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7 days in healthcare (January 3-9, 2022)

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SUMMARY

From an international point of view, perhaps the most striking thing is the great global expansion of COVID, particularly of the “omicron” variant, with a record number of infections in the United States, of more than one million a day.

As for national news, official policy continues to trust everything to vaccination, avoiding other measures that may have certain political costs. The problem is the number of deaths, the collapse of the health system (which affects not only COVID cases, but the rest of the patients) and the large number of sick leave. The only measure at the national level is the obligation of the mask outdoors (about whose effectiveness many doubt), without addressing the need to control the aeration of premises based on CO2 meters; the avoidance of crowds; considering the mandatory nature of the vaccine for certain groups (health workers, teachers, etc.); the more agile activation of the third dose; ensuring the existence of antigen tests and regulating their price; the management of sick leaves in another more agile way, in such a way that Primary Care no longer completely collapses; and, ensuring the purchase and accessibility of new drugs against COVID.

Regarding company news, to highlight the record sale of 7 million antigen tests by pharmacies in the week of Christmas; and the great news that the Spanish HIPRA vaccine may be present in the second quarter of year 22.

INTERNATIONAL

  • 5 key articles published in JAMA on January 6: 1. A National Strategy for the New Normal of Life with Covid; 2. A National Strategy for COVID-19: Testing, Surveillance and Mitigation Strategies; 3. A National Strategy for COVID-19 Medical Countermeasures: Vaccines and Therapeutics; 4. The First 2 Years of COVID-19: Lessons to Improve Preparedness for the Next Pandemic; 5. The Pandemic Preparedness Program: Reimagining Public Health (JAMA, 6 at 22)
  • Deloitte publishes a document with the six major topics that will be present in health in 2022: 1. Health equity; 2. Corporate Social Responsibility: 3. Mental health and well-being; 4. Digital transformation and impact on delivery models; 4. The future of medical science; 5. Public Health, reimagined (Deloitte, https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/Life-Sciences-Health-Care/gx-health-care-outlook-Final.pdf)
  • The Lancet identifies humanitarian needs by 2022, the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance will rise in 2022 to 274 million, from 235 million in 2021 (The Lancet, Jan 8, 22)
  • Peter Singer, possibly the most famous bioethicist in the world, says that, in the face of a shortage of ICU beds, according to him, vaccinated people would have a preference (Project Syndicate, 5 at 22)
  • The USA reports a record number of infections throughout the pandemic, more than a million a day (FT, 4 in 22)
  • Italy declares COVID vaccination mandatory for those over 50 (The Guardian, 5 at 22)
  • A Chinese city of 1.2 million inhabitants, in confinement, before the appearance of three cases (The Guardian, 4 in 22)
  • Israel announces vaccination with a fourth dose for those over 60 years (Vozpópuli, 2 in 22)
  • The WHO follows the new IHU variant identified in France but states that it is not circulating very actively (El Mundo, 6 in 21)
  • More patients and fewer professionals push New York hospitals to the limit (NYT, 7 at 22)
  • Military deployed to London hospitals, to compensate for the absence of personnel (The Guardian, 7 at 22)
  • The French presidency of the European Union (first semester of 2022), intends to take steps in promoting the “European Health Union”, strengthening the ECDC, EMA and HERA (ConSalud, Jan 9, 22)

NATIONAL NEWS

  • “Spain, sick, resigned and incredulous”, hard and accurate article by José Antonio Zarzalejos, on the absence of a strategy against COVID-19. He accuses of attempts to trivialize the attitude of the Spanish authorities (both national and regional), trusting everything to vaccination, but not adopting other measures, as in other countries. It has not even debureaucratized sick leave. The government gets out of the way, individualizing the response to the pandemic. (El Confidencial, 8 at 22)
  • The number of cases in Spain reaches record figures throughout the pandemic (2,722 per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days). The numbers of admitted and patients in ICU are somewhat lower than in other waves, but also worrying (Ministry of Health, Update no 537. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 01.07.2022)
  • Between the need to care for COVID, the administrative role for sick leaves and the personnel’s own dismissals, the «omicron» variant pushes Primary Care to the limit (El País, Jan 3, 22)
  • ICUs are as full as a year ago, with 10 times more incidence (El Español, 6 in 22)
  • More than a million children between 5 and 11 years old already have the first dose of the vaccine (El Confidencial, 4 in 22)
  • Spain is late in the purchase of new anti-COVID drugs, while other European countries already have reservations, but in Spain this was delegated to the autonomous regions (La Razón, 7 at 22)
  • The return to classes will be face-to-face at all stages from January 10, agreement of the Interterritorial Council (Sanitary Act, 4 at 22)
  • Health and communities say that at the school level, entire groups will only quarantine if there are five or more cases (El País, 7 out of 22)
  • Raise to five the positives in a classroom to confine them, something without scientific evidence, says the Spanish Association of Pediatrics (7 in 21)
  • Flurona, first cases of simultaneous influenza and covid infections in Spain (Expansión, 3 in 22)
  • December closes with 240,000 sick leave due to COVID, three times more than in November (CincoDías, 4 in 22)
  • A CIS study shows (?) That 55% of Spaniards are not being greatly affected by the pandemic (Vozpópuli, 3 in 22)
  • Great step back from smoking in Spain, they start smoking again like a decade ago (El Periódico de España, 4 at 22)
  • Almost forty organizations reject the Madrid Omnibus Law, published on December 23 and with a 7-day hearing procedure, between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, modifying 33 laws and 5 decrees in force in the Community of Madrid (Acta Sanitaria, 4 Jan 22)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND MAIN ACTORS IN HEALTH

  • Pharmacies sold a record 7 million antigen tests in the week of Christmas (CincoDías, 4 in 22) and in six months they have sold more than 21 million tests (El Debate, 6 in 22)
  • According to the Minister of Health, antigen tests will only be sold in pharmacies, contrary to what happens in other European countries (Diariofarma, 4 in 22)
  • Private hospitals denounce the Xunta for not compensating for its intervention during the state of alarm (La Voz de Galicia, 4 at 22)
  • HIPRA, the Spanish vaccine, already has a release date in the second quarter of 2022 (La Razón, 4 at 22)
  • The vaccine triggers the value of Novavax, Moderna, BioNTech and Pfizer on the stock market (Expansión, 6 Jan 22)
  • Pfizer and BioNTech will search for a vaccine against herpes zoster (CincoDías, 5 en 22)
  • The German Synlab buys the Valencian company Sistemas Genónicos, belonging to the Ascires group (Expansión, 7 at 22)
  • Rovi, newcomer and favorite among IBEX stocks (CincoDías, 9 at 22)
  • Telefónica has more than 50,000 clients in its telemedicine service (The Objective, 6 in 22)

7 days in healthcare (13-19 December, 2021)

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Summary

From an international point of view, perhaps the most striking thing is the great growth worldwide of the “omicron” variant, already present in 89 countries. Although it is clear that it is much more transmissible than the Delta variant, it is not clear that the disease is milder. Some countries in Europe decree confinements. The effectiveness of COVID passports is demonstrated, in terms of increased vaccinations. Figures for healthcare spending in the United States are released in 2020, spending increased significantly, especially federal spending, related to COVID. It reaches 19.7% of GDP (which is said soon). It is also striking that for the first time in the history of the United States, public health spending exceeds private spending.

Regarding national news, great concern about the rapid expansion of the pandemic, which forces the President of the government to convene a Conference of Presidents, for two days before Christmas Eve, which prevents measures from being adopted for Christmas. The plenary session of the Interterritorial Council approves the “Primary and Community Care Plan 2022-2023”, a set of good intentions and the announcement of measures that, where appropriate, would have to be implemented by the autonomous communities. Once again you see how difficult “co-governance” without good governance.

In relation to the activity of companies and other agents in the sector, the activity of vaccine manufacturing companies continues. Two things are difficult to understand: the letter from the President of the Madrid Medical Association to the President of ASISA and the launch by DKV-Yoigo of a medical insurance for 20 euros. We believed, on the one hand, that health insurance companies were free to hire their medical staff; and, on the other hand, that it was difficult to continue lowering the price of health insurance in our country. It is true that in the United States and other countries online insurance, Oscar type, is emerging with cheaper policies than conventional insurance. But in Spain the policies are already very cheap and I do not think that it is about making policies for young and healthy people, who hardly consume health care.

International

  • The “omicron” variant advances at an incredible speed (The Economist, 18 Dec 21)
  • The ECDC warns that vaccination alone is not enough and calls for drastic measures (La Razón, Dec 15 21)
  • The “omicron” variant grows 70 times faster than the Delta in bronchial tissue (The Guardian, Dec 15 21)
  • The “omicron” variant is already present in 89 countries and is growing rapidly, according to the WHO (The Guardian, 18 Dec 21)
  • There is no evidence that the “omicron” variant is more benign than the delta (FT, Dec 17 21)
  • Seven people die in the United Kingdom from the “omicron” variant (El Independiente, 18 Dec 21)
  • The Netherlands decrees a new strict confinement until January 14 (El Periódico de España, Dec 18 21)
  • COVID passports have a positive effect on the number of vaccinated, according to an international study carried out in six countries (Denmark, Israel, Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland), (The Lancet, Dec 13 21)
  • The United States exceeds 800,000 deaths from COVID, the country with the highest mortality (The Guardian, Dec 15 21)
  • The scientific advances of 2021, according to the journal Science (the ease of identifying the structure of proteins, the most significant advance. In relation to medicine, several advances: treatments for COVID-19; psychedelic drugs versus some psychiatric disorders; artificial antibodies to infectious diseases; CRISP tools to modify genes within the body; Alzheimer’s medication, despite doubts about its efficacy) (Science, Dec 17, 219
  • The figures for healthcare spending in the USA in 2020 are published. The growth was 9.7% over the previous year, which had grown by 4.3%. The acceleration is due to the increase in federal spending, which grew 36%, especially in relation to COVID. The percentage of GDP dedicated to health reached 19.7%. The number of uninsured decreased. For the first time in US history, public health spending surpasses private spending (51% vs 49%) (Health Affairs, January, 22)
  • The repetition of epidemics due to different types of coronavirus (SARS, 2002 and 2003; MERS, since 2012 and COVID-19, since 2019) leads some to demand a kind of universal vaccine against coronaviruses. The article is signed, among others, by Fauci (New England Journal of Medicine, Dec 15, 2021)
  • Medicare Advantage for All, a potential pathway to universal coverage in the USA. Against Medicare for All, it would keep private insurers (JAMA, Dec 16 21)

Nationals

  • Spain is at a very high risk of contagion, after exceeding an incidence of 500 per 100,000 in the last fourteen days (El País, 17 Dec 21)
  • Sánchez calls the conference of presidents for next week, given the worsening of the pandemic (El País, 18 Dec 21)
  • Announcement on TV on Sunday, December 19, by Sánchez of the presidents’ conference for Wednesday, December 22, without advancing any measures. Logically, due to the date, there is no possibility of organizing measures for Christmas (El Mundo, 19 Dec 21)
  • Navarra and the Basque Country among the five regions with the most COVID in Europe (El Español, Dec 16 21)
  • Third dose for people over 40 and vaccinated with AstraZeneca (El Confidencial, Dec 16 21)
  • Spain is at the forefront of Europe in excess of mortality, according to the EuroMoMo (The Objective, 19 Dec 21)
  • On December 15, the plenary session of the Interterritorial Council approved the “Plan for Primary and Community Care 2022-2023”, continuation of the “Strategic Framework for Primary and Community Care”, approved in 2019 and never implemented. The plan is a set of promises, which to a large extent have to be implemented by the autonomous communities (such as the finalist budget, telemedicine and others). The plan is strongly criticized by SEMERGEN (Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians and by FADSP (Federation of Associations for the Defense of Public Health) (Infolibre, Dec 16 21)
  • Antigen test: pharmacies appear to be short of supplies (El País, 19 Dec 21)
  • The Government (Ministry of Social Affairs and Agenda 2030) proposes to limit the residences for the elderly to a maximum of 50 places, as well as some ratios of staff per resident. The text must be consensual, which seems difficult (Infolibre, Dec 17 21)

Companies, employers and other agents in the sector

 

  • María Vila, elected President of FENIN (El Español, Dec 14 21)
  • Ana Polanco, reelected President of ASEBIO (Planta Doce, 16 Dec 21)
  • Letter from the President of the College of Physicians of Madrid to ASISA, reproaching him for the dismissal of doctors for the MUFACE system (Sanifax, Dec 15 21)
  • Spain has already manufactured 380 million vaccines for COVID (CincoDías, Dec 17, 21)
  • Catalonia creates a venture capital fund to promote scientific entrepreneurship (PlantaDoce, Dec 16 21)
  • The European Medicines Agency approves Pfizer’s anti-COVID pill (El Debate, 16 Dec 21)
  • Pfizer’s (Paxlovid) anti-COVID pill works well against the “omicron” variant, the company confirms (NYT, Dec 14 21)
  • The WHO and the EMA could approve the American vaccine NOVAVAX next week (FT, Dec 16 21)
  • Oracle, about to buy CERNER for US $ 30,000 million (FT, Dec 17 21)
  • The CDC discourages the use of the J&J vaccine, due to some clot problems (NYT, Dec 16 21)
  • Sanofi intends to request approval of its vaccine again (FT, Dec 15 21)
  • The IMED healthcare group invoices 12% more and its profit almost doubles, reaching 6 million (Valencia Plaza, Dec 15, 21)
  • The CEU and ASISA sign an agreement for the training of students at the HLA Moncloa hospital (El Debate, 18 Dec 21)
  • Venture capital is pushing for the formation of MIRs. The CVC fund studies buying MIR Asturias (El Periódico de España, 19 Dec 21)
  • Vivanta requests a ransom of 40 million euros from SEPI (PlantaDoce, Dec 16 21)
  • Quirón proton therapy successfully treats its first 100 children (ConSalud, Dec 14 21)
  • Philips expands its portfolio with the purchase of Vesper Medical (PlantaDoce, Dec 15 21)
  • Modern: agreement to bring a mRNA vaccine factory to Australia (PlantaDoce, Dec 14 21)
  • Company health insurance will become more expensive by 7.2% in 2022 (PlantaDoce, Dec 14 21)
  • Grifols sells VCN Biosciences for 66 million euros (PlantaDoce, Dec 15 21)
  • CSL acquires Vitor Pharma for 11.7 billion dollars (PlantaDoce, Dec 16 21)
  • Asistensi and Clínica de Navarra, agreement to export health insurance to immigrants (PlantaDoce, Dec 16 21)
  • Ysios enters the Dutch Northsea leading a round of 77 million euros (El Economista, Dec 17 21)
  • Biontech investors are studying buying Sandoz (El Economista, Dec 14 21)
  • Atrys Health acquires Simm molecular (Expansión, Dec 17 21)
  • DKV and the telephone company Yoigo launch a family health insurance for less than twenty euros (El Economista, 9 Dec 21)
  • The Savana company, founded in 2014, with an ecosystem of 160 hospitals in Europe and America, intends to lead the “healthcare data lake” (El Economista, 18 Dec 21)
  • Rovi receives the European recommendation for its own research antipsychotic (CincoDías, 17 Dec 21)
  • Almirall wins the rights to a drug against autoimmune diseases (CincoDías, Dec 14 21)

7 days in healthcare (November 29-December 5, 2021)

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SUMMARY

From the international point of view, it is worth highlighting the beginning of the work of the WHO for the approval of a Treaty on pandemics. It seems that the alarm about the new “‘ ómicron “variant is lowered, after the WHO announcement that there had been no case of death. We must be attentive to the program of the new German coalition government, and its impact on the health system. It seems that its actions are concentrated in the pharmaceutical sector. The failure, for various reasons, of the COVAX platform for immunization of low- and middle-income countries is confirmed.

At the national level, the growth of COVID continues to figures that are already beginning to be worrying, despite the advantage over other European countries. The council of ministers approves the Mental Health Strategy, a plan that, unlike the one approved a few years ago on Primary Care, does have funding, despite having aroused reservations among experts. The council of ministers also approves the PERTE for health. As of December 13, the vaccines for children will be available.

Regarding companies, it should be noted that both Pfizer and Moderna are preparing to adapt their vaccines to the new COVID variant.

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

  • The WHO agrees on December 1, 2021 to begin negotiating an international agreement on how countries should prevent, prepare for and react to pandemics. The agreement is to hold a meeting before March 1, 2022 and discuss a draft before August 1, 2022 (British Medical Journal, Dec 2, 21)
  • A law to introduce dental care in Medicare is discussed in the American Congress (NEJM, 2 Dec 21)
  • An article is published that compares the evolution and behavior in 24 months of a large number of people from the Veterans Administration vaccinated with Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech (NEJM, Dec 1 21)
  • The need for the health sector to contribute to decarbonization continues to be present (NEJM, Dec 2 21)
  • The WHO warns of a high risk due to the new “omicron” variant (FT Nov 29, 21)
  • WHO says there have been no deaths from the new “omicron” variant, despite its expansion (The Guardian, 4 Dec 21)
  • The “ómicron” variant, with a wide worldwide diffusion: apart from its origin in South Africa, and the expansion to 11 European countries, also present in Canada, Brazil, Australia and Saudi Arabia, among others (CNN Español, Dec 1 21)
  • Van der Leyden calls to discuss the mandatory nature of the vaccine (FT, Dec 1 21)
  • Analysts say that the economic impact of the “omicron” variant will not be important (FT, Nov 29, 21)
  • The program of the new German coalition government has an impact on the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector. Most important measures: price containment in medicines, push for healthcare digitization and use of medical data for research (Covington, Nov 29 21)
  • Biden rules out a new lockdown to tackle the new “omicron” variant (FT, Nov 29, 21)
  • The United Kingdom urgently calls a meeting of the G7 to discuss the problem of the new variant (La Razón, 28 Nov 21)
  • The new variant presents more than 50 mutations over the original from Wuhan (La Razón, Nov 29, 21)
  • COVAX has only distributed 26% of the promised covid vaccines for 2021. The most unanimous explanation is that rich countries have monopolized the market (El Español, Dec 4, 21)
  • The EMA would need three to four months to approve vaccines if they have to be modified by “omicron” (El Confidencial, Nov 30, 21)
  • Europe steps on the accelerator with the third doses in full uncertainty for the new variant (eldiario.es, Nov 29, 21)
  • The lack of vaccines, logistical limitations and the rejection of part of the population hinder immunization in Africa (El País, 28 Nov 21)
  • Germany imposes a de facto confinement to the unvaccinated: leisure and commerce will be banned (El País, 2 Dec 21)
  • Agreement between the Council and the European Parliament to strengthen the role of the ECDC (El Global, 30 Nov 21)

NATIONALS

 

  • COVID cases continue to rise, reaching an AI (cases per 100,000 in the last 14 days) of almost 250 (El Confidencial, Dec 3, 21)
  • Health advises limiting participants in social events during Christmas after the advance of COVID (La Razón 1 Dec 21)
  • The government does not have a “legal plan B” before the “omicron”, it trusts everything to vaccination and rejects restrictions that could affect the economy (La Razón, Dec 1 21)
  • The Government defends the need for an International Treaty on Pandemics, as stated by Minister Darias during the Extraordinary Assembly of the WHO in Geneva (ConSalud, 29 Nov 21)
  • The Council of Ministers approves the Mental Health Strategy 2022-2026, the last was of 2009. It is criticized by experts (Spanish Society of Psychiatry, Spanish Society of Dual Pathology) for its lack of ambition, although the effort of consensus. Among the criticisms is the lack of standards such as professional ratios, number of beds in children’s and adolescent hospitals, waiting lists, etc. It has financing of 100 million euros for the next three years, 30 million for 2022. Intervention in the workplace, the approach to suicide and the gender perspective, among the novelties of this Strategy (El Mundo, Dec 4, 21)
  • The council of ministers officially approves the PERTE for health. Investment of more than 1,400 million euros, between 2021 and 2023. These investment agendas are articulated through tenders, the creation of an investment, development and innovation (R + D + i) structure for advanced online therapies, launch of a public-private investment vehicle in advanced therapies (public-private commercial company) with the participation of companies with production capacity in Spain, elements of early coordination and identification of capacities and needs of the National Health System, public procurement innovative and pre-commercial, agreements with communities, private initiatives and co-programmed projects and public tenders (PlantaDoce, Nov 30 21)
  • The Interterritorial Council of December 2 addresses the Royal Decree of Specialties, so that it is approved before the end of 2021. It contemplates approving new specialties and reviewing access to specific training areas (ConSalud, Nov 30, 21)
  • Pfizer vaccines for children, available from December 13 (ConSalud, Dec 1 21)
  • AESEG presents a report “The sector of generic drugs in the economic and social reconstruction of Spain”, in which it advocates a differential price of generics in relation to brands (AESEG, Dec 1 21)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND MAIN ACTORS IN HEALTH

 

  • Continuity of care, interoperability, innovation and the promotion of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), among the objectives of the IDIS Foundation for 2022 (ConSalud, 2 Dec 21)
  • Teladoc Health grows 81% in the third quarter (PlantaDoce, Dec 1 21)
  • Pfizer and Moderna are preparing to adapt their vaccines to the new “omicron” variant (El Global, Nov 29, 29)
  • Merck’s COVID Treatment (Molnupiravir), Endorsed by FDA (NYT, Nov 30 21)
  • HM Hospitales will have a new space of 1,000 square meters in Valdedebas (PlantaDoce, Nov 30, 21)
  • HIPRA relies on its covid vaccine to grow 13% in 2021 (PlantaDoce, Dec 1 21)
  • The major private equity companies (CVC, Advent, Cinven, PAI, KKR,…) prepare offers for around 1,500 million for IVI (CincoDías, Nov 30, 21)

7 days in healthcare (8-14 November, 2021)

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ABSTRACT

 

From an international point of view, the appearance of two new drugs for COVID (Merck and Pfizer) is considered a milestone in the evolution of the pandemic. Both drugs are small molecule, easy to produce, and for oral use. The other great milestone of the pandemic was, at the time, the appearance of vaccines. Especially worrying are the high numbers of COVID in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom, Ireland, but also Germany and the Netherlands, without forgetting the special situation due to its seriousness in Romania and Bulgaria.

From the national point of view, the announced draft bill on Equity, Universality and Cohesion of the SNS is of great interest. Although the text of the preliminary draft is not known at the time of writing this note, from what was announced it could be said that the positive aspect is universality (provided that universality is not identified with equity) and the negative are the possible repeal of Law 15 / 97, on enabling new forms of management in the National Health System, the imposition of direct management compared to other more flexible forms of management and bad messages regarding co-payments. It seems that he wants to transfer the idea that “privatization” and “copayments” are the problems of the sector, which is absurd.

Regarding companies, the disappearance of large industrial business conglomerates, such as J&J and GE, is striking. It should be noted that in both operations one of the bets is health. This contrasts, instead, with the creation of tech giants (Google, Amazon, Apple, etc.).

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

  • The Economist forecast: COVID will most likely disappear by 2022. Success: vaccines and new drugs. Failure: immunity at terrible cost, 16.5 million deaths worldwide (The Economist, 8 Nov 21)
  • The Economist welcomes the extension of “assisted death” as a new and important right, started in 1995 in Australia and already legal in a dozen countries, most recently Portugal. It is not yet legal in the UK, but Parliament is discussing a law on the subject. In the Netherlands, 4% of deaths are assisted (The Economist, 13 Nov 21)
  • The new anti-COVID drugs represent a significant change in the pandemic (the first notable change was that of vaccines). The new drugs are malnupiravir (Merck) and paxlovid (Pfizer). Both are “small molecule” drugs, easy to produce and for oral use (The Economist, 12 Nov 21)
  • 100 Years of Insulin (Toronto, 1922), a therapeutic success, but a failure in its worldwide spread. The producing companies are Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and Sanofi. Now there is biosimilar (The Lancet, Nov 13, 21)
  • The 100,000 genomes project in the United Kingdom (Genomics England) has made it possible to catalog, and in some cases treat, many rare diseases (New England Journal of Medicine, 11 Nov 21)
  • The rise of the COVID epidemic in Germany (almost 500 cases in the last 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants), at the peak and rising, is considered an pandemic of the unvaccinated. Among the factors, the interim Merkel government is valued (NYT, 11 Nov 21). Merkel will meet with the “Länder” next week to take measures against the growth of the covid (El Mundo, 11 Nov 21)
  • The Netherlands imposes new restrictions, as COVID cases are very high (The Guardian, 12 Nov 21)
  • The governments of 42 countries (including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany) ask to cut emissions from the healthcare sector. The sector’s emissions represent 5% of the total. If it were considered a country, the health sector would be the 5th emitter of CO2 pollution (NYT, 8 Nov 21)
  • The Economist analyzes the non-zero cost of China’s zero-COVID policy (The Economist, 13 Nov 21)
  • COVID vaccination will be mandatory for NHS staff starting next spring (FT, 9 Nov 21)
  • Waiting lists on the NHS soared. They grow by 100,000 people in a month. More than 5.8 million were waiting in September, with 12,500 awaiting treatment for more than two years (FT, Nov 11 21)

NATIONAL

 

  • The government approves the “preliminary draft of the Law by which various norms are modified to consolidate the equity, universality and cohesion of the National Health System” (reference of the Council of Ministers 8 Nov 21)
  • The Secretary of State for Health publishes a prior consultation on the draft bill of measures for equity, universality and cohesion of the National Health System, establishing the November 19 deadline for submitting opinions.
  • The Minister of Health, in public statements, mentions the laws that are going to be repealed or modified. Among those that will be repealed, “explicitly and expressly”, she mentions Law 15/97, on enabling new forms of management in the National Health System (El Periódico de España, 8 Nov 21)
  • The BOE publishes the agreement between the Government, certain autonomous communities and the Amando Ortega Foundation, for the implementation of 10 proton therapy equipment in the public system. A monitoring commission is created on the subject (BOE, no. 267, 8 Nov 21)
  • The health PERTE is presented on November 15. It is integrated into the five PERTES that the government has devised: cutting-edge healthcare, electric vehicle, new language economy, aerospace and smart and sustainable food chain. It appears that the health PERTE will have three components: 1. Innovative techniques and technologies for the diagnosis and prevention of diseases; 2. Development of advanced therapies; and, 3. Platform for the design and industrial production of medicines and vaccines (ConSalud, 11 Nov 21)
  • The autonomies claim to maintain the covid funds for 2022 (El País, 9 Nov 21)
  • The University of Washington predicts a sixth wave of covid in Spain (Vozpópuli, 8 Nov 21)
  • The cumulative incidence of covid grows in Spain to 71.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days. It is not comparable to the figures of other European countries, but it continues to rise slowly (ConSalud, 12 Nov 21)
  • The waiting list grows. The latest data published is from December 31, 2020 and the waiting time had passed, in relation to the previous record, from 121 to 148 days for interventions. Pending publication of the data corresponding to June 2021 (ConSalud, 8 Nov 21)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND MAIN ACTORS IN HEALTH

 

  • J&J (Johnson & Johnson) will be divided into two companies: one dedicated to consumer products and the other to drugs and medical devices (NYT, 12 Nov 21)
  • GE (General Electric) will be divided into three companies: health, energy and aviation (FT, 9 Nov 21)
  • The Spanish pharmaceutical industry proposes a plan of 1.7 billion to produce essential drugs (CincoDías, 10 Nov 21)
  • Moderna rejects the claims of the American government to appear as a co-inventor of vaccine technology (FT, 11 Nov 21)
  • BioNTech shoots its profit up to 7,126 million euros in the first nine months of the year. (Floor Twelve, Nov 9, 21)
  • The Zendal hospital in the post-pandemic: 400 personnel for 38 patients (Diario.es, Nov 7 21)
  • Fresenius is interested, along with other investors, in InsudPharma, specialized in biosimilars and valued at 1,000 million euros (El Periódico de España, Nov 9, 21)
  • Advent gives gas to Vitaldent, with the purchase of Smysecret (dental aesthetic treatments) (PlantaDoce, 12 Nov 21)
  • Acciona will build a hospital in Chile (PlantaDoce, 11 Nov 21)
  • KKR enters fertility with the purchase of GeneraLife from Invesindustrial (Expansión, 10 Nov 21)
  • HIPRA will imminently begin the new phase of clinical trials for its vaccine (El Economista, Nov 8, 21)
  • Grifols liquidates the blood bag business and closes production in Brazil and Murcia (Cinco Días, Nov 12, 21)