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7 days in healthcare (June 26th-July 2nd, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, clinical trials in humans begin with drugs developed by artificial intelligence, such as one for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Álvaro Pascual-Leone, a prestigious Spanish neuroscientist based in the United States, announces that in about ten years the brain will be able to be manipulated . Surely at that time the manipulation of the brain will be something as normal as today the replacement of the crystalline lens for the cataract. A new world is coming.

In Global Health, two charities (the Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Foundation) set to fund a TB vaccine, which could save 8.5 million lives over the next quarter century. Gavi, the organization that provides vaccines to developing countries, approves a vaccine that protects against polio and five other diseases.

Regarding International Health Policy, the editor of the American Journal Medicine publishes in the last issue an article with the five great challenges of the American health system in the 21st century. However, from a reporting point of view, the most interesting news comes from the UK. The King’s Fund, a major British health think tank, publishes a comparative analysis of that country’s health system, which it analyzes together with 19 health systems, including the Spanish one. The analysis is very interesting, and the conclusion is that the NHS is efficient, but with big problems, not only with waiting lists, but also with results. It seems to imply a chronic underfunding of the NHS, when compared to systems in other countries. For its part, the NHS publishes for the first time a long-term plan on personnel. It basically deals with three things: training, retention and reform. The Guardian hails the report but says it is years overdue. For their part, both The Lancet and the British Medical Journal publish editorials on the 75th anniversary of the NHS, which coincides with its deep crisis. In both positions, political consensus is claimed as a key piece to fix the serious problems of the NHS. The WHO-Europe publishes a document with architectural recommendations on the hospitals of the future.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), there are several news of interest: the Audit Office of Catalonia publishes an interesting report on waiting lists. It seems that 9% of the cases on the waiting list in Catalonia were not counted on the Department of Health website, which leads some to use the word makeup. With regard to private healthcare, the IDIS is starting a very interesting project to share the patient’s clinical history among various provider and insurer entities, only an initial but very important step in what is to come. In the course of the pre-election debate, the President of the Popular Party announces a new General Health Law and a State Pact on Health if it reaches La Moncloa. Interesting announcements since, as The Lancet says for the NHS, only a certain political consensus and a new partnership, will be able to solve the problems of the health system in our country.

At the Corporate level, internationally, GSK completes the acquisition of Bellus Health. As far as national news is concerned, we must highlight Roche’s investment in Sant Cugat.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

  • USA
    • The challenges of the American healthcare system in the 21st century, according to the editor of the American Journal Medicine. Five big challenges: 1. Insufficient insurance coverage; 2. Low health education among the population; 3. Prevention and management of chronic diseases; 4. Great disparities in quality and results; and. 5. Trust in doctors? (https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(23)00035-9/fulltext)

National Health Policy

Companies