery in more than 17,300 breast cancer patients treated between 2010 and 2021 in 68 accredited units across Europe (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/03/10/69b00b5621efa08e578b456e.html)
• The solution to fertility problems may lie in the brain. The RANK protein acts as a key mediator in cell-to-cell communication (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-03-12/relacion-celulas-cerebro-fertilidad_43)

Global Health

• Global health in an era of US extraction, with the destruction of global health by 2025. The United States is targeting African countries with high-cost bilateral agreements. Extraction is a word Trump likes (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s394?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)
• Iran: WHO calls For the protection of healthcare workers. Healthcare workers and facilities are under fire in the Middle East conflict, warn health leaders and charities. (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s445?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)
• The human consequences of Epic Fury. The health crisis in Iran and the surrounding Middle East is escalating rapidly, according to Hanan Balkhy, the WHO Regional Director for the Middle East (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00497-6/fulltext).
• Peace, let it come quickly. War is bad for health; how can we avoid a war that is being chosen? (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s480)
• Data control and sovereignty concerns are leading African countries to reject agreements with the US designed under the increasingly criticized American First Global Health Strategy (AFGHS) (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00509-X/fulltext)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • A new wave of disruptors is trying to control American healthcare. American healthcare is very expensive and generates significant user dissatisfaction. This has led many large companies, such as Google, IBM, Amazon, and others, to experience major failures in trying to “fix” the system. In these changing times, AI is looking to play a role in this regard, and the ChapGPT is playing an increasingly important part (https://www.economist.com/business/2026/03/10/a-new-wave-of-disrupters-takes-on-american-health-care)
  • Two states (Vermont and Indiana) stand out for their soaring hospital prices. Since 2000, hospital prices have risen 250%, double the rate of healthcare spending and triple the rate of inflation (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2026/03/12/two-very-different-states-take-aim-at-soaring-hospital-prices)
  • One-third of Americans have cut back on healthcare spending or taken out loans. Many Americans are making sacrifices in the face of rising healthcare costs (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/health/health-costs-cutting-back.html)
  • The FDA opens the door to cigarettes with more flavors, such as mint, coffee, or tea, to attract more adults (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/health/fda-e-cigarettes-flavors.html)
  • A Trump memo attacks the Cuban doctors program. The US government is trying to hinder the Cuban doctors program abroad (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/cuban-doctors-us-pressure-00827683)

• United Kingdom
  • New deficits in NHS funding. Many of the trusts are in deficit, meaning spending exceeds the budget (https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/data-and-charts/nhs-trusts-deficit)
  • UK-USA agreement on drug prices. Ministers give NICE a role in approvals, despite reservations (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s442?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)

• France
  • More than 20,000 people from over 65 people died from falls in 2024. Between 2019 and 2024, the number of deaths from falls rose by 18% (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/03/13/plus-de-20-000-personnes-de-plus-de-65-ans-sont-mortes-a-cause-d-une-chute-en-2024-un-phenomene-en-augmentation-et-encore-inexplique_6671008_3225.html)

• European Union
  • Fertility in the European Union: motherhood is being delayed until age 35 or older for the first child. The latest data on fertility and births in Europe, published by Eurostat, confirms that Spain is one of the countries with the fewest births in the last ten years. years(https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/fertilidad-en-la-union-europea-la-maternidad-se-retrasa-hasta-los-35-anos-o-mas-para-el-primer-hijo.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Government
  • The Council of Ministers approves the Royal Decree guaranteeing healthcare for undocumented migrants (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/03/10/69afd778e9cf4a47378b45a8.html)
  • The Ministry of Health rules out an audit of the controversial MIR exam, but will allocate €10.2 million to its management and digitization (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-03-10/10-2-millones-gestion-mir-ministerio-de-sanidad_4317899/)

• Regional Governments
  • The Canary Islands approves the 2026-2031 Health Plan with 49 priority areas (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/canarias/canarias-aprueba-el-plan-de-salud-2026-2031.html)
  • The Parliament of Cantabria sets a maximum of 15 days for delivering the results of biopsies suspected of being cancerous (https://diariofarma.com/2026/03/12/el-parlamento-de-cataluna-exige-retirar-el-proyecto-de-ley-de-gestion-publica-por-invadir-competencias)
  • The initial project for the future Girona health campus has been selected (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/seleccionado-proyecto-inicial-futuro-campus-salud-girona.html)
  • Asturian healthcare will subject the specialties with the longest waiting lists to an audit (https://www.elcomercio.es/asturias/sanidad-asturias-especialidades-listas-espera-auditoria-20260310201008-nt.html)
  • Galicia’s new strategy against rare diseases (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/enfermedades-raras-galicia-acceso-precoz/)

• Negotiations on the Framework Statute
  • The Community of Madrid, the first autonomous community to support the creation of its own statute for doctors (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/03/12/69b2f4a2e4d4d8801f8b45b9.html)
  • Doctors deny the existence of the agreement defended by Mónica García and call her proposal “poor and ridiculous” (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/medicos-niegan-que-exista-acuerdo-que-defiende-monica-garcia-califican-propuesta-pobre-ridicula_2026031369b414cfd489bf782e18fb37.html)

• Public Management Law
  • The Parliament of Catalonia demands the withdrawal of the Public Management Law (https://diariofarma.com/2026/03/12/el-parlamento-de-cataluna-exige-retirar-el-proyecto-de-ley-de-gestion-publica-por-invadir-competencias)
  • The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and Together for Catalonia (Junts) avoid supporting a motion on public management of the National Health System (SNS) proposed by the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE). (https://diariofarma.com/2026/03/08/pnv-y-junts-evitan-apoyar-una-mocion-sobre-gestion-publica-del-sns-del-psoe)

• Royal Decree on healthcare for undocumented immigrants
  • The PP opposes it. It warns that the measure is being taken without planning and in a context of overburdened public healthcare professionals (https://diariofarma.com/2026/03/10/criticas-del-pp-al-decreto-de-cobertura-universal-convierte-la-irregularidad-en-un-derecho)

• Study on oral health in Spain
  • White Paper on Oral Health from the General Council of Dentists. It analyzes the evolution over a quarter of a century: 2000-2025 (https://consejodentistas.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026.02.09-Libro-blanco-salud-oral-2025-1.pdf)

Companies

• International
  • The boom in counterfeit obesity drugs. Due to high prices, lack of insurance coverage, and the desire to lose weight, counterfeit medications are proliferating, generating health concerns. (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00461-7/fulltext)
  • Sales of the obesity drug Mounjaro catapult Lilly to the top spot as the world’s leading pharmaceutical company in revenue (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260313/ventas-farmaco-obesidad-mounjaro-catapultan-eli-lilly-primera-pharma-mundial-ingresos/1003744166443_0.html)
  • The FDA is considering eliminating PK clinical trials (pharmacokinetic tests) to expedite the development of biosimilars (https://diariofarma.com/2026/03/09/la-fda-plantea-la-eliminacion-de-estudios-clinicos-pk-para-agilizar-el-desarrollo-de-biosimilares)

• National
  • New contract for Quirón in Madrid: management of the central laboratory for several areas (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2026-03-11/nuevo-contrato-para-quiron-en-madrid-la-empresa-se-dispone-a-gestionar-un-laboratorio-donde-cunde-el-temor-a-despidos.html)
  • Visiting the dentist is the biggest healthcare expense for Spanish families. According to the Consumers and Users Organization (OCU), households spend an average of €667 per year on dental expenses, making it the highest healthcare expenditure in the country. (https://www.gacetadesalud.com/pacientes/noticias/13808698/03/26/acudir-al-dentista-se-corona-como-el-mayor-gasto-sanitario-de-las-familias-espanolas.html)

Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: An mRNA vaccine shows potential in triple-negative breast cancer.
• Global Health: Why does the US vaccine recall not only affect the US?
• International Health Policy: Two prosecutors and 13 states oppose RFK, Jr.’s anti-vaccine policies.
• National Health Policy: Feijóo (PP) is open to considering a specific statute for doctors.
• Business: Pharmaceutical companies are building bridges to the patent precipice.

Biomedicine

• An mRNA vaccine shows potential in triple-negative breast cancer. A preliminary trial with 14 patients with triple-negative breast cancer indicates that it triggers robust immune responses safely and lastingly.
• A new single-pill treatment for HIV promises a solution for survivors of this disease.
• The discovery of genetic variants that predispose individuals to smoking opens new therapeutic avenues against tobacco addiction. Smoking is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year. Although its harmful effects are widely known, addiction makes quitting smoking a difficult task, and available treatment options remain limited.

Global Health

• Why does the US withdrawal of vaccines not only affect the US? The modification of the childhood vaccination schedule by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last January will foreseeably have public health implications for the American population, but the consequences may extend further. The CDC removed six of the 17 vaccines previously recommended for this population segment: the flu and COVID-19 vaccines for children, as well as those for rotavirus, meningitis, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. These vaccines can still be administered in the US, but only after consultation with a specialist, that is, under the shared clinical decision-making approach coined by the US administration.

International Health Policy

• Two Attorneys General and 13 States Oppose RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Policies. A coalition of 14 state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, has filed a multistate lawsuit against the Trump Administration for the “unprecedented” changes to the childhood immunization schedule.
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: A Year of Failures. Serious errors in vaccine policy, nutritional recommendations, and cuts to research.
• Europe Wants to Guarantee Diagnosis of Rare Diseases within 12 Months. The European Parliament is finalizing an initiative to create a binding framework for these illnesses. The current average for a diagnosis exceeds four years.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Feijóo (PP) is open to considering a specific statute for doctors. He has conveyed to physicians that he supports the need for them to have their own negotiating body. The unions’ virtual monopoly on negligence with the Administration, contrary to the consideration of the “professionalism” of doctors and other professionals.
• In its submissions to the Ministry, the FADSP (Federation of Associations for the Defense of Public Health) states that the safeguards established in the Draft Law on Public Management to prevent the “privatization” of the National Health System (SNS) seem insufficient. Submissions are also expected from the IDIS Foundation and ASPE, most likely taking a very different stance, given the attack that the Draft Law on Public Management represents on public/private partnerships in healthcare, proposing a change along “Podemos-style” lines to the General Health Law.

Companies

• International
  • Pharmaceutical companies are building bridges to the patent precipice. Only 10% of the drug revenues of the top 20 firms will still have patent protection in a decade.

• National News
  • FENIN calls for institutional support to increase medical technology manufacturing in Spain. Fenin has presented the study ‘Medical Technology Manufacturers in Spain’, which offers a comprehensive overview of the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

Biomedicine

• Grail’s cancer detection test fails in a major study. The test seemed promising for avoiding late cancer diagnoses, but this has not been confirmed in a large clinical trial (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/20/health/cancer-detection-test-grail.html)
• Longevity and wellness are driving the promotion of miracle cures, never tested on humans. Health influencers play a significant role in this (https://www.ft.com/content/0f682ce3-b0e7-46bc-8d1a-e288f24ad8de)
• A new one-time HIV pill promises a solution for survivors of the disease (https://www.ft.com/content/4fe55a54-0d89-4dca-9724-cc22044dc0fa). Original article in The Lancet: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00307-7/fulltext
• Vegetarians have a lower risk of five cancers, including breast, prostate, and kidney cancer (https://www.ft.com/content/ce5a1436-51a8-4d3c-9eaa-4c8644bacf83)
• The discovery of genetic variants that predispose individuals to smoking opens new therapeutic avenues for combating tobacco addiction. Smoking is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide each year. Although its harmful effects are widely known, addiction makes quitting smoking a difficult task, and the available treatment options remain limited (https://elpais.com/expres/2026-02-25/el-hallazgo-de-variantes-geneticas-que-predisponen-a-fumar-abre-nuevas-vias-terapeuticas-contra-la-adiccion-al-tabaco.html)
• The first vaccine to prevent four cancers: colon, rectum, endometrium, and stomach. A Spanish researcher is leading pioneering research against Lynch syndrome at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston (https://www.abc.es/salud/primera-vacuna-prevenir-cuatro-tumores-colon-recto-20260214042656-nt.html)
• A living drug has eliminated tumors in mice with pancreatic, ovarian, or kidney cancer (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-02-26/un-farmaco-viviente-logra-eliminar-los-tumores-de-ratones-con-cancer-de-pancreas-ovario-o-rinon.html). Access the original article: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adv7378
• An mRNA vaccine shows potential in triple-negative breast cancer. A preliminary trial with 14 patients with triple-negative breast cancer indicates that it triggers robust immune responses safely and lastingly (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/oncologia/vacuna-arnm-muestra-potencial-cancer-mama-triple-negativo.html)
• When ChatGPT becomes the medical record in direct-to-consumer care. Interesting analysis from Health Affairs magazine (https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20260210.132574/full/)

Global Health

• Africa lags behind in surgeries that prevent the leading cause of blindness. Three out of four people on the continent do not have access to cataract surgery. Experts warn that there are also gaps in the intervention for glaucoma and eye injuries in children (https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2026-02-23/africa-a-la-cola-de-las-cirugias-que-previenen-la-principal-causa-de-ceguera-nadie-deberia-perder-la-vista-por-cataratas.html)
• The UN proposes a roadmap for Bolivia to reverse its high maternal mortality rates. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) presented a strategy on Tuesday for Bolivia to control and reduce maternal mortality (https://www.abc.es/espana/propone-ruta-bolivia-revierta-altos-ndices-mortalidad-20260225031647-vi.html)
• Why does the US vaccine recall not only affect the US? The modification of the childhood vaccination schedule by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last January will predictably have public health implications for the American population, but the consequences may extend further. The CDC removed six of the 17 vaccines previously recommended for this population segment: the flu and COVID-19 vaccines for children, as well as those for rotavirus, meningitis, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B. These vaccines can still be administered in the U.S., but only after consultation with a specialist, that is, under the shared clinical decision-making approach coined by the U.S. administration. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/medicina-preventiva/retirada-vacunas-eeuu-afecta-eeuu.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The growing success of Medicare drug negotiations, which will achieve significant discounts on 15 new medications in 2027 (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2517584)
  • The new US dietary guidelines: a recipe for worse health. Poor adherence to scientific evidence (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00300-4/fulltext)
  • Federal reforms of PBMs. There is agreement between both parties, Democrats and Republicans, for this reform (https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20260223.563817/full/)
  • Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a year of missteps. Serious errors in vaccine policy, nutritional recommendations, and research cuts (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00414-9/fulltext)
  • Obamacare’s new plans could increase family deductibles by up to $31,000, potentially raising bills for families (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/26/health/obamacare-health-insurance-rollbacks.html)
  • Two attorneys general and 13 states oppose RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine policies. A coalition of 14 state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, has filed a multistate lawsuit against the Trump Administration over “unprecedented” changes to the childhood vaccination schedule. (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/fiscales-guerra-politicas-antivacunas-kennedy-jr-eeuu/)

• France
  • The end-of-life bill has been approved by the Congress and returns to the Senate, along with the bill on palliative care (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/02/25/fin-de-vie-l-assemblee-nationale-approuve-la-proposition-de-loi-instaurant-un-droit-a-l-aide-a-mourir-le-texte-transmis-au-senat_6668257_3224.html)

• European Union
  • Europe wants to guarantee the diagnosis of rare diseases within 12 months. The European Parliament is finalizing an initiative to create a binding framework for these illnesses. The current average for a prognosis exceeds four years (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-02-28/diagnostico-en-12-meses-europa-quiere-garantizar-la-deteccion-temprana-de-las-enfermedades-raras.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Government
  • Public comment periods for the Draft Bills on Patient Participation and Public Management and Integrity of the National Health System. The deadline for both drafts is March 4, 2026 (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/normativa/audiencia/home.htm)

• Regional Governments
  • Andalusia creates specialist research categories for physicians and nurses. The Minister of Health, Antonio Sanz, highlights that “it is the first autonomous community to integrate clinical research into the heart of the healthcare system” (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/andalucia/andalucia-crea-las-categorias-de-facultativo-y-enfermera-especialistas-clinicos-investigadores.html)
  • Valdecilla Hospital activates a unit for Rare Diseases. With funding from European and regional sources, the Rare Diseases Unit at Valdecilla Hospital will integrate 12 medical disciplines (https://diariofarma.com/2026/02/26/valdecilla-activa-en-marzo-su-nueva-unidad-de-ee-rr-en-la-que-realizara-2-000-atenciones-anuales)
  • Alfonso X University has set a date for admission of medical and nursing students in Oviedo. UAX sets the goal of “building a hub for job creation and talent retention” linked to the health sciences sector in Asturias (https://www.elcomercio.es/oviedo/universidad-alfonso-fecha-proceso-admision-estudiantes-medicina-20260226153026-nt.html)
  • The HUCA (Central University Hospital of Asturias) has interminable delays in dermatology; they postpone the review of an oncological lesion for a year (https://www.lne.es/asturias/2026/03/01/efectos-demoras-interminables-dermatologia-huca-127401441.html)

• Problems with the Framework Statute
  • Feijóo (PP) is open to considering a specific Statute for doctors; he has conveyed to physicians that he defends the need for them to have a framework for negotiation (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260227/feijoo-pp-ofrece-valorar-estatuto-marco-exclusivo-medicos-hara-propuesta-proxima-semana/1003744147664_0.html)
  • Mónica García speaks out again against a specific statute for doctors. The Minister of Health, Mónica García, has stated that she sees no need for doctors to have their own statute because “their specificities fit within a common statute” (https://www.abc.es/espana/mnica-garca-estatuto-propio-mdicos-solo-servira-20260223135741-vi.html).

• Public Management Law
  • In its submissions to the Ministry, the FADSP (Federation of Associations for the Defense of Public Healthcare) states that the safeguards established in the Draft Law on Public Management to prevent the “privatization” of the National Health System (SNS) seem insufficient (https://cronicasanitaria.es/2026/02/27/fadsp-considera-que-la-ley-para-limitar-la-colaboracion-publico-privada-en-sanidad-no-garantiza-un-blindaje-suficiente/). Access to FADSP’s allegations: https://fadsp.es/alegaciones-fadsp-ley-sns/

Companies

• International
  • Gilead heats up biotechnology: buys Arcellx for €6.6 billion to strengthen its position in cancer treatment (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-02-23/gilead-calienta-la-biotecnologia-compra-arcellx-por-6600-millones-para-reforzarse-en-los-tratamientos-de-cancer.html)
  • The Novo Nordisk Foundation supports quantum computing beyond Denmark (https://www.ft.com/content/8896a881-5246-4bfd-a989-8e6612026bcf)
  • Novo Nordisk’s stock price plummets after trials of its new obesity drug (https://www.vozpopuli.com/sanitatem/novo-nordisk-se-desploma-en-bolsa-tras-los-ensayos-de-su-nuevo-medicamento-contra-la-obesidad.html)
  • Why pharmaceutical products have not been affected by Trump’s tariffs, an analysis by David Cantarero (IDIVAL) (https://elglobalfarma.com/politica/por-que-productos-farmaceuticos-libran-arancel-trump/)
  • Pharmaceutical companies are buying bridges to the patent precipice. Only 10% of the pharmaceutical revenues of the top 20 companies will still be protected in a decade (https://cincodias.elpais.com/opinion/2026-02-25/las-farmaceuticas-compran-puentes-para-el-precipicio-de-las-patentes.html)

• National
  • FENIN calls for institutional support to increase medical technology manufacturing in Spain. Fenin has presented the study ‘Medical Technology Manufacturers in Spain’, which offers a comprehensive overview of the sector’s contribution to the national economy (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/empresas/fenin-reclama-apoyo-institucional-aumentar-fabricacion-tecnologia-sanitaria-espana.html). Access the original report: https://fenin.es/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FENIN-Informe_Estudio-Fabricantes-TS-Espana-2025.pdf
  • Rovi increases R&D investment by 47% in 2025 (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/rovi-incremento-inversion-id-2025/)
  • Almirall quadruples profits thanks to the surge in biological drugs (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/2026/02/23/699bf97e468aeb73618b459b.html)

Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: Obesity is linked to a 70% higher risk of serious infections.
• Global Health: African countries must take control of their health policies.
• International Health Policy: Trump revokes the greenhouse gas emissions assessment and intensifies the climate offensive.
• National Health Policy: The government approves a bill intended to curb public management of healthcare. A complete absurdity and a compendium of sectarianism.
• Business: Corporate health insurance becomes 10% more expensive, straining company budgets.

Biomedicine

• Obesity is linked to a 70% higher risk of serious infections, including influenza and pneumonia.
• The end of animals in medical experimentation? Both the US and UK governments are calling for an end to the use of animals in experimentation. But we must ask ourselves whether this approach is realistic and will not hinder research progress. The approach is based on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). But until researchers find a model that allows them to model the entire human body, it will be difficult to do without animal experimentation.

Global Health

• African countries must take control of their health policies. Massive aid cuts are having a devastating short-term effect, but they can help build more resilient systems in the long term.
• Peru has had to recall thousands of cancer drugs due to contamination, interrupting cancer treatments. The Andean country has imported at least 118,000 vials of chemotherapy drugs that have ended up being discarded after failing quality tests since 2019, according to an investigation. One in four cancer patients has their treatment delayed due to drug shortages.

International Health Policy

• Trump revokes the greenhouse gas emissions assessment and deepens the climate offensive. The revocation of the hazard assessment approved this Thursday by US President Donald Trump, issued in 2009 establishing that six greenhouse gases are harmful, is the latest in a series of measures by the Republican that run counter to efforts to curb climate change.
• An important article in The Lancet by a group of prestigious academics analyzes the aspirations and implementation of the 10-year Health Plan for NHS England. The plan, published in July 2025, contains a series of policies, ambitions, and objectives. A chapter on implementation is expected.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The new law with which the government wants to curb private management of public healthcare, approved last Tuesday by the Council of Ministers, aims to limit forms of private participation in the public service. The text explicitly prohibits models of construction concessions with subsequent management of the hospital. The draft bill has been made public, giving a deadline of March 4th for submitting contributions to the Ministry. The text is a complete anti-European absurdity, with a ridiculous “scientific” approach in the preamble, a compendium of sectarianism, and harmful to the public healthcare sector. Its only redeeming quality is that it will never be approved, as that is not the intention; rather, it is to generate propaganda by publishing draft bills for which the government lacks a majority and, incidentally, to wage a political battle within “Más Madrid.”
• Thousands of people demonstrated in Madrid against Ayuso’s healthcare policy. The demonstrators, called by unions and neighborhood associations on February 9th, demanded that the regional government halt the privatization of services, chanting “Either you have the checkbook or you’re going to the other side.”
• The Community of Madrid has forgiven 71 million euros to private companies after they assumed responsibility for treating its patients. An internal document from the Ayuso government confirms that the public healthcare system loses millions every year by not billing private hospitals for many of the treatments it provides for its patients.
• Castilla-La Mancha launches the H3.0 health plan with an emphasis on data management. It is a new healthcare model committed to integrating AI, robotics, data analytics, and precision and genomic medicine.
• Some 5,000 doctors in Madrid are demanding the resignation of Mónica García and a specific Framework Statute for their profession. The demonstration on February 14th is a prelude to the five-day strike planned for next week, the first of five strikes scheduled until July. Whatever it may be called, doctors, whose doctor-patient relationship is the core of any healthcare system, need a distinct dialogue. Experience over the years has shown that this dialogue is lost amidst a multifaceted union representation that neither understands nor wants to understand doctors’ positions. The Ministry of Health is responsible for fueling this conflict with its intransigent stance.
• The government has signed an agreement establishing a 21% profit margin for pharmacies (6% for distribution), to be reviewed every two years. Royal Decree 90/2026 on the financing and pricing of healthcare products introduces significant changes to their funding. The final text sets a 21% margin for pharmacies (6% for distribution) and strengthens economic control. It also establishes a review schedule by group for products already on the market.

Companies

• International
  • Novo Nordisk intensifies its battle against Lilly by launching Wegovy in vials. Novo Nordisk will begin marketing Wegovy, its flagship drug, in vials, abandoning the exclusivity of the plastic injection pens it has used until now. This will represent a key strategic shift in its fight for dominance in the weight-loss drug market.

• National
  • Corporate health insurance becomes 10% more expensive, putting pressure on company budgets. Corporate spending on health will remain around 9% in 2026.

Biomedicine

• The end of animals in medical experimentation? Both the US and UK governments are calling for an end to the use of animals in experimentation. But we must ask ourselves whether this approach is realistic and will not hinder the progress of research. The approach is based on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs). But until researchers find a model that allows them to model the entire human body, it will be difficult to do without animal experimentation (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00298-9/abstract).
• Obesity is linked to a 70% higher risk of serious infections, including influenza and pneumonia (https://www.ft.com/content/b6f8a203-c2e5-4e34-bec8-3e0111b37e16). Access the original Lancet study: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02474-2/fulltext
• 2-3 cups of coffee a day are linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s, but not if it’s decaffeinated. This conclusion was reached after following 132,000 people for 40 years (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/health/coffee-tea-dementia-risk.html). Access the original JAMA article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2844764?guestAcces%5b…%5dferral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=020926
• The shortcomings of the ChapGPT test for medical diagnosis (https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2026/02/09/les-failles-de-chatgpt-pour-l-autodiagnostic-medical-revelees-par-une-etude_6666026_4408996.html). Access the original article: https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/2cb29276-68cd-4ec6-a5f4-c01c5e7a36e9/OpenAI-AI-as-a-Healthcare-Ally-Jan-2026.pdf

Global Health

• African countries must take control of their health policies. Massive aid cuts are having a devastating short-term effect, but can help build more resilient systems in the long run (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00381-7)
• Peru has had to recall thousands of cancer drugs due to contamination, disrupting cancer treatments. The Andean country has imported at least 118,000 vials of chemotherapy drugs that have ended up being discarded after failing quality tests since 2019, according to an investigation. One in four cancer patients experiences delays in treatment due to drug shortages (https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2026-02-12/peru-retira-miles-de-medicamentos-importados-contra-el-cancer-por-estar-contaminados-interrumpiendo-tratamientos-vitales.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Trump revokes greenhouse gas hazard assessment and deepens climate offensive. The revocation of the hazard assessment approved this Thursday by US President Donald Trump, issued in 2009 establishing that six greenhouse gases are harmful, is the latest in a series of measures by the Republican that run counter to efforts to curb climate change. (https://www.elindependiente.com/economia/2026/02/13/trump-revoca-el-dictamen-de-peligrosidad-de-los-gases-de-efecto-invernadero-y-profundiza-su-ofensiva-climatica/)
  • The Trump Administration withdraws $600 million in healthcare funding from four Democratic states: California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/health/trump-public-health-cuts-california.html)

• China
  • Drug use in China will double by 2030, while it stabilizes in the USA, Europe, and Japan. A new report from IQVIA highlights that the drugs that will contribute most to increased spending will be those for oncology, immunology, diabetes, and obesity (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/medicamentos-china-duplicara-2030-europa-eeuu-japon-estabiliza/)

• United Kingdom
  • An important article in The Lancet by a group of prestigious academics analyzes the aspirations and implementation of the 10-year Health Plan for NHS England. The plan, published in July 2025, contains a series of policies, ambitions, and objectives. A chapter on implementation is expected (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00035-8/abstract)
  • Millions of women in the UK have access to only one IVF cycle through the NHS. Health authorities continue to cut availability, despite official policies (https://www.ft.com/content/cd560417-8e6b-40fc-b23c-e305fe9fb753)

• France
  • French people exposed to worrying levels of cadmium, lead, and aluminum through food, warns the French Agency for Health Safety (https://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2026/02/12/cadmium-plomb-aluminium-les-francais-exposes-a-des-niveaux-preoccupants-via-l-alimentation-alertent-les-autorites-de-sante_6666416_1651302.html)

• India
  • A patient-centered health system for India. The Indian health system is undergoing a shift towards universal coverage, a crucial component for raising the country’s development status by 2047. The Lancet Commission has made many proposals (https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/india-citizen-health)

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The new law with which the government wants to curb private management in public healthcare, approved last Tuesday by the Council of Ministers, aims to limit forms of private participation in the public service. The text explicitly prohibits models of construction concessions with subsequent hospital management. The draft text has been made public, giving a deadline of March 4th for submitting contributions to the Ministry. The general impression is that the text will not be approved and that it is part of a policy of approving propaganda texts that then never come into effect because they are not passed (https://www.elconfidencial.com/salud/2026-02-10/nueva-ley-frenar-la-gestion-privada-en-la-sanidad-publica_4300485/)
  • Brussels questions the government’s new anti-smoking law. The European Commission and the CNMC warn the Ministry of Health of legal risks, lack of proportionality, and potential distortions of the internal market (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/bruselas-cuestiona-nueva-ley-antitabaco-monica-garcia_20260210698a83f79243cc133c3e799f.html)
  • Up to seven health initiatives hope to pass Congress, including the law to limit public-private partnerships, the tobacco law, the framework statute, the medicines law, and the alcohol law (https://www.consalud.es/politica/hasta-siete-iniciativas-sanitarias-aspiran-a-superar-el-complejo-liston-del-congreso.html)

• Regional governments
  • A report links the precarious state of Emergency Departments in Catalonia with hospital mortality. The Catalan Audit Office and unions denounce the long waiting times and lack of resources in the region’s emergency rooms (https://www.vozpopuli.com/espana/cataluna/un-informe-vincula-la-precariedad-en-las-urgencias-de-cataluna-con-la-mortalidad-hospitalaria.html)
  • The map of the Catalan healthcare system is presented, prioritizing proximity. The new model, although reducing the number of management areas from 43 to 30, promises to “adapt to the specific characteristics of each territory.” (https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2026-02-10/salud-presenta-el-mapa-del-sistema-sanitario-catalan-con-la-creacion-de-30-areas-integradas.html)
  • Thousands of people demonstrate in Madrid against Ayuso’s healthcare policy. The protesters, called together by unions and neighborhood associations, are demanding that the regional government halt the privatization of services, chanting “either you have a checkbook or you’re going to the other side” (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2026-02-08/miles-de-personas-se-manifiestan-en-madrid-contra-la-politica-sanitaria-de-ayuso.html)
  • The Community of Madrid has forgiven 71 million euros to private companies after they assumed responsibility for and treated its patients. An internal document from the Ayuso government confirms that the public health system loses millions every year by not billing private hospitals for many of the treatments it provides for its patients. (https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/comunidad-madrid-perdonado-71-millones-quiron-ribera-salud-asumir-tratar-pacientes_1_12899576.html)
  • Castilla-La Mancha launches the H3.0 health plan with an emphasis on data management. It is a new healthcare model committed to integrating AI, robotics, data analytics, and precision and genomic medicine. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/castilla-mancha-pone-marcha-plan-salud-h30-foco-gestion-datos.html)
  • Cantabria signs improvements with doctors. Its objective is to attract and retain medical professionals, including resident physicians, in the regional health service. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/cantabria-buruaga-firma-medicos-mejoras-supeditadas-presupuestos.html)

• Problems with the Framework Statute
  • Some 5,000 doctors in Madrid are demanding the resignation of Mónica García and their own Framework Statute. The demonstration is a prelude to the five-day strike planned for next week, the first of five planned until July (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-02-14/unos-5000-medicos-piden-en-madrid-la-dimision-de-monica-garcia-y-un-estatuto-marco-propio.html)

• Patient Organizations Law
  • Patient associations disagree on the new law: POP is against it, while the Foro is in favor. The Platform of Patient Organizations (POP) is calling for the correction of Article 2 of the regulations, as it leaves the concept of “patient association” too broad (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260211/desacuerdo-organizaciones-pacientes-nueva-ley-no-soluciona-problema-viene-corregir/1003744125483_0.html)

• Pharmacy
  • The government signs a 21% margin for pharmacies (6% for distributors), to be reviewed every two years. Royal Decree 90/2026 on the financing and pricing of healthcare products introduces significant changes to their financing. The final text sets a 21% margin for pharmacies (6% for distributors) and strengthens economic control. It also establishes a review schedule by product group for products already on the market. (https://diariofarma.com/2026/02/12/el-gobierno-fija-en-el-21-el-margen-de-los-ppss-en-farmacia-se-revisara-cada-dos-anos)

Companies

• International
  • Novo Nordisk intensifies its battle against Lilly by launching Wegovy in vials. Novo Nordisk will begin marketing Wegovy, its flagship drug, in vials, abandoning the exclusivity of the plastic injection pens it has used until now. This will represent a key strategic shift in its fight for dominance in the weight-loss drug market. (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/2026/02/12/698dc8eee5fdea0b138b4727.html)
  • AstraZeneca expects to earn €8.597 billion in 2025, a 54.3% increase, and raises its annual dividend (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260210/astrazeneca-gana-millones-euros-eleva-dividendo-anual/1003744124842_0.html)

• National
  • Corporate health insurance becomes 10% more expensive, putting pressure on company budgets. Corporate spending on healthcare will remain around 9% in 2026. Prevention and claims management are key to maintaining profits (https://cincodias.elpais.com/extras/ciencia-salud/2026-02-14/el-seguro-medico-corporativo-se-encarece-un-10-y-tensiona-los-presupuestos-de-las-empresas.html)
  • Roche Diagnostics is considering layoffs of up to 50 people in Sant Cugat. The Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has filed for workforce reductions at Roche Diagnostics, its subsidiary specializing in diagnostics, whose Spanish headquarters are located in Sant Cugat del Vallés (Barcelona) (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2026/02/13/698f7e45e5fdea4e028b45c4.html)
  • Abbott is considering expanding its plant in Granada due to increased demand in nutrition. The multinational medical technology company exports from its factory in Andalusia to 65 countries. (https://cincodias.elpais.com/extras/ciencia-salud/2026-02-13/abbott-estudia-la-ampliacion-de-su-planta-de-granada-por-la-mayor-demanda-en-nutricion.html)