Posts

7 days in healthcare (April 3rd-9th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, vaccines against cancer and heart disease, based on mRNA technology, which are looming on the horizon 2030, seem to be the next great advance in medicine, potentially saving millions of lives. The Economist dedicates an article and an editorial to demonstrate the weak evidence for the therapy of gender transitions in adolescents, especially when they include pharmacological or surgical medication. Contrary to what had been a very popular assumption, moderate alcohol consumption does not produce health benefits, according to a study of more than 40 years published by the JAMA Network Open. Rather the opposite is true.

As regards Global Health, the WHO, born after the Second World War, is celebrating its 75th anniversary. He has emerged from the pandemic with injuries and issues, but acutely aware of his mission, purpose, and need for change. One of the problems it encounters is the discrepancies between countries in the discussion of a treaty on pandemics, which it intends to be approved in 2024. The Lancet publishes several articles on the commercial determinants of health, a subject of great interest. interest. Four industries – tobacco, unhealthy eating, oil and fossil fuels, and alcohol – are responsible for a third of deaths each year globally.

As for International Health Policy, in the United States, a federal judge in Texas has just banned the use of an abortion drug, which had been approved by the FDA more than 20 years ago. In France, the citizens’ convention, made up of 184 citizens chosen by lot, has just ruled in favor of euthanasia and assisted suicide, although with certain “red lines”. Macron wants to discuss the bill before the summer.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), surgical waiting lists set a new record, according to the report made public by the Ministry of Health, with data as of December 31, 2022. Almost 900,000 people waiting for a surgical intervention. An absolutely delegitimizing element of the system. As is well known, the Ministry only makes public the waiting lists for surgical intervention or specialist consultations, but not for special tests (radiology, radiotherapy, ultrasound, etc.), on which there are no national data, although there are some autonomous communities. Interesting article published in Gaceta Sanitaria on the economic impact of including dental care in public coverage. This is an issue that the majority political parties have been pronouncing in favor of for several years, but nothing has been done on it. Spain is possibly the European country with the least percentage of its health spending devoted to dental care. The declarations of the Minister of Health of Catalonia are surprising, justifying the dismissal of the nurses who criticized the Catalan C1. Since this type of statement about specific dismissals is not common among regional ministers, it is to be assumed that there is an important political background. The decision of Navarra and Asturias to launch public companies, one for medical transport and another for a hospital laundry, is also surprising. Wouldn’t there have been the possibility of resorting to private initiative to solve these needs, perhaps more efficiently than through a public company?

In the field of Companies, internationally, agreement between Medtronic and Davita to launch Mozarc. At the national level, it is worth noting the start of work on the Viamed hospital in Tarragona, and the separation of the “pharmacy” and “chemistry” areas of the company Esteve.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National Health Policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (September 5th-11th, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, to highlight the work that shows an association between artificial sweeteners and increased cardiovascular risk. Also that air pollution causes lung cancer.

As far as Global Health is concerned, apart from the serious humanitarian crises in Pakistan and Somalia, the most promising is the new malaria vaccine, which could be operational as early as 2023.

Regarding international health policy, assisted suicide and euthanasia are news in Canada (where the rate of euthanasia is very high and there is concern) and in France (which is considering passing a law). Macron has launched a major national debate on this issue, following a report to appear next week from the Ethics Committee. This great debate on such a delicate subject was missed in Spain. Certain issues should not be subject only to conjunctural parliamentary majorities, but should be preceded by a great national debate. It is also worth mentioning that Chile rejected the draft Constitution in a referendum. According to an article published in El País, doubts about the possibility of choosing the health system (the continuity of the ISAPRES, as health insurers are called in Chile), is one of the causes of this rejection.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), it should be noted that Aragón proposes a great debate on the efficiency of the National Health System, a brave and valuable initiative. It will first analyze the Aragonese health system, and then share that analysis with the rest of the autonomies. Also that the Ministry of Health promises to change the law to favor the local manufacture of medicines. It is also worth underlining the pronouncement of the Catalan Evaluation Agency, on the need for a state policy for the digital transformation of the health system and the promotion of telemedicine.

In the field of companies, from the international point of view, to mention the purchase of Signify a home care group by CVS (an American pharmaceutical chain), in a process in which Amazon also showed interest. In terms of news at the national level, to highlight the great investment of Novartis in our country.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies

 

7 days in healthcare (25th-31st July, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, it should be noted that the origin of acute childhood hepatitis has been discovered, it turns out to be due to a co-infection of two viruses, ruling out covid as the cause of this disease. Major advances by a group of Yale scientists in the treatment of brain tumors, specifically aggressive glioblastoma multiforme, using molecules that attack tumor DNA. Deep Mind (a company of the Alphabet group, parent of Google) launches an algorithm capable of identifying the structure of proteins. It seems that this advance may be of great importance for the discovery of new drugs.

As far as Global Health is concerned, air pollution is a public health emergency, according to the British Medical Journal. The WHO reaches an agreement on a treaty on pandemics, which should be agreed in May-2024.

Regarding international health policy, mention should be made of the declaration by the WHO of monkeypox as a global public health emergency, which is justified by the existence of more than 17,300 cases in more than 70 countries. It seems that it is confirmed that covid-19 originated in the live animal market in Wuhan (China).

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), two deaths in Spain as a result of monkeypox (in both cases due to encephalitis). At the present time there is only one other case of death from this disease in Brazil. The incidence of covid-19 drops very significantly, moving us away from the peak of the seventh wave.

In the field of companies, it should be noted that Fujijilm is going to be transformed into a health company. Teladoc’s notable financial losses. Vivalto Santé, an important French group, acquires the property of Ribera through the sale of Centene Corporation.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies