Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: AlphaGenome, a Google AI, predicts the impact of DNA variations.
• Global Health: The humanitarian situation in Yemen will worsen in 2026.
• International Health Policy: Following donations, the Trump Administration rescinds the order requiring more staff in nursing homes.
• National Health Policy: The Ministry of Health signs the Framework Statute agreement with unions, but without the support of doctors.
• Business: According to Elon Musk, there will be no nursing homes in the future; he claims his robots will be able to protect and care for the elderly.

Biomedicine

• AlphaGenome, a Google AI, predicts the impact of DNA variations. This tool could be used to obtain more information about genetic diseases, improve genetic testing, and contribute to the development of new treatments.
• Genes control longevity, regardless of how healthy a lifestyle is. Each person’s life expectancy potential is written in their genes, according to a new study.
• AI improves mammogram readings: it detects more tumors, especially the most aggressive ones, and reduces the number of missed ones. A Swedish clinical trial with more than 100,000 women shows that AI in mammogram screening detects more relevant cancers without increasing false positives.

Global Health

• The humanitarian situation in Yemen will worsen in 2026. An 11-year-long civil war will contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, malnutrition, and maternal mortality.
• How to eat well within Earth’s limits. The impact of new recommendations from RFK Jr., which call for increased protein, fruit, and vegetable consumption, is discussed.

International Health Policy

• Following donations, the Trump Administration rescinds the order requiring more staff at nursing homes. According to the New York Times, executives from these companies met with Trump, made a significant donation, and the project was withdrawn.
• China is changing the rules in biotech. For over 100 years, the USA was the undisputed leader in biomedical research and innovation. China’s major advances put the USA at risk of losing that position.
• According to the British Prime Minister, the drop in vaccinations in the UK is a “national disgrace.” The vaccination strategy in England is failing.
• How politics destroyed a model healthcare system in Colombia. For the last two decades, Colombia’s healthcare system was seen as an example for the rest of Latin America, both by the WHO and the World Bank. None of that changed President Petro’s mind, and he is trying to impose a radical change.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The Ministry of Health signs the agreement on the Framework Statute with the unions, but without the support of the doctors. Logically, in any healthcare system, doctors are not just another part. They are the key players most closely related to the quality of care. Their lack of agreement is not something that can be disregarded; rather, it invalidates any agreement. The doctors are prepared to continue defending their position through parliamentary channels.
• A book by FUNCAS challenges the entrenched myths (or myths) about the Spanish public healthcare system. Whether we have the best healthcare system in the world, whether there is a shortage of doctors in Spain, or whether there is truly a shortage of 100,000 nurses, are among the topics analyzed. Among other things, it discusses whether we have the best or one of the best healthcare systems in the world. We do now have some health outcomes that can be correlated with the activity of the healthcare system. In fact, Spain ranked 9th among all countries in the world in the HAQ index (which measures clinically avoidable mortality) in 2022, with only eight countries ahead of it, all of them smaller (Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Iceland, and Ireland). Now, even if we were number one in health outcomes, that wouldn’t authorize us to say we have the best healthcare system in the world. It’s important to remember that the purpose of healthcare systems isn’t just to “save lives.” They have other valuable functions, difficult to reflect in rankings: reducing patient disability, alleviating pain, making illnesses more bearable, resolving uncertainty, and decreasing physical and emotional distress. These systems are justified by the fulfillment of their specific goals: to care, prevent, rehabilitate, and reassure.
• Spain already has 40 CAR-T centers, reflecting the expansion of advanced therapies. The Ministry has published a report that takes stock of treatment with Advanced Therapies in 2025, with five new centers and 2,742 applications processed since 2019.

Companies

• International
  • According to Elon Musk, there will be no nursing homes in the future; he claims his robots will be able to protect and care for the elderly. He proposes his humanoid robots as a solution to the shortage of caregivers and the high cost of elder care.
  • The historic trade agreement between the US and India will boost pharmaceutical trade. The pact will gradually eliminate Indian tariffs on European medicines and seeks to strengthen supply chains in a context of geopolitical tensions.

• National
  • GSK, Sanofi, and MSD are the companies receiving the most funding from the $1.7 billion mega-contract for vaccines.

Biomedicine

• Dr. William Foege, a key figure in the global eradication of smallpox, has died. He was director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the late 1970s and early 1980s (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/01/26/697716f8fc6c8310558b4572.html)
• AlphaGenome, a Google AI, predicts the impact of variations in DNA. This tool could be used to obtain more information about genetic diseases, improve genetic testing, and contribute to the development of new treatments (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/genetica/alphagenome-ia-google-predice-impacto-variaciones-adn.html). Original article in the journal Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-10014-0
• The surprisingly good results of just a little exercise. Exercise snacks and other forms of daily movement may help reduce the risk of death from heart disease (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00237-0)
• Scientists link 22 genes to common viral risks. Scientists have identified these genes, which explain how many people are at risk of life-threatening illnesses (https://www.ft.com/content/815dd3d9-f83b-448d-af52-ca6da6c9cd03)
• Ultrasound is being used to treat treatment-resistant depression. Deep brain stimulation could improve severe depression (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2026/01/28/les-ultrasons-a-l-assaut-des-depressions-resistantes_6664406_1650684.html)
• Genes control longevity, regardless of how healthy a lifestyle is. Your lifespan potential is written in your genes, according to a new study (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/health/longevity-lifespan-age-genes.html). Access the original article in Science: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz1187
• Mariano Barbacid cures pancreatic tumors in rats with a combination of three drugs. The Spanish researcher estimates that the first human trials will begin in three years and will require an investment of 30 million euros (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/mariano-barbacid-consigue-curar-tumores-pancreas-animales-20260127135426-nt.html)
• AI improves mammogram readings: it detects more tumors, especially the most aggressive ones, and reduces those that went unnoticed. A Swedish clinical trial with more than 100,000 women shows that AI in mammographic screening detects more relevant cancers and reduces interval tumors by 12% without increasing false positives (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/01/30/697b9345e4d4d8fb578b458d.html)

Global Health

• The BMJ’s call: hospitals should be sanctuaries, not military targets (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s115?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)
• Infections are rampant in Sudan’s fields (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s87?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 humanitarian situation in Yemen will worsen in 2026. A civil war The fact that this pandemic has already lasted 11 years will contribute to the proliferation of infectious diseases, malnutrition, and maternal mortality (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00196-0/fulltext)
• How to eat well and within Earth’s limits. The impact of RFK Jr.’s new recommendations, which call for increased protein, fruit, and vegetable consumption, is being discussed (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-00236-1)
• The number of people living in extreme heat by 2050 will double if temperatures rise by 2°C. Scientists believe that 41% of the population will experience these temperatures, with no part of the world immune (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/26/number-of-people-living-in-extreme-heat-to-double-by-2050-if-2c-rise-occurs-study-finds)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • American medical groups will go to court to stop RFK Jr.’s vaccine changes. A coalition of doctors and public health advocacy groups will file a legal motion to halt the changes to the vaccination schedule. From RFK, Jr. (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s145?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 United States says it will soon leave the WHO and that it will not pay the outstanding dues (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20260123/eeuu-anuncia-salida-efectiva-organizacion-mundial-salud-oms-insiste-no-pagara-cuotas-pendientes/1003744100610_0.html)
  • Trump’s proposals lead to Medicare austerity, offering an increase of less than 1%, which does not satisfy the hopes of insurers (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/28/trump-proposal-signals-medicare-austerity-00751365)
  • After donations, the Trump Administration revokes the order that required more staff in nursing homes. According to the New York Times, executives from those companies met with Trump, made a significant donation, and the project was withdrawn (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/us/politics/after-donations-trump-administration-revoked-rule-requiring-more-nursing-home-staff.html)
  • The psychedelic revolution that never happened. Although RFK, Jr. said at the time that he was going to promote them for mental disorders, that push never materialized (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/28/rfk-psychedelics-medicine-veterans-mdma-ptsd-00750414)

• China
  • China is changing the rules in biotech. For over 100 years, the USA was the undisputed leader in biomedical research and innovation. China’s major advances put the US at risk of losing that position (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aef7757)
• India
  • India alerts over a deadly Nipah outbreak as other countries tighten controls. Indian health authorities are working against the clock to contain a new cluster of the Nipah virus detected in West Bengal, in the east of the country, after five infections were confirmed and around one hundred people were preventively isolated. (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2026/01/26/69778d53e85eceda378b459e-video.html)

• United Kingdom
  • Home births: Several trusts have to urgently review their services after the death of a mother and baby (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s137?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)
  • According to the Prime Minister, the drop in vaccinations in the UK is a “national disgrace.” The vaccination strategy in England is slowing down (https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s139?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
  • The Senate rejects The law on end-of-life issues is rejected and sent back to Congress (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/01/28/fin-de-vie-le-senat-rejette-la-loi-sur-l-aide-a-mourir-renvoyee-a-l-assemblee_6664474_3225.html)
  • The tense relations between liberal doctors and the Government. Several demonstrations against the regulation of liberal practice (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2026/01/27/entre-les-medecins-liberaux-et-l-etat-une-relation-sous-tension-au-risque-de-l-immobilisme_6664316_3232.html)
  • Medical deserts: the government willing to facilitate teleconsultations, currently limited to 20% (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/01/26/deserts-medicaux-le-gouvernement-desserre-un-peu-la-vis-sur-la-teleconsultation_6664220_3224.html)

• Colombia
  • How politics destroyed a healthcare system model. For the past two decades, Colombia’s healthcare system was seen as a model for the rest of Latin America, both by the WHO and the World Bank. None of this changed President Petro’s mind, and he is trying to impose a change. radical(https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s76?nbd_source=adestra&nbd=8fbb67008 476fb2494c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&uaa_id=8fbb67008476fb249 4c9dc673c1a59b833545ade97e59cd7efd9c117443308b8&utm_campaign=This%20week%20in%20The%20BMJ%20-%20Fortnightly%20manual%20alert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=adestra)

• WHO
  • WHO reduces alert for Nipah virus and considers its spread outside of India unlikely (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/la-oms-reduce-la-alerta-por-el-virus-nipah-y-considera-poco-probable-su-propagacion-fuera-de-la-india.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The Health Data Space is born, a “step forward” in the transformation of the National Health System. The Minister of Health, Mónica García, closed the 1st National Meeting on Data Spaces, where the creation of the National Health Data Space (ENDS) was announced (https://www.consalud.es/politica/ministerio-sanidad/nace-el-espacio-nacional-de-datos-de-salud-un-paso-adelante-en-la-transformacion-del-sns.html)
  • The State Consortium for Advanced Therapies will have its administrative headquarters in Majadahonda and its scientific headquarters in Barcelona (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/consorcio-estatal-terapias-avanzadas-tendra-sede-administrativa-majadahonda-cientifica-barcelona.html)
  • The Veo Plan has already received 54,000 applications since its implementation https://www.consalud.es/politica/ministerio-sanidad/el-plan-veo-ha-recibido-mas-de-54000-solicitudes-desde-su-implementacion.html)

• Initiatives of the autonomous communities
  • The Galician Health Service (SERGAS) will integrate AI for the massive analysis of 1.8 million clinical images. Galicia promotes the early detection of diseases such as cancer and diabetes through the deployment of intelligent algorithms, the complete digitization of operating rooms, and an electronic health record accessible to all professionals (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/galicia-inteligencia-artificial-imagenes-sergas/)
  • The second phase of the Xenoma Galicia project begins, with 5,000 more tests (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/galicia/comienza-la-segunda-fase-del-proyecto-xenoma-galicia-con-5-000-pruebas-mas-3482)
  • Madrid denounces the “irregular” assignment of the scientific direction of the CERTERA project to Catalonia (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/c-madrid/madrid-denuncia-irregularidades-en-la-asignado-a-cataluna-de-la-direccion-cientifica-del-certera.html)
  • Healthcare The Basque Health Service admits it mistakenly administered expired vaccines to 253 people, mostly babies (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-01-27/la-sanidad-vasca-administra-por-error-vacunas-caducadas-a-253-personas-la-mayoria-bebes.html)
  • La Rioja strengthens research with €12.8 million (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/la-rioja/la-rioja-reforzara-la-investigacion-y-la-innovacion-sanitaria-con-una-inversion-de-hasta-1286-millones-de-euros.html)

• Framework Statute
  • Health Ministry signs agreement with unions on the Framework Statute, but without the support of doctors (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-01-26/sanidad-firma-un-acuerdo-para-el-nuevo-estatuto-marco-sin-el-apoyo-de-los-sindicatos-medicos.html)
  • Doctors aim to stop the Framework Statute and will take legal action in the European Parliament (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260130/medicos-aspiran-frenar-estatuto-marco-cortes-emprenderan-acciones-legales-parlamento-europeo/1003744109202_0.html)
  • Vox takes the demand for a Framework Statute to Congress, the Senate, and the Autonomous Communities (https://www.consalud.es/politica/vox-lleva-la-demanda-de-un-estatuto-medico-hasta-el-congreso-senado-y-ccaa.html)

• FUNCAS
  • A book by FUNCAS questions the (or not) deeply rooted myths about the Spanish public healthcare system. Whether we have the best healthcare system in the world, whether there is a shortage of doctors in Spain, or whether there really is a shortage of 100,000 nurses, are among the topics analyzed (https://diariofarma.com/2026/01/28/un-libro-de-funcas-cuestiona-bulos-o-no-arraigados-sobre-la-sanidad-publica-espanola)

• CAR T-cell therapy centers
  • Spain now has 40 CAR T-cell therapy centers, reflecting the expansion of advanced therapies. The Ministry has published a report taking stock of Advanced Therapies treatment in 2025, with five new centers and 2,742 applications processed since 2019 (https://gacetamedica.com/politica/40-centros-car-t-terapias-avanzadas/)

• Measles
  • Spain and the United Kingdom lose their measles-free status due to the collapse in vaccination rates (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/infecciosas/espana-y-reino-unido-pierden-el-estatus-de-pais-libre-de-sarampion-ante-el-desplome-de-la-vacunacion.html)

Companies

• International
  • AstraZeneca reaches a $4.7 billion agreement with China to boost obesity drugs (https://www.ft.com/content/c919380d-3f08-4dde-98e2-64e50b7da293)
  • The historic trade agreement between the US and India will boost pharmaceutical trade. The pact will gradually eliminate Indian tariffs on European medicines and seeks to strengthen supply chains in a context of geopolitical tensions.(https://www.consalud.es/salud35/internacional/la-ue-e-india-sellan-un-historico-acuerdo-de-libre-comercio-que-impulsa-el-intercambio-farmaceutico.html)
  • According to Elon Musk, there will be no nursing homes in the future; he claims his robots will be able to protect and care for the elderly. Musk proposes its humanoid robots as a solution to the shortage of caregivers and the high cost of elderly care (https://www.eleconomista.es/tecnologia/noticias/13752514/01/26/en-el-futuro-no-habra-residencias-musk-asegura-que-sus-robots-con-ia-seran-increibles-para-proteger-y-cuidar-a-las-personas-mayores.html)
  • Bayer begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel, moving away from litigation and focused on its business (https://cincodias.elpais.com/mercados-financieros/2026-02-01/bayer-comienza-a-ver-la-luz-a-final-del-tunel-alejada-de-litigios-y-centrada-en-el-negocio.html)

• National
  • GSK, Sanofi, and MSD, the companies that More funds are being taken from the €1.7 billion mega-vaccine contract (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260128/gsk-sanofi-msd-companias-fondos-llevan-megacontrato-vacunas-sanidad/1003744107796_0.html)
  • Tthe Ribera Salud model: €11 million profit in Elche, losses in Torrejón, and business for its satellite companies (https://www.eldiario.es/comunitat-valenciana/modelo-ribera-salud-beneficio-11-millones-elche-perdidas-torrejon-negocio-empresas-satelite_1_12934997.html)

Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: The trap of “miracle” weight-loss drugs: the rebound effect is faster than with conventional diets.
• Global health: The Lancet Commission on improving post-COVID health finds that international agreements are failing to reduce three closely linked health threats.
• International health policy: Trump unveils the new health plan, albeit with few details (the entire plan is a single sheet of paper).
• National health policy: Pensions and public healthcare at risk for the first time in Spain, according to Davos.
• Business: A generic Ozempic for €15 a month, or how to revolutionize the obesity drug market.

Biomedicine

• The trap of “miracle” weight-loss drugs: the rebound effect is faster than with conventional diets. An analysis of 37 studies reveals the hidden side of GLP-1 agonists: the large-scale study shows that weight returns in less than two years.
• Predicting type 2 diabetes risk from a drop of blood. A study identifies a blood signature that better predicts the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• A vaccine to prevent colon cancer shows promising results. The preventive immunization Nous-209 works in an initial trial with patients who have 17 times the risk of developing tumors compared to the general population.
• Seven biomarkers can reveal the risk of multimorbidity through a blood test. A study from the Karolinska Institute asserts that “altered metabolism, stress responses, and energy regulation are among the main drivers of multimorbidity in older adults.”

Global Health

• The Lancet commission on improving post-COVID health. A large number of international agreements are failing to reduce three closely linked threats: non-communicable diseases, infectious disease outbreaks, and environmental degradation.

International Health Policy

• Trump unveils the new health plan, albeit with few details. The plan’s key elements are lower drug prices and “personal savings accounts” to give money to citizens, rather than to insurance companies. The new plan is only one page long. After so many announcements, more specific proposals could have been considered.
• National health spending in the USA rose (7.2%) for the second consecutive year in 2024. Hospital costs and medications are the components of spending that have increased the most. The insured population was 91.8% in 2024, up from 92.5% in 2023. Healthcare spending grew faster than the overall economy, rising from 17.7% of GDP in 2024 to 18% in 2025.
• The new US food pyramid: a step backward that benefits the industry. The pseudoscientist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has inverted the food pyramid to promote red meat and other animal proteins.
• The improvement in research in China: a global opportunity. It is the most productive nation in terms of scientific publications.
• The WHO warns that low taxes on alcohol and sugary drinks increase health risks and calls on governments to raise and update taxation to fund healthcare.
• HERA (the EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority) prioritizes the assessment of EU health threats in four areas: respiratory viruses, animal transmission, AMR (adverse drug reactions), and armed conflict.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• Pensions and public healthcare are at risk for the first time in Spain, according to Davos. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks report identifies “insufficient public services, such as social protection, education, infrastructure, and pensions” as among Spain’s greatest risks. This is a major setback for the Sánchez government, which boasts of protecting and improving public services.
• The Ministry of Health will not meet with doctors and rules out a future agreement: “What they are asking for is impossible.” This attitude is absolutely intolerable. What doctors are asking for is a specific statute, that is, a way to guarantee a certain degree of “medical leadership” in healthcare, which is necessary. Without undervaluing teamwork and the contribution of other professionals, the doctor/patient relationship remains the core activity of any healthcare system.
• Record competition for the MIR exam in 2026 will leave 7,487 applicants without a residency position. This is a good way to replicate the problem of “leftovers” (proliferation of doctors without a specialty), which affected the system a few years ago.

Companies

• International
  • A generic Ozempic for €15 a month: how to revolutionize the obesity drug market. This is because the patents for semaglutide, the key ingredient in Ozempic and the Wegovy weight-loss brand, are beginning to expire worldwide.

• National
  • Rob Surgical will invest €50 million and open its surgical robot plant in El Prat. Bitrack, the first surgical robot designed and manufactured in Catalonia, is moving towards the market.

Biomedicine

• The Lancet study finds no increased risk of autism when pregnant women take paracetamol. Trump’s claims that women who take paracetamol during pregnancy are at risk of having children with autism are not supported by any evidence, according to The Lancet (https://www.ft.com/content/18ac00eb-0ab4-478c-9a5b-e4c4c5b47d1c). Access the original article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanogw/article/PIIS3050-5038(25)00211-0/fulltext
• Research: The Fleming Initiative. An Imperial College project seeking a solution to bacterial resistance to antibiotics (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00087-5/abstract)
• Most cases of Alzheimer’s are linked to a single gene. Although APOE is linked to Alzheimer’s, very few treatments in clinical trials directly target this gene (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/mayoria-casos-alzheimer-relacionados-variantes-solo-gen-20260109134521-nt.html).
• The trap of “miracle” weight-loss drugs: the rebound effect is faster than with conventional diets. An analysis of 37 studies reveals the hidden side of GLP-1 agonists: the large-scale study shows that the weight returns in less than two years (https://elpcom/salud-y-bienestar/2026-01-07/la-trampa-de-los-medicamentos-milagro-para-adelgazar-el-efecto-rebote-es-mas-rapido-que-con-dietas-convencionales.html). Access the original article in the British Medical Journal: https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj-2025-085304
• Predicting the risk of type 2 diabetes from a drop of blood. A study identifies a blood signature to better predict the risk of type 2 diabetes (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/predecir-riesgo-diabetes-tipo-partir-gota-sangre-20260114142504-nt.html)
• Radiology and AI, natural allies? Hospitals using algorithms detect clinical cases better and faster, but to expand their use, it is still necessary to unify criteria and have healthcare systems capable of integrating them on a large scale (https://elpais.com/proyecto-tendencias/2025-12-10/radiologia-e-ia-aliadas-naturales-me-ayuda-a-no-pasar-por-alto-hallazgos-sutiles.html)
• A vaccine to prevent colon cancer shows promising results. The preventive immunization Nous-209 works in an initial trial with patients who have 17 times the risk of developing tumors compared to the general population (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-01-16/una-vacuna-para-prevenir-el-cancer-de-colon-muestra-resultados-prometedores.html)
• AI algorithm revolutionizes the reading of cancer biopsies in one minute. The SMMILe tool, tested on six types of cancer, allows for precise tumor mapping from basic data, accelerating diagnosis and bringing personalized treatment closer thanks to AI (https://www.consalud.es/saludigital/tecnologia-sanitaria/avances-en-ia-aceleran-el-analisis-del-cancer-un-algoritmo-reduce-a-un-minuto-la-lectura-de-biopsias.html)
• AI outperforms radiologists in pancreatic cancer detection and promises early diagnoses. The system achieved 38% fewer false positives and 92% accuracy, according to a study with data from nearly 400 patients (https://www.consalud.es/saludigital/innovacion-tecnologica/un-modelo-de-ia-supera-a-radiologos-en-la-deteccion-del-cancer-de-pancreas-y-abre-la-puerta-a-diagnosticos-tempranos.html)
• Seven biomarkers can reveal the risk of multimorbidity through a blood test. A study from the Karolinska Institute states that “alterations in metabolism, stress responses, and energy regulation are among the main drivers of multimorbidity in older adults” (https://diariofarma.com/2026/01/10/siete-biomarcadores-pueden-revelar-el-riesgo-de-multimorbilidad-a-traves-de-un-analisis-de-sangre). Original article in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04038-2

Global Health

• The ceasefire does little to improve the “horrific” situation in Gaza. Two new reports detail the harm suffered by women and children (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00086-3/fulltext)
• The decline in smokeless tobacco (ST) use and oral cancer in a global perspective. ST is used by more than 360 million people and is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2500631)
• The Lancet’s commission on improving post-COVID health. A large number of international agreements are failing to reduce three closely linked threats: non-communicable diseases, outbreaks of infections, and environmental degradation (https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2825%2902061-6)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Trump unveils new health plan, albeit with few details. The oft-announced plan focuses on “personal savings accounts” and providing money to citizens, rather than to insurers (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/15/us/politics/trump-health-care-plan.html). Information on this topic according to Politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/15/trump-health-outline-00730933. Access to “The Great Healthcare Plan”—though it’s called “great,” the plan is just one sheet of paper: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/The-Great-Healthcare-Plan.pdf
  • National health spending rose (7.2%) for the second consecutive year in 2024. Hospital and drug costs are the components of spending that have increased the most. The insured population was 91.8% in 2024, up from 92.5% in 2023 (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/14/national-health-spending-soars-in-2024-00728963). Access the original source in Health Affairs: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01683
  • The new US food pyramid: a return to the past that benefits industry. Pseudoscientist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has turned the food pyramid on its head to promote red meat and other animal proteins (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-01-10/la-nueva-piramide-nutricional-de-ee-uu-una-vuelta-al-pasado-que-beneficia-a-la-industria.html)
  • The Trump Administration says some approved child vaccines need better studies, while scientists disagree (https://www.science.org/content/article/trump-administration-says-some-approved-childhood-vaccines-need-better-studies)
  • Trump announces withdrawal from 66 global organizations. On January 7, Trump signed an executive order announcing the withdrawal of a number of organizations, which he claims are contrary to U.S. interests (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00085-1/fulltext)
  • Abortion opponents threaten to withdraw their support in the midterm elections due to disagreements with Trump (https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/15/abortion-opponents-revamp-their-midterms-plans-as-rift-with-trump-widens-00729224)

• China
  • Upgrading research in China: a global opportunity. It is the most productive nation in terms of scientific publications (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00084-X/fulltext)

• United Kingdom
  • The agreement with Trump on rising drug prices in the UK is a step backward, according to some experts (https://www.ft.com/content/4a903571-5ac7-44e4-b8b7-4191339748f2)
  • Keir Starmer announces greater restrictions on children’s access to social media, concerned about the excessive use of smartphones by children and teenagers (https://www.ft.com/content/d0d239f5-44cd-4c78-be08-ce55670e7808)

• France
  • Liberal doctors suspend their strike after some government proposals and a promise to renew dialogue (https://lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/01/16/les-medecins-liberaux-suspendent-leur-greve-annonce-un-syndicat_6662590_3224.html)

• Japan
  • Japan and the lessons of a healthcare system in transformation, embracing aging and frailty (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/opinion/felix-rubial-7847/japon-y-las-lecciones-de-un-sistema-sanitario-en-transformacion-6031)

• WHO
  • The WHO warns that low taxes on alcohol and sugary drinks increase health risks and calls on governments to raise and update taxation to finance the Health (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2026-01-13/la-oms-alerta-de-que-los-bajos-impuestos-al-alcohol-y-a-las-bebidas-azucaradas-disparan-los-riesgos-para-la-salud.html)

• European Union
  • The EU is missing the boat on healthcare AI. While Europe has become entangled in over-regulation that demands absolute guarantees before even beginning to experiment, other countries have opted for more flexible and adaptive approaches. (https://www.elespanol.com/opinion/tribunas/20260113/ue-perdiendo-tren-ia-sanitaria/1003744086257_12.html)
  • HERA (Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority) prioritizes the assessment of EU health threats in four areas: respiratory viruses, animal transmission, AMR (adverse drug reactions), and armed conflict. (https://diariofarmcom/2026/01/13/hera-prioriza-la-evaluacion-de-amenazas-sanitarias-de-la-ue-en-cuatro-areas)

National Health Policy

• Impact of General Policy on Health
  • Pensions and public healthcare at risk for the first time in Spain, according to Davos. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks report identifies “insufficient public services, such as social protection, education, infrastructure, and pensions” as among Spain’s greatest risks. This is a major setback for the Sánchez government, which boasts of protecting and improving public services (https://www.expansion.com/economia/politica/2026/01/14/69674b09468aeb53588b4593.html). Access the Global Risks Report 2026 (21st Edition): https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2026.pdf (page 89 lists the risks in Spain: 1. Social polarization; 2. Talent and worker shortages; 3. Inadequate public services and social protection (including education, infrastructure, pensions); 4. Debt (public, corporate, and household); and 5. Lack of economic opportunities and employment)

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The Ministry of Health will take Ayuso to court for the lack of a registry of abortion conscientious objectors (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-01-16/sanidad-denuncia-al-gobierno-de-ayuso-por-no-tener-registro-de-objetores-del-aborto.html)

• Autonomous Community Initiatives
  • Agreement on healthcare Asturian: 12-hour shifts, reduced appointment schedules in Primary Care, and fewer restrictions on combining public and private healthcare (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/acuerdo-sanidad-asturiana-guardias-flexibles-reduccion-agendas-ap.html)
  • The Valencian Community is preparing new support measures for rural pharmacies, with an emphasis on updating schedules, emergency care, and vacations, “improving work-life balance without compromising the continuity of pharmaceutical services to the public” (https://diariofarma.com/2026/01/15/comunidad-valenciana-prepara-nuevas-medidas-de-apoyo-y-flexibilidad-para-la-farmacia-rural)
  • Farmaindustria and the Catalan Government will promote Catalonia as a major biopharmaceutical hub (https://diariofarma.com/2026/01/15/farmaindustria-y-cataluna-potenciaran-la-region-como-un-gran-polo-biofarmaceutico)
  • The cities vying to host the AESAP: Zaragoza, Granada, Barcelona, ​​Oviedo, León, Murcia, Toledo, Lugo, and Salamanca (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/las-nueve-ciudades-que-aspiran-a-sede-de-la-aesap-al-descubierto-cuales-son-sus-propuestas.html)

• Transplants
  • Spain is nearing its all-time record for transplants and has been the world leader for 34 years. (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-01-16/espana-roza-su-record-historico-de-trasplantes-de-organos-y-encadena-34-anos-como-lider-mundial.html)

• Framework Statute
  • The Ministry of Health will not meet with doctors and rules out a future agreement: “What they are asking for is impossible” (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260116/ministerio-sanidad-no-reunira-medicos-descarta-futuro-acuerdo-piden-imposible/1003744091205_0.html)

• MIR Exam
  • Medical outrage over the lack of transparency and the Ministry of Health’s poor management in organizing the MIR exam (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/indignacion-medica-pesima-gestion-falta-transparencia-sanidad-examen-mir_202601126964594ebe7ae37724bfbfcd.html)
  • Record competition for the MIR exam in 2026 will leave 7,487 applicants without a residency position (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260117/competencia-record-mir-dejara-sin-plaza-aspirantes-examen/1003744092787_0.html)

• Torrejón Hospital
  • A court is investigating the management of Torrejón Hospital for possible irregularities (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-01-14/un-juzgado-investiga-la-gestion-del-hospital-de-torrejon-por-posibles-irregularidades.html)

Companies

• International
  • Nvidia and Microsoft support an AI breakthrough related to gene therapy. UK’s Basecamp Research uses genomic sequencing databases to address cancers and resistant bacteria (https://www.ft.com/content/29ec4303-cb70-48b5-a28c-320a7062cdd3)
  • From Lilly’s Orforglipron to Novo Nordisk’s CagriSema, the obesity drugs that will break the bank in 2026 (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20260115/orforglipron-lilly-cagrisema-novo-nordisk-farmacos-obesidad-romperan-banca/1003744089743_0.html)
  • 25% of the population would be candidates for GLP-1 treatment. Women and older people more frequently meet the eligibility criteria to receive these obesity drugs. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/medicina-preventiva/25-poblacion-mundial-seria-candidata-tratamiento-glp-1.html)
  • The ten largest acquisitions in the pharmaceutical industry in 2025 (https://elglobalfarma.com/industria/diez-mayores-adquisiciones-industria-farmaceutica-2025/)
  • Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and MSD lead the biggest acquisitions of 2025 (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/13722104/01/26/johnson-johnson-novartis-y-msd-lideran-las-mayores-compras-en-2025.html)
  • A generic Ozempic for 15 euros a month, or how to revolutionize the market Obesity drugs. This is because the patents for semaglutide, the key ingredient in Ozempic and the Wegovy weight-loss brand, are beginning to expire worldwide (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2026-01-15/un-ozempic-generico-a-15-euros-al-mes-o-como-revolucionar-el-mercado-de-farmacos-para-la-obesidad.html)

• National News
  • The government will require health insurers to have a viability plan (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/privada/el-gobierno-obligara-a-las-aseguradoras-de-salud-a-tener-plan-de-viabilidad-4645)
  • Esteve strengthens its position in the USA with the purchase of TerSera’s infusion therapies (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/industria/esteve-fortalece-eeuu-compra-terapias-infusion-tersera.html)
  • Italfármaco announces a €10 million investment in its Madrid center (https://diariofarma.com/2026/01/12/italfarmaco-anuncia-una-inversion-de-10-millones-de-euros-en-su-centro-madrileno)
  • Rob Surgical will invest €50 million and open its surgical robot plant in El Prat. Bitrack, the first surgical robot designed and manufactured in Catalonia, is moving towards the market (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2026/01/16/696aabf0e5fdea60278b458f.html)

Summary

The most impactful health news of the week included:

• Biomedicine: Viruses vs. bacteria: Phages become the new hope against antibiotic resistance.
• Global health: The tobacco epidemic hits people with mental health problems.
• International health policy: Trump announces price agreements with 9 pharmaceutical companies.
• National health policy: The call for applications for the location of the State Public Health Agency is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
• Business: Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca: “The pharmaceutical industry will be relegated to the past in Europe within fifteen years.”

Biomedicine

• Viruses vs. bacteria: Phages become the new hope against antibiotic resistance. This therapy, relegated after the discovery of penicillin, has resurfaced in recent years due to the loss of effectiveness of antibiotics. This problem causes more than 24,000 deaths annually in Spain.

Global Health

• The tobacco epidemic hits people with mental health problems. People with mental illness tend to live shorter lives than the general population. This is believed to be largely due to tobacco abuse.

International Health Policy

• Trump announces price agreements with 9 pharmaceutical companies. The new agreements, signed by Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Merck, Novartis, and Sanofi, join those already in place with AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer.
• 2025: an “annus horribilis” for healthcare in the USA. Of the 218 executive orders signed by Trump, many affect childhood vaccinations against hepatitis B, USAID, immigrants, academics and their institutions, developing countries through the closure of USAID, and Medicaid cuts. A world that would have seemed surreal to us not so long ago.
• Moderate House Republicans, in line with Johnson’s health care plan, seek to avoid extending Obamacare subsidies.
• Research funding under threat at the NIH. So far this year, the Trump Administration has fired more than 1,000 NIH scientists and administrators and cut more than 1,000 project grants.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• The call for applications for the location of the State Public Health Agency has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE). Applications that provide facilities for the Agency from the outset will be given preference. Autonomous communities will have one month to submit their applications.
• The decentralization of Medicine in Galicia is unblocked. An agreement has been reached by the rectors of the universities of Santiago, A Coruña, and Vigo.
• Report on Human Resources in the National Health System (SNS) 2024. Healthcare staffing has grown by 25% in hospitals over 10 years, while primary care staffing has stagnated. The National Health System (SNS) employs 786,747 professionals, a figure that translates to a rate of 16.3 per 1,000 inhabitants.
• The Ministry of Health reached an agreement with non-medical healthcare unions (SATSE, FSS-CCOO, UGT, CSIF, and CIG-Saúde), but this did not stop the doctors’ strike, promoted by the CESM and the SMA.

Companies

• International
  • Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca: “The pharmaceutical industry will be relegated to obsolescence in Europe within fifteen years.” The main threat is Trump’s policies, which will concentrate all new production in the USA.

• National
  • Ozempic leads revenue in Spanish pharmacies with €403.9 million. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, consolidated its position in 2024 as the highest-selling molecule in Spanish pharmacies. In total, it received €403.9 million, 36.2% more than the previous year, according to the report “Pharmaceutical Services in the National Health System (NHS).”
  • Quirón reactivates its private hospital in Nuevo Gijón with progress in the municipal agreement for the purchase of land.

Biomedicine

• The American Heart Association is reviving the theory that moderate alcohol consumption can be healthy. This is published in a recent article, contrary to the opinion of other groups, such as the European Network of Cardiologists and the World Federation of Cardiology (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/health/alcohol-heart-disease-cancer.html)
• 78% of breast cancers are diagnosed after menopause: key points (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/canceres-mama-diagnostican-tras-menopausia-claves-entender-20251218101328-nt.html)
• More cheese, less dementia? A surprising study links full-fat dairy products with good brain health. This is suggested by a new article published in Neurology and conducted in Sweden (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/queso-demencia-estudio-sorprende-vincular-lacteos-grasos-20251217170004-nt.html)
• Viruses versus bacteria: phages become the new hope against antibiotic resistance. This therapy, relegated after the discovery of penicillin, has resurfaced in recent years due to the loss of effectiveness of antibiotics. This problem causes more than 24,000 deaths annually in Spain. (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20251215/virus-bacterias-fagos-convierten-nueva-esperanza-resistencia-antibioticos/1003744050192_0.html)
• Are some types of sugar healthier than others? Although some sugars (brown sugar, coconut sugar, etc.) are said to be healthier, all types of sugar contain glucose and fructose and are equally harmful. The important thing is not the type of sugar but how it is consumed. In the form of sugary drinks, it is absorbed more quickly and its effects are worse (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/12/12/are-some-types-of-sugar-healthier-than-others).

Global Health

• The tobacco epidemic is hitting people with mental health problems hard. People with mental illness tend to live shorter lives than the general population. This is believed to be largely due to tobacco abuse (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2500491).
• Only 74 intensive care beds remain in Gaza. The healthcare system remains in ruins and no one is rebuilding it (https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/12/18/just-74-intensive-care-beds-remain-in-gaza)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • 2025: an “annus horribilis” for health in the USA. Of the 218 executive orders signed by Trump, many affect childhood hepatitis B vaccinations, USAID, immigrants, academics and their institutions, developing countries through the closure of USAID, and Medicaid cuts. A world that would have seemed surreal to us not so long ago. (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02588-7/fulltext)
  • A MAHA (Make America Healthier Again) fact check in the journal Health Affairs. The article analyzes the negative aspects of the vaccine approach, along with the perhaps positive aspects of the chronic disease approach (https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/forefront.20251212.798664/full/)
  • RFK, Jr. wants to incorporate the Danish vaccination schedule, but is forced to back down. The Danish schedule proposes immunization for only 10 of the 17 diseases considered in the USA. Although everything was prepared for the press conference, it had to be interrupted and the measure was dropped (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/20/rfk-kennedy-danish-vaccine-schedule-denmark-00701999)
  • Trump announces price agreements with 9 pharmaceutical companies. The new agreements, signed by Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech, Gilead, GSK, Merck, Novartis and Sanofi, join those already in place and signed with AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer. (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/19/trump-unveils-drug-pricing-deals-with-nine-drugmakers-touting-impact-on-affordability-00700957)
  • Moderate House Republicans, in line with Johnson’s health plan, which seeks not to extend Obamacare subsidies (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/15/house-gop-moderates-signal-theyll-fall-in-line-with-johnsons-health-plan-00692138)
  • Trump wants to ban transgender treatments for minors, threatening hospitals that perform them (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/health/trump-gender-affirming-care-funding.html)
  • Research aid under threat at the NIH. So far this year, the Trump Administration has fired more than 1,000 scientists and administrators from the NIH and cut more than 1,000 project grants (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02590-5/fulltext)
  • Trump signs an executive order relaxing marijuana restrictions (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/18/trump-signs-executive-order-to-ease-marijuana-restrictions-00698021)

• United Kingdom
  • Are Big Pharma companies losing their love for the UK? Recently, Merck and Lilly halted major investments in the UK to invest in the USA (https://www.bmj.com/content/390/bmj.r1988)

• France
  • Flu: a strong impact during the end of the year. A peak is expected around that time (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/12/17/grippe-un-fort-impact-anticipe-sur-les-hopitaux-pendant-les-vacances-de-fin-d-annee-selon-des-projections-de-pasteur-et-sante-publique-france_6658429_3224.html)
• European Union
  • The OECD points to shortcomings in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the EU. The latest report from the OECD and the European Commission estimates 1.7 million cardiovascular deaths in 2022 and warns of the high health, social, and economic costs. EU (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/la-ocde-alerta-la-prevencion-y-el-cribado-de-las-enfermedades-cardiovasculares-en-la-ue-es-insuficiente.html)
• WHO
  • What does the WHO’s official position mean regarding the use of “weight-loss” drugs for obesity? The guide published by the organization considers the medications semaglutide, tirzepatide, and liraglutide as potential agents for alleviating the disease (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2025-12-19/que-significa-la-postura-oficial-de-la-oms-frente-al-uso-de-los-farmacos-adelgazantes-en-el-tratamiento-de-la-obesidad.html)

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • The “I See” Plan is launched, providing free eyeglasses for children up to a maximum of €100 per beneficiary. (https://elpais.com/expres/2025-12-18/arranca-el-plan-veo-como-puedes-pedir-esta-ayuda-para-que-las-gafas-sean-gratis-para-los-ninos.html)
  • The call for proposals for the location of the State Public Health Agency has been published in the Official State Gazette (BOE). Applications that provide facilities for the Agency from the outset will be given preference. The regions will have one month to submit their applications (https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2025/12/17/pdfs/BOE-A-2025-25898.pdf)
  • The Government will allocate 152 million euros to promote biomedical research in Spain (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/politica/gobierno-destinara-152-millones-euros-fomentar-investigacion-biomedica-espana.html)
  • The cutting-edge Health PERTE program will continue until 2027. Morant emphasizes the role of the public-private company Terafornt as a key player in “promoting the development and manufacturing in Spain of biotechnological products, health technology, and medicines.” “Innovators” (https://diariofarma.com/2025/12/16/el-gobierno-da-continuidad-al-perte-salud-de-vanguardia-con-un-plan-estrategico-hasta-2027)

• Initiatives of the Autonomous Communities
  • Granada and Zaragoza, the first cities to submit their candidacy to the State Public Health Agency (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251218/granada-zaragoza-primeras-ciudades-presentar-candidatura-alojar-agencia-estatal-salud-publica/1003744060216_0.html)
  • The decentralization of Medicine in Galicia is unblocked. Agreement reached by the rectors of the universities of Santiago, A Coruña, and Vigo (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/descentralizacion-medicina-galicia-desbloquea.html)
  • Pané advocates combining different types of incentives to improve working conditions for doctors. It has also rejected the idea of ​​doctors having their own statute (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/cataluna/pane-defiende-mezclar-diferentes-sistemas-de-incentivos-para-mejorar-las-condiciones-de-los-medicos.html)

• Health Barometer 2025 (3rd wave)
  • Summary: those who believe the system works well are decreasing, while those who believe it works poorly are increasing. And the waiting time to see a family doctor is increasing (Access the report: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/BarometroSanitario/Barom_Sanit_2025/BS_2025_3oleada/Es3531mar.pdf

• Human Resources in the NHS, 2024 Report
  • Access the report: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/sisInfSanSNS/tablasEstadisticas/InfAnual2024/Monografico_RRHH_2024.pdf
  • Healthcare staff has grown by 25% in hospitals over 10 years, while primary care staffing has stagnated. The NHS employs 786,747 professionals, a figure that translates to a rate of 16.3 per 1,000 inhabitants, reflecting the magnitude of a system highly dependent on healthcare personnel to guarantee its daily operation. (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/plantillas-sanitarias-en-espana-el-personal-hospitalario-crece-un-25-en-10-anos-y-primaria-se-estanca.html)

• Framework Statute
  • The Ministry of Health reaches an agreement with non-medical healthcare unions (SATSE, FSS-CCOO, UGT, CSIF, and CIG-Saúde), but it does not stop the doctors’ strike, promoted by CESM and SMA (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251216/sanidad-llega-pacto-sindicatos-sanitarios-no-frena-huelga-medica-no-abordan-peticiones/1003744056534_0.html)
  • European unions support a specific statute for Spanish doctors. According to the Marburger Bund (medical union, Germany) and Anaao Assomed (medical union, Italy), it is necessary to “respect” the “specific nature” of medical work, since a “single” labor framework for healthcare is “not appropriate” (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/medicina/los-sindicatos-europeos-apoyan-un-estatuto-propio-de-los-medicos-espanoles-1077)

• Deaths and cause of death
  • Deaths and cause of death in Spain in 2023 (a 6.1% decrease in deaths compared to 2022) (https://www.sanidad.gob.es/gabinetePrensa/notaPrensa/pdf/Defun101225134104376.pdf)
  • The age-adjusted mortality rate decreased by 7.2% in 2023 (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/medicina-preventiva/tasa-mortalidad-ajustada-edad-disminuyo-72-2023.html)

• Suicides
  • The number of suicides decreased; 3,953 people took their own lives in 2024 (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/3953-personas-quitaron-vida-espana-2024_202512176942d261af09df50108b2cd9.html)

• MIR (Medical Residency) Exam Announcement
  • The Ministry of Health published the list of admitted candidates: 16,014 applicants will compete for 9,276 residency positions in 2027 (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251215/sanidad-publica-listas-admitidos-mir-aspirantes-optaran-plazas/1003744056340_0.html)

Companies

• International
  • The plan to rescue Novo Nordisk. It will focus on anti-obesity drugs and make operational changes (https://www.economist.com/business/2025/12/15/the-plan-to-rescue-novo-nordisk)
  • Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca: “The pharmaceutical industry will be relegated to the past in Europe within fifteen years.” The main threat is Trump’s policies, which will concentrate all new production in the USA (https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2025/12/17/pascal-soriot-pdg-d-astrazeneca-l-industrie-pharmaceutique-sera-reduite-a-peau-de-chagrin-en-europe-d-ici-a-quinze-ans_6658285_3234.html)
  • Pfizer anticipates a drop in revenue in 2026, due to the decline in income from COVID-19 and the loss of patents (https://www.consalud.es/salud35/internacional/pfizer-preve-una-caida-de-ingresos-en-2026-por-el-descenso-de-las-ventas-de-productos-covid-y-la-perdida-de-patentes.html)

• National
  • The CNMC suggests Consider less restrictive alternatives before banning single-use e-cigarettes. The agency recommends reconsidering the limitations on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of tobacco-related products and devices (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/12/17/6942d063fc6c83e60c8b459f.html)
  • Ozempic leads revenue in Spanish pharmacies with €403.9 million. Semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, consolidated its position in 2024 as the highest-selling molecule in Spanish pharmacies. It generated a total of €403.9 million, a 36.2% increase compared to the previous year, according to the report “Pharmaceutical Services in the National Health System (SNS).” (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/noticias/13698096/12/25/ozempic-encabeza-los-ingresos-en-las-farmacias-espanolas-con-4039-millones.html)
  • Biosimilars offer a respite to healthcare spending: Biosim anticipates savings of €22 billion by 2030. The mAbxience plant in León produces two million vials for oncology, hematology, and osteoporosis (https://cincodias.elpais.com/extras/ciencia-salud/2025-12-19/los-biosimilares-dan-un-respiro-al-gasto-del-sistema-sanitario-biosim-preve-un-ahorro-de-22000-millones-de-aqui-a-2030.html)
  • Quirón reactivates its private hospital in Nuevo Gijón with progress in the municipal agreement for the purchase of plots (https://www.lne.es/gijon/2025/12/21/quiron-reactiva-hospital-privado-nuevo-125004791.html)

Summary

The most impactful health news stories of the week were:

• Biomedicine: How science can replace the use of laboratory animals.
• Global health: Infant mortality is expected to rise again in 2025, for the first time in 25 years, due to reduced development aid.
• International health policy: Cuba is sinking into a major health crisis.
• National health policy: Following the Torrejón scandal, the Minister of Health announces a law to prevent the private management of public hospitals.
• Business: Ribera plans to sell assets in Murcia and Extremadura to improve its balance sheet and seek an investor in 2026.

Biomedicine

• How science can replace the use of laboratory animals. New technologies using miniature human organs can replace procedures currently performed on animals.
• An experimental DNA-repairing drug ushers in a new era of regenerative therapies. US scientists have developed a drug that repairs DNA and serves as a prototype for a new class of medications that correct tissue damage caused by heart attacks.

Global Health

• Child mortality is set to rise again in 2025, for the first time in 25 years, due to reduced development aid. The Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers report warns that the decline in global health funding is responsible for halting more than two decades of progress. The WHO, in its annual report on malaria, notes that progress against the disease has stalled.
• Ultra-processed foods: time to prioritize health over profit. The rise of ultra-processed foods in human diets is harming public health by driving chronic diseases globally. Addressing this challenge requires a global response. At the heart of this type of food is the large-scale processing of cheap products: corn, wheat, soy, and palm oil. In many countries, these foods make up 50% of the diet.

International Health Policy

• Cuba is sinking into a major health crisis. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and the death toll is rising daily. Cuba is experiencing a health crisis of “combined arboviral diseases,” including dengue, chikungunya, oropouche, and other respiratory viruses. It has been known for many years that the Cuban health system is backward, lacking even the most basic technology or medicines.
• US Republicans still don’t know what to do with Obamacare. The necessary update, or lack thereof, of Obamacare subsidies is a headache for Republicans. This issue was behind the recent US government shutdown.
• US-UK agreement: the NHS will pay much more for medicines. The agreement involves the US not raising tariffs and increasing the price of new treatments by 25% in the UK.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• In the wake of the Torrejón scandal, the Minister of Health announced a law to prevent the private management of public hospitals. She denounced the fact that in Madrid, La Paz Hospital loses 50,000 patients a year; the 12 de Octubre Hospital, 25,000; and the Ramón y Cajal Hospital, 30,000, all to the benefit of the Quirón and Ribera concessions in Madrid, with the resulting economic benefits. Despite this announcement, it is highly unlikely that, in the current political climate, this law will be passed. The idea that because a problem arises in one hospital, all public hospital services should be provided by public hospitals, as some seem to advocate, is unacceptable and completely contrary to European experience. Public services can be offered by private companies (properly regulated and with a rigorous agreement), and not all public management should be administrative; public companies, foundations, and consortia should also flourish.
• An audio recording reveals that Torrejón Hospital is turning away patients to increase profits. The Ribera Group, which manages the hospital, is asking its management to make adjustments to achieve a profit of “four or five million.” The leak of this video is a serious reputational problem for the concession system. However, concessions, in themselves, are a good model. Nevertheless, they require an administration capable of rigorously monitoring activity and promoting transparency. Regarding the changes in patient flow denounced by the minister, the Community of Madrid has established, without properly considering the consequences, free choice of healthcare center, including private-public partnership centers in this system, but with different rules than those for directly managed public hospitals. Private-public partnership centers operate as businesses and are able to optimize their ability to attract patients (in addition to having incentives to do so), while public hospitals are constrained by the rules of the administrative framework. This explains the results of this option, which sometimes have a significant economic impact. While supporting the right to choose, this must be done under the same rules. That’s why it’s necessary to reform the governance and management of public institutions.
• Keys to the swine fever outbreak: too many wild boars roaming free, a highly contagious virus, and the possible link to the sandwich. After three decades, the dreaded virus has returned to Spain. It is not transmissible to humans: pork products, including sausages, can be consumed.

Companies

• International
  • Will the next blockbuster come from China? These days, Western pharmaceutical companies and investors are privately alarmed that their companies risk falling behind Chinese innovation.

• National news
  • Ribera plans to sell assets in Murcia and Extremadura to strengthen its balance sheet and seek an investor in 2026. Vivalto Santé, the owner of the hospital concessionaire Ribera Salud, plans to divest assets in Extremadura and Murcia to improve its balance sheet in preparation for seeking a new financial investor in 2026. This plan appears to be a response to the acquisition of low-value assets, a consequence of the rapid growth through acquisitions in recent years.

Biomedicine

• Lab-grown genomes capable of altering human DNA. Research shows how synthetic chromosomes can be transferred into human cells with the potential to increase viral resistance. This allows for DNA transformation on a scale not possible with today’s more limited gene-editing techniques (https://www.ft.com/content/8b06f15b-3a4e-49e7-8993-e6d6d5fc2309)
• How science can displace the use of laboratory animals. New technologies using miniature human organs can replace procedures currently performed on animals (https://www.ft.com/content/4d4e0f4b-b564-432e-a2aa-cba0000013f9)
• COVID-19: The efficacy and lack of risk of mRNA vaccines demonstrated in a large-scale study, as shown by a French study published in JAMA. It incorporates data from 28 million people (https://www.lemondfr/planete/article/2025/12/04/covid-19-l-absence-de-danger-et-l-efficacite-des-vaccins-a-arn-messager-demontrees-par-une-vaste-etude_6656015_3244.html)
• A key mechanism driving metastasis in cancer has been discovered. The advance provides a deeper understanding of DNA and RNA modifications in metastatic cancer (https://theobjective.com/sociedad/ciencia/2025-12-02/descubren-mecanismo-metastasis-cancer/). Access the original article: https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-24-3975
• A vaccine against fentanyl overdose. The first clinical trials for this injection involve the immune system in the treatment of addiction for the first time (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20251205/vacuna-sobredosis-fentanilo-puede-convertir-inmunologia-nuevo-arma-droga/1003744043242_0.html)
• An experimental drug that repairs DNA ushers in a new phase of regenerative therapies. US scientists have developed a drug that repairs DNA and serves as a prototype for a new class of medications that correct tissue damage caused by a heart attack (https://www.es/salud/enfermedades/farmaco-experimental-repara-dano-causado-infarto-20251203190000-nt.html)
• Long-term data show that lecanemab slows Alzheimer’s by up to 8.3 years. Eisai presents a study with results from the open-label extension phase of the pivotal trial showing that the greatest benefit is obtained in patients in very early stages (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/industria/datos-plazo-muestran-lecanemab-ralentiza-83-anos-alzheimer.html)

Global Health

• Ultra-processed foods: time to put health before profit. The increase in ultra-processed foods in human diets is harming public health by driving chronic diseases globally. Addressing this challenge requires a global response. At the heart of these types of foods is the large-scale processing of cheap products: corn, wheat, soy, and palm oil. In many countries, these foods make up 50% of the diet (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02322-0/fulltext)
• Colombia, a pioneer in taxes on ultra-processed foods. This country introduced a 10% tax on these foods, which will rise to 20% this year. Colombia has a high rate of obesity and hypertension (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02465-1/fulltext)
• Bill Gates warns that cuts in global aid will increase infant mortality (https://www.ft.com/content/e3f00645-63ee-469e-aa0a-8e82c442519a)
• Infant mortality is set to rise again in 2025, for the first time in 25 years, due to cuts in development aid. The Gates Foundation’s ‘Goalkeepers’ report warns that the decline in global health funding is responsible for reversing more than two decades of progress. The WHO, in its annual report on malaria, notes that progress against the disease has stalled (https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2025-12-04/la-mortalidad-infantil-vuelve-a-subir-en-2025-por-primera-vez-en-25-anos-debido-en-parte-a-los-recortes-de-la-ayuda-al-desarrollo.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • Republicans still don’t know what to do with Obamacare. The need to update Obamacare subsidies is a headache for Republicans. This issue was behind the recent US government shutdown (https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/12/04/republicans-still-dont-know-what-to-do-with-obamacare)
  • Trump wants a health care deal, leaving the details to Congress (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/04/trump-health-care-congress-00675170)
  • Polls suggest voters may blame Republicans if Obamacare subsidies are removed. Half of Americans covered by Obamacare say that increased subsidies could change their vote in the 2026 election (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/us/politics/poll-republicans-health-insurance-subsidies-affordable-care-act.html)

• United Kingdom
  • US-UK agreement: The NHS will pay significantly more for medications. The agreement involves the US not raising tariffs and increasing the price of new treatments by 25% (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2538)

• France
  • France appears poised to withdraw from subsidies for AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. For the first time since 2002, these subsidies are being interrupted (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2025/12/01/sida-la-france-est-elle-en-train-de-se-desengager-du-fonds-mondial_6655544_3244.html)

• Cuba
  • Cuba is sinking into a major health crisis. Hospitals are overwhelmed and the death toll is rising daily. Cuba is experiencing a health crisis of “combined arboviral diseases” that includes dengue, chikungunya, oropouche, and other respiratory viruses (https://elpais.com/america/2025-12-06/nos-estamos-muriendo-cuba-se-hunde-en-una-gran-crisis-sanitaria-entre-falta-de-medicinas-y-diagnosticos-falsos.html)

• WHO
  • The WHO supports the drugs Ozempic and Wegovy Mounjaro to combat obesity. These drugs, called GLP-1, mimic the action of this hormone linked to both insulin secretion and the feeling of satiety through brain mechanisms (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2025/12/03/692fe66ffdddff9a098b458a.html)
  • European healthcare systems are not prepared to integrate AI. The WHO warns of an uneven implementation of AI in European healthcare. Spain is now among the few countries with its own strategy after approving the eIASNS (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/sistemas-sanitarios-europeos-estan-preparados-integrar-ia-segun-oms.html)

• European Union
  • Pharmaceutical companies are asking the EU to better define what constitutes drugs of interest in the Critical Medicines Act. They have indicated that it should not lead to a proliferation of procedures that reduce the Predictability (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251203/laboratorios-piden-ue-precise-mejor-farmacos-interes-ley-medicamentos-criticos/1003744041749_0.html)
  • Europe is working on the development of 91 vaccines, 41% of which are dedicated to treatments with no other options (https://diariofarma.com/2025/12/01/europa-trabaja-en-el-desarrollo-91-vacunas-el-41-destinadas-a-tratamientos-sin-opciones)

National Health Policy

• Impact of General Policy on Health
  • Pedro Sánchez criticizes the PP over the Torrejón hospital scandal (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-03/la-ministra-de-sanidad-carga-contra-ayuso-por-el-escandalo-del-hospital-de-torrejon-este-es-el-modelo-del-pp.html)

• Central Government Initiatives
  • Following the Torrejón scandal, the Minister of Health announces a law to prevent the private management of public centers. She reports that in Madrid, La Paz Hospital loses 50,000 patients a year; on October 12th, 25,000; The Ramón y Cajal Hospital, with 30,000 members, always favors the Quirón and Ribera concessions in Madrid, with the consequent economic flow (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-07/monica-garcia-con-la-nueva-ley-no-se-permitira-el-modelo-de-torrejon.html)
  • The government will prohibit ultra-processed foods on children’s menus in hospitals. Bustinduy announces that the measure will be included in the royal decree on healthy food in hospitals and nursing homes (https://www.abc.es/sociedad/gobierno-prohibira-alimentos-ultraprocesados-menus-infantiles-hospitales-20251126115303-nt.html)
  • Consumer Affairs will require that 80% of the products in vending machines in hospitals and nursing homes be healthy (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-01/consumo-obligara-a-que-el-80-de-los-productos-de-las-maquinas-expendedoras-de-hospitales-y-residencias-sean-saludables.html)

• Initiatives of the autonomous communities
  • Andalusia will have 69 new healthcare facilities by 2026. Of these 69 new facilities, 16 are already completed and They will become operational in the first quarter of 2026; 13 are currently under construction and will be ready from April onwards (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/autonomias/andalucia/andalucia-contara-con-69-nuevas-infraestructuras-sanitarias-en-2026-6853)

• Scandal surrounding news from Torrejón Hospital
  • An audio recording reveals that Torrejón Hospital is rejecting patients to increase its profits. The Ribera group, which manages the hospital, is asking its management to make adjustments to achieve a profit of “four or five million” (https://theobjective.com/espana/politica/2025-12-03/madrid-controles-hospital-torrejon-ardoz-gerente/)
  • The hospital’s management company dismissed four executives who had reported the situation through an internal channel (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-04/ribera-despidio-a-cuatro-directivos-que-denunciaron-internamente-los-recortes-en-el-hospital-de-torrejon.html)
  • The Community of Madrid denies malpractice at the Torrejón hospital and attributes the scandal to “internal squabbles” (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-05/la-comunidad-de-madrid-niega-malas-practicas-en-el-hospital-de-torrejon-y-atribuye-el-escandalo-a-rencillas-internas.html)
  • The Ayuso government pays Quirón hospitals double the budgeted amount over four years. The initial funding allocated to the four hospitals for the four-year period 2021-2024 totals €2.543 billion, but the sum of all payments made during those years approaches €5 billion. (https://www.eldiario.es/madrid/gobierno-ayuso-paga-hospitales-quiron-doble-presupuestado-cuatro-anos_1_12818388.html)

• Framework Statute
  • Doctors call an indefinite strike in January against the Ministry’s Framework Statute. The organizations denounce that Minister Mónica García has no intention of reaching a “fair, useful, and beneficial” agreement (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2025-12-04/los-sindicatos-convocan-una-huelga-indefinida-en-enero-contra-el-estatuto-de-sanidad.html)
  • Latest draft of the Framework Statute (https://gacetamedica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Propuesta-de-Anteproyecto-de-Ley-del-Estatuto-Marco-del-personal-estatutario-de-los-servicios-de-salud.pdf)

• Flu epidemic
  • The Ministry of Health and the autonomous communities agree on the flu plan: widespread use of masks and increased vaccination (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251203/sanidad-ccaa-dan-luz-verde-plan-frente-gripe-mascarillas-obligatorias-medidas/1003744041141_0.html)

• Swine fever
  • Key points about swine fever: too many wild boars roaming free, a highly contagious virus, and the possible clue of the sandwich. After three decades, the dreaded virus has returned to Spain. It is not transmitted to humans: pork products, including sausages, can be consumed (https://elpais.com/clima-y-medio-ambiente/2025-12-01/claves-de-la-peste-porcina-demasiados-jabalies-sueltos-un-virus-muy-contagioso-y-la-posible-pista-del-bocata.html)
  • The Catalan government commissions an audit amid suspicions that the swine fever virus escaped from a public laboratory. The Catalan government has commissioned an audit by the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) to analyze whether there has been a possible leak of the African swine fever virus from one of its facilities (https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2025-12-06/la-generalitat-encarga-una-auditoria-ante-las-sospechas-de-que-el-virus-de-peste-porcina-escapara-de-un-laboratorio-publico.html)
  • Spain finalizes three live attenuated virus vaccines against African swine fever (https://www.larazon.es/salud/espana-ultima-3-variantes-vacuna-virus-vivos-atenuados-peste-porcina-africana_20251207693161369261f37ec73bde19.html)
  • The swine fever crisis: losses of hundreds Millions, and not just for Catalonia (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2025-12-06/crisis-peste-porcina-perdidas-cientos-millones_4260876/)

• National Health System Annual Report 2024
  • Access the report: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/sisInfSanSNS/tablasEstadisticas/InfAnual2024/INFORME_ANUAL_2024.pdf. Access the executive summary: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/estadEstudios/estadisticas/sisInfSanSNS/tablasEstadisticas/InfAnual2024/Informe_Anual_2024_Resumen_ejecutivo.pdf

Companies

• International
  • Will the new Chinese blockbuster arrive? Today, Western pharmaceutical companies and investors are privately raising concerns that their companies risk falling behind Chinese innovation (https://www.ft.com/content/3bfe96d3-593c-498a-9da4-0c1ed359ff74)

• National News
  • Sanofi, GSK, MSD, Pfizer, and three other laboratories are competing for the Ministry of Health’s mega-contract for 1.7 billion vaccines (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251202/sanofi-gsk-msd-pfizer-laboratorios-compiten-megacontrato-millones-vacunas-sanidad/1003744037002_0.html)
  • Faes Farma will use its new ophthalmology business to boost its expansion in Latin America and the Middle East (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/empresas/sanidad/20251204/faes-farma-usara-nuevo-negocio-oftalmologia-impulsar-expansion-latinoamerica-oriente-medio/1003744041715_0.html)
  • Clínica Baviera exploits its “recipe for success” on the Stock Exchange: +650% in five years and a potential of 27% (https://www.elconfidencial.com/mercados/2025-12-03/clinica-baviera-bolsa-informe-cantor-fitzgerald_4258211/)
  • Ribera plans to sell assets in Murcia and Extremadura to clean up its balance sheet and seek an investor in 2026. Vivalto Santé, the owner of the hospital concessionaire Ribera Salud, plans to divest assets in Extremadura and Murcia to improve its balance sheet for the upcoming year. search for a new financial investor in 2026 (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2025-12-06/ribera-activo-murcia-extremadura-balance-vivalto_4261477/)

Summary

The week’s most impactful health news stories were:

• Biomedicine: A new gene-editing strategy could enable the development of treatments for rare diseases.
• Global Health: Trump’s anti-climate change agenda could cause 1.3 million deaths annually.
• International Health Policy: In France, medical records can be downloaded directly to mobile phones starting next Tuesday.
• National Health Policy: “There’s no money for healthcare because the money is in Quirón or in the pockets of millionaires” (statements by the Minister of Health).
• Companies: Lilly joins the trillion-dollar club thanks to its anti-obesity treatments.

Biomedicine

• A new gene-editing strategy could enable the development of treatments for rare diseases. Instead of requiring a personalized gene-editing system for each patient, the new approach may allow for a standardized approach for many diseases.
• An initial look at mRNA vaccines to prevent the flu. These types of vaccines, according to initial studies, may be more effective than traditional vaccines.
• Chronic kidney disease: breaking the silence. Because it was initially silent, it didn’t receive much attention, but the burden of this disease is growing: 788 million people worldwide have chronic kidney failure.

Global Health

• Trump’s anti-climate change agenda could cause 1.3 million deaths annually, according to a study. Rising temperatures are already causing a large number of deaths. Trump’s “America First” agenda will increase that number.
• Bill Gates says that climate change is not as serious as other problems that humanity must address. According to Gates, much progress has been made on the issue of climate change, and although it still represents a serious danger, the most serious threats, especially in poor countries, are poverty and disease. He is receiving strong criticism for this, as it is considered a dangerous distraction.

International Health Policy

• The digital Vital Card is available on mobile phones throughout France starting Tuesday. It will be available for download on iOS or Android, and this application will allow insured individuals to access their medical records directly from their mobile phones.
• The NHS is proceeding with its plan to lay off thousands of workers. According to the Secretary of State for Health, this will generate £1 billion in bureaucratic savings over the legislative term, which will be dedicated to improving care.
• The European Investment Bank is focusing on healthcare. Experts estimate that the closure of USAID will result in 88 deaths per hour. Other estimates put the figure at 14 million deaths by 2030. In response, some Scandinavian countries and philanthropists are increasing aid to these countries, as is the European Investment Bank.

National Health Policy (Spain)

• “There is no money for healthcare because the money is in Quirón or in the pockets of millionaires.” This is the economic analysis of healthcare by the Minister of Health. No comment.
• Cantabria launches its Healthcare Humanization Plan 2025-2029. Pascual presents a “cross-cutting and comprehensive” strategy that seeks to recover the traditional values ​​of Medicine and restore “necessary silences, reassuring glances, supportive hands, and explanations that bring peace.” An extraordinary step.
• Cantabria presents its Genomics Strategy 2025-2029, focusing on research and data. Idival reports that the regional cohort has already reached 50,000 volunteers, 20% of the population between 40 and 70 years old. A success for the Cantabria region.
• The Parliament of Catalonia approves the Integrated Social and Healthcare Agency. A strategic step that connects Catalonia with the most advanced policies in Europe. This step is of utmost importance and will undoubtedly serve as a lesson for many other autonomous communities. Given the prevalence of chronic diseases, the relationship between healthcare and social services is key. •
• An interesting analysis of the serious situation of waiting lists in Spain (12% of the population at some stage of waiting). “The problem is not money, but the model,” says Juan Abarca in his article, since public healthcare spending has increased by 50% in the last 10 years. He attributes this problem to the refusal to change the administrative management model, so incompatible with efficiency. Despite the seriousness of the problem, this issue is not on the agenda of the Ministry of Health.

Companies

• International
  • Lilly joins the club of companies with a market capitalization of one trillion dollars, thanks to its anti-obesity treatments

• National News
  • Santander aims to expand its health insurance business by hiring the CEO of Sanitas. This will likely change the landscape of health insurers in Spain.
  • Palex strengthens its presence in Switzerland with the acquisition of the medtech company Anandic. The group, owned by Apax Partners and Fremman Capital, expands its offering in the hospital sector with the acquisition of the firm, which has a turnover of €37 million and employs around 70 professionals. This is its third acquisition this year.

Biomedicine

• An initial look at mRNA vaccines for preventing influenza. According to initial studies, these vaccines may be more effective than traditional vaccines (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2514597)
• Chronic kidney disease: breaking the silence. Because it was initially silent, it didn’t receive much attention, but the burden of this disease is growing: 788 million people worldwide have chronic kidney disease (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02363-3/fulltext). The declaration from the last World Health Assembly urges the prevention and control of this disease: https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB156/B156_CONF6-en.pdf
• Lung cancer screening saves lives, but it could save many more. Low-dose computed tomography screening is effective, but it is not performed on more than 80% of potential candidates (https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2025.23244)
• Obesity medications will be available globally. The expiration of some patents will help (https://www.economist.com/the-world-ahead/2025/11/12/weight-loss-drugs-will-go-global)
• A new gene-editing strategy could enable the development of treatments for rare diseases. Instead of requiring a customized gene-editing system for each patient, the new approach may allow for a standardized approach to many diseases (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/health/gene-editing-rare-diseases.html). Access the original article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09732-2
• CAR-T immunotherapy is reaching the most common form of heart disease. Modified cells in mice reduced the accumulation of arterial plaque, preventing atherosclerosis (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/inmunoterapia-cart-llega-forma-comun-enfermedad-cardiaca-20251121122240-nt.html)
• The cell of origin of Ewing sarcoma has been identified. The discovery, by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, opens the door to new therapies. (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/oncologia/identificada-celula-origen-sarcoma-ewing.html)
• Targeted heat from LED lights: a research avenue for fighting cancer. A team from the universities of Porto and Texas is developing a photothermal system that opens the door to new treatments in outlying areas and even home interventions (https://elpais.com/proyecto-tendencias/2025-11-19/calor-dirigido-con-luces-led-una-via-en-estudio-para-combatir-el-cancer.html). Access the original article: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c03135

Global Health

• Trump’s anti-climate change agenda could cause 1.3 million deaths annually, according to a study. Rising temperatures are already causing a large number of deaths. Trump’s “America First” agenda will increase that number (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/19/trump-emissions-policy-could-cause-climate-deaths). Access the original article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-99156-5
• France is not extending its participation in the fight against AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, according to several associations. France, which had pledged €1.596 billion in 2022, has not made any commitments this year (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2025/11/21/la-france-ne-prolonge-pas-sa-participation-au-fonds-mondial-de-lutte-contre-le-sida-la-tuberculose-et-le-paludisme-selon-plusieurs-associations_6654372_3244.html)
• Experts warn of the global risk of ultra-processed foods. Three articles published in ‘The Lancet’ highlight the decline in fresh food and the unethical practices of the food industry (https://www.abc.es/salud/enfermedades/aumento-alimentos-ultraprocesados-amenaza-salud-publica-20251119143411-nt.html). Access the original Lancet article: https://www.thelancet.com/series-do/ultra-processed-food
• Bill Gates says that climate change is not as serious as other problems humanity faces. According to Gates, much progress has been made on climate change, and although it still poses a serious danger, the most serious threats, especially in poor countries, are poverty and disease (https://www.gatesnotes.com/home/home-page-topic/reader/three-tough-truths-about-climate). It has received strong criticism for this, as it is considered a dangerous distraction: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03712-2

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The CDC website is now anti-vaccine, at the direct direction of RFK, Jr. (https://www.theatlantic.com/health/2025/11/cdc-website-autism-vaccine-kennedy/685001/)
  • Certain Republicans in the Senate are working on a plan to lower healthcare costs. There are only a few weeks left before Obamacare subsidies expire and those enrolled will have to pay much more expensive policies (https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/18/aca-obamacare-subsidies-extension-00655842)

• United Kingdom
  • The NHS is proceeding with its plan to lay off thousands of workers. According to the health secretary, this will allow for savings of £1 billion in bureaucracy over the legislative term, which will be dedicated to improving care (https://www.bmj.com/content/391/bmj.r2399)
  • The official report concludes that the British government’s response during Covid (Boris Johnson) was insufficient and delayed (https://www.ft.com/content/7ea6f7c8-e59a-466b-964a-8c9acf218415)

• France
  • The digital version of the Vital Card has been available on mobile phones throughout France since Tuesday. It can be downloaded on iOS or Android, and this application will allow policyholders to access their medical records directly from their mobile phones (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/11/18/la-carte-vitale-dematerialisee-disponible-sur-smartphone-des-mardi-partout-en-france_6653837_3224.html)

• European Union
  • The European Investment Bank is focusing on health. Experts estimate that the USAID shutdown is causing 88 deaths per hour. Other estimates put the death toll at 14 million by 2030. In response, some Scandinavian countries and philanthropists are increasing aid to these countries, as is the European Investment Bank (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02362-1/fulltext).
  • The ECDC attributes the unusual spread of influenza in Europe to the subclass K A (H3N2) strain (https://diariofarma.com/2025/11/20/el-ecdc-atribuye-el-avance-inusual-de-la-gripe-en-europa-a-la-nueva-cepa-subclade-k).

National Health Policy

• Central Government Initiatives
  • “There is no money for health because the money is in Quirón or in the pockets of millionaires” (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/politica/monica-garcia-hay-dinero-salud-dinero-quiron-o-bolsillos-millonarios.html) and “We are going to create a law that shields the National Health System from privatization ambitions” (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/parlamentarios/garcia-vamos-a-crear-una-ley-que-blinde-el-sns-de-ansias-privatizadoras–8384)
  • The Ministry of Health allocates 100,000 euros to promote abortion as something positive. According to the document, the aim is to generate “a positive narrative about the exercise of this sexual and reproductive right” (https://theobjective.com/espana/2025-11-20/sanidad-100-000-euros-campana-aborto-positivo/)
  • Countdown to choosing the headquarters of the State Public Health Agency: the regions can now submit their applications. Barcelona, ​​Zaragoza, Granada, León, Oviedo, and Lugo are some of the cities that have applied to host this long-awaited agency (https://www.lne.es/sociedad/2025/11/18/cuenta-elegir-sede-agencia-estatal-salud-publica-comunidades-presentar-candidaturas-123858111.html)
  • All autonomous communities, except the Basque Country and Galicia, have joined the government’s €1.7 billion mega-contract for vaccines (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251121/todas-ccaa-pais-vasco-galicia-adhieren-megacontrato-vacunas-millones-gobierno/1003744022477_0.html)

• Initiatives of autonomous communities
  • Cantabria launches its Humanization Plan of Healthcare 2025-2029. Pascual presents a “cross-cutting and comprehensive” strategy that seeks to recover the traditional values ​​of Medicine and return “necessary silences, reassuring glances, supportive hands, and explanations that bring peace” (https://diariofarma.com/2025/11/18/cantabria-inicia-su-plan-de-humanizacion-de-la-asistencia-sanitaria-2025-2029). Access the full text of the Plan: https://saludcantabria.es/documents/20117/200245/Plan%20de%20Humanización%20de%20la%20Asistencia%20Sanitaria%20en%20Cantabria%202025_2029.pdf/37ff204a-9ecb-48c6-035a-c62a2a3eb583
  • Cantabria presents its Genomics Strategy 2025-2029, focusing on research and data. Idival reports that the regional cohort has already reached 50,000 volunteers, 20% of the population between 40 and 70 years old (https://diariofarma.com/2025/11/16/cantabria-presenta-su-estrategia-de-genomica-2025-2029-con-un-enfoque-innovador-en-investigacion-y-datos)
  •  The Parliament of Catalonia approves the Integrated Social and Healthcare Agency. A strategic step connecting Catalonia with the most advanced policies in Europe (https://govern.cat/salapremsa/notes-premsa/765848/el-parlament-de-catalunya-aprova-la-creacio-de-l-agencia-d-atencio-integrada-social-i-sanitaria-agaiss-cat)
  • Valencian Health Service commissions IQVIA to develop the single electronic health record for 69 million euros (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud-bienestar/empresas/noticias/13656394/11/25/la-sanidad-valenciana-encarga-la-historia-clinica-unica-a-la-multinacional-iqvia-por-69-millones-de-euros.html)

• Healthcare spending
  • Per capita healthcare spending in Spain is 21% of the OECD average (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251117/gasto-sanitario-per-capita-espana-debajo-media-ocde/1003744013957_0.html)
  • Public spending on healthcare does not exceed the 7% threshold and remains far below the EU average (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251119/gasto-publico-sanidad-no-salva-barrera-pib-queda-lejos-media-union-europea/1003744018956_0.html)

• Framework Statute
  • Doctors acknowledge a good relationship with the healthcare system, but admit to “many nuances” in their latest proposal (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251121/estatuto-marco-medicos-admiten-buena-sintonia-sanidad-reclaman-matices-ultima-oferta/1003744024683_0.html)

• Sick leave
  • Spanish companies lose €148 billion annually due to sick leave (https://theobjective.com/economia/2025-11-22/bajas-medicas-empresas-perdida-productividad/)

• Escalation of kidney disease in Spain
  • The unstoppable rise in kidney disease in Spain: 40% more dialysis and transplants in almost 20 years. The increase is not only due to increased life expectancy. This is also due to the fact that the risk factors associated with the disease are not being addressed. (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20251119/imparable-escalada-enfermedad-renal-espana-dialisis-trasplantes-anos/1003744018463_0.html)

• Analysis of waiting lists in Spain
  • An interesting analysis of the serious situation of waiting lists in Spain (12% of the population in some stage of waiting). “The problem is not money, but the model,” says Juan Abarca in his article, since public healthcare spending has increased by 50% in the last 10 years. He attributes this problem to the refusal to change the administrative management model, which is so incompatible with efficiency (https://www.elespanol.com/opinion/tribunas/20251118/acabar-listas-espera-sanidad-publica/1003744017410_12.html)
• An interesting article by Víctor Lapuente, professor at the University of Gothenburg: Healthcare for all
  • He calls for increased public resources; less pharmaceutical spending, which is well above the European average; a smaller and unsustainable network of regional hospitals; and more, not less, public-private partnerships. and the streamlining of a highly bureaucratic management system. Without surgery, we accomplish nothing (https://elpais.com/opinion/2025-11-18/sanidad-para-todas.html)

Companies

• International
  • The American group Abbott invests in cancer screening technology with a $23 billion deal (https://www.ft.com/content/e1a60b35-8b88-474b-a779-64b35889b12e)
  • A new initiative supported by GSK seeks to combat super-resistant bacteria with AI (https://www.ft.com/content/85252c42-0834-487c-9287-3446f838b58e)
  • Lilly joins the trillion-dollar club thanks to its anti-obesity treatments (https://cincodias.elpais.com/companias/2025-11-21/eli-lilly-entra-en-el-club-de-empresas-del-billon-de-dolares-en-bolsa-ante-la-pasion-por-los-tratamientos-anti-obesidad.html)

• National News
  • Pfizer carries out layoffs in Spain as part of its company restructuring plan (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20251117/pfizer-ejecuta-despidos-espana-parte-plan-reestructurar-compania/1003744014688_0.html)
  • Palex strengthens its presence in Switzerland with the purchase of the medtech company Anandic. The group owned by Apax Partners and Fremman Capital expands its offering in the hospital sector with the acquisition of the firm, which has a turnover of €37 million and employs around 70 professionals. This is its third acquisition this year (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2025/11/21/6920bcfa468aeb3a4f8b4575.html)
  • Fedefarma invests €28 million to expand a logistics center in Barcelona (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2025/11/21/692048a0468aeb03688b459e.html)
  • Santander aims to grow in health insurance by hiring the CEO of Sanitas (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/seguros/2025/11/21/691f7505e5fdeaf5118b4588.html)