cholera – Ignacio Riesgo

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7 days in healthcare (October 2nd-8th, 2023)

08/10/2023/in The Health Week /by ignacioriesgo

Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, Katalin Karikó and Andrew Weissman, awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine, for their discoveries that allowed the implementation of the mRNA vaccine against covid. When Watson and Crick discovered the structure of DNA in 1953, RNA was not known, not discovered until 1961. DNA is the matrix for RNA and this is the matrix for proteins to be produced in ribosomes. mRNA was later discovered. Dr. Karikó immigrated to the United States from her native Hungary in 1968 to find a therapeutic role for messenger RNA. For 20 years she worked unsuccessfully in that attempt. At the University of Pennsylvania, where she worked, she met Dr. Drew Weissman. They had made RNA, injected it into mice but they got sick and died. After some chemical changes in the RNA they avoided rejection. They believed they were on the path to discovering a new way of making vaccines. They tried to publish it in “Nature”, but the prestigious magazine rejected the work. They published it in 2005 in the minor journal “Immunology”. Two biotechnology companies saw the therapeutic potential of RNA: Moderna, in the United States, and BioNTech, in Germany. In 2013 Katalin Karikó became vice president of BioNTech, there she developed the vaccine against covid that has saved so many lives. In 2022 she left BioNTech to devote more time to research. She has returned to Hungary as a professor at the University of Szeged. Andrew Weissman’s life is less eventful, he is a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and had worked with Anthony Fauci, the doctor who led American efforts against covid-19. In another vein, The Lancet magazine publishes an experimental work in which a blood test detects tumors in asymptomatic people. It is only a first step, but the day does not seem far away when we can diagnose the existence of a tumor through a blood test.

Regarding Global Health, the WHO approves the long-awaited second vaccine against malaria. It should be noted that the number of cholera cases has doubled between 2021 and 2022, according to the WHO.

Regarding International Health Policy, in the United States, a strike at the important integrated insurer Kaiser Permanente ended without an agreement. The FDA launches a program to accelerate the emergence of therapies against rare diseases. Let’s not forget that most rare diseases have no treatment by 2023. Prime Minister Sunak of the United Kingdom seems determined to set limits on the age at which people start smoking. The EFPIA (European medicines association) appeals in writing to the European Parliament to amend the European pharmaceutical reform, which is underway.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), as is known, the Government has authorized the increase in the number of places in Medical Schools. This initiative has been made against the opinion of the doctors and the Association of Medical Students. Obviously, the issue of health professionals requires planning, precisely what there has not been. Planning cannot be replaced with any measure if it is not well thought out and matured among the various agents of the health system. Andalusia takes a step to promote public/private collaboration, by approving 734 million euros to refer patients to private clinics. As for the Zendal Hospital, it seems that it the purpose of that hospital is already defined. After an investment of 50 million: the Zendal hospital will be a neurorehabilitation hospital. At one point it had been designed as a Covid hospital, something only seen in China and some other low-developed countries, not Europe. There was no functional plan for said hospital. We now do not know which studies have recommended its transformation into a neurorehabilitation hospital and whether the different agents (hospitals, scientific societies, expert groups, etc.) have been consulted.

In the field of Companies, on an international level, KKR finalizes the purchase of Eugin, to create a giant in assisted reproduction. At the national level, HM Hospitals announces the opening of its 9th hospital in Madrid. A story of undoubted success, based on a family initiative.

Biomedicine

Katalin Karikó and Andrew Weissman, awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine, for the discoveries that allowed the implementation of the mRNA vaccine against covid (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2023-10-02/concesion-of-the-nobel-prize-in-medicine-2023.html#:~:text=The%20Karolinska%20Institute%20of%20Stockholm,covid%20based%20on%20RNA%20messenger.)
The Economist Editorial: In a grim world, vaccines were a wonderful gift that well deserves recognition (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2023/10/05/in-an-ugly-world-vaccines-are-a-beautiful-gift-worth-honouring)
An experimental blood test detects tumors in asymptomatic people (https://elpais.com/salud-y-bienestar/2023-10-05/un-analisis-de-sangre-experimental-detecta-tumores-en-personas-asymptomatic.html). Original article in The Lancet: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01700-2/fulltext#:~:text=Multicancer%20early%20detection%20(MCED)%20blood,MCED%20testing%20for%20cancer%20screening.

Global Health

WHO approves the long-awaited second malaria vaccine (https://www.science.org/content/article/world-health-organization-endorses-much-anticipated-second-malaria-vaccine)
Moderna reports successes in the dual vaccine against covid and flu (https://www.ft.com/content/8fd9f7fa-c272-440e-9f27-8bdacc7afe5c)
How to integrate the approach to HIV, diabetes and hypertension in Africa (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01884-6/fulltext)
The number of cholera cases has doubled between 2021 and 2022, according to the WHO (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2023/10/03/cholera-le-nombre-de-cas-rapportes-a-l-oms-a-double-entre-2021-et-2022_6192071_3244.html#:~:text=Le%20name%20de%20cas%20de,OMS%20diffusée%20vendredi%2022%20septembre.)

International health policy

USA
- Workers’ strike at Kaiser Permanente, which ends without an agreement (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/06/health/kaiser-permanente-strike.html#:~:text=Kaiser%20Permanente%20health%20care%20workers,warned%20another%20walkout%20was%20possible.)
- The FDA launches a program to accelerate the appearance of therapies against rare diseases (https://diariofarma.com/2023/10/03/la-fda-pone-en-marcha-un-piloto-para-acelerar-the-development-of-therapies-in-rare-diseases)

United Kingdom and the National Health Service
- Prime Minister Sunak, willing to raise the smoking age from year to year (https://www.ft.com/content/86d9c79f-6b08-498b-847b-9e23c09e6f61)
- The Nuffield Trust (a leading British health think tank) publishes a report on how to improve the supply of clinical staff in the NHS (https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/research/waste-not-want-not-strategies-to-improve-the-supply-of-clinical-staff-to-the-nhs)

France
- Tribune in Le Monde: Given the aging of the population, it is necessary to increase the number of geriatricians (https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2023/10/05/vieillissement-demographique-il-nous-faut-former-des-geriatres-en-plus-grand-nombre_6192575_3232.html#:~:text=2030%2C%20c%27est%20demain%20!,en%20charge%20du%20grand%20âge.)
- To address the shortage of medicines, the government wants to fight against waste (https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2023/10/03/face-aux-penuries-de-medicaments-le-gouvernement-veut-faire-la-chasse-au-gaspillage_6192204_3234.html#:~:text=de%20la%20santé-,Face%20aux%20pénuries%20de%20médicaments%2C%20le%20gouvernement%20veut%20fair)
- Alert in Paris, due to the proliferation of bed bugs (https://elpais.com/clima-y-medio-ambiente/2023-10-04/alerta-en-paris-ante-la-proliferacion-de-chinches-de-cama.html)

European Union
- The EU is considering new joint purchases of vaccines to combat the coronavirus (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/plantea-nuevas-compras-conjuntas-vacunas-hacer-frente-coronavirus_20231002651a250a1fb4a600013ff9c4.html)
- The EFPIA (European Medicines Association) appeals to the European Parliament to amend the European pharmaceutical reform (https://diariofarma.com/2023/10/03/la-efpia-apela-a-la-eurocamara-para-ammendar-the-pharmaceutical-reform)
- The EMA reviews 1,800 generic medicines for “deficiencies in validity and reliability” (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2023-10-03/la-ema-revisa-1800-medicamentos-genericos-por-deficiencias-en-the-validity-and-reliability-of-clinical-trial-data.html#)

National health policy

Controversy over the increase in medicine places
- Doctors warn the government that creating more medical positions at Medical School will aggravate the problem (https://theobjective.com/sanidad/2023-10-03/medicos-advierten-gobierno-mas-plazas-medicina-agravara-problemas/#:~:text=However%20%2C%20the%20doctors%2C%20disbelievers,for%20the%20Union%20Medical%20Andalusian.)
- Medical students reject the increase in places (https://www.consalud.es/formacion/estudiantes-medicina-aumento-plazas-en-facultades_135197_102.html)

MUFACE model
- SOS in the face of insufficient financing of the MUFACE model (https://www.vozpopuli.com/espana/sos-muface-falta-gobierno-frena-finacion-salvar-mutua-2-millones-trabajorios.html)
- The MUFACE electronic prescription will be available in all autonomous communities in 2024 (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20231007/receta-electronica-muface-disponible-todas-comunidades-mediados/799420237_0. html)

Public/private collaboration in Andalusia
- The Moreno Government reserves 734 million euros to refer patients to private clinics inside and outside Andalusia (https://www.eldiario.es/andalucia/gobierno-moreno-reserva-734-millones-derivar-pacientes-clinicas-private-outside-andalucia_1_10560907.html)

Prices in private insurance
- Private insurance is installed in increases of 8.4% in premiums in 2023 (https://www.plantadoce.com/entorno/guerra-de-precios-el-seguro-privado-de-salud-se-instala-en-rises-of-84-in-2023.html#:~:text=Guerra%20of%20precios%3F-,The%20seguro%20private%20of%20salud%20is%20installed%20in%20subidas%20del,eight%20first%20months%20de)

Zendal Hospital
- Ayuso will use 50 million euros to transform the Zendal hospital into a neurorehabilitation center (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud/noticias/12477314/10/23/ayuso-empleara-50-millones-para-convierte-el-zendal-in-a-neurorehabilitation-center-.html)

Companies

International News
- KKR finalizes the purchase of Eugin from Fresenius to create an assisted reproduction giant (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/kkr-ultima-la-compra-de-eugin-a-fresenius-para-crear-a-giant-of-assisted-reproduction.html#:~:text=2023%20—%2009%3A42-,KKR%20last%20the%20buy%20from%20Eugin%20to%20Fresenius%20to%20create,betting %20por%20la%20r)

National
- HM hospitales will open the 9th hospital in Madrid in 2024 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVXaKxLWrVY)

7 days in healthcare (February 20th-26th, 2023)

26/02/2023/in The Health Week /by ignacioriesgo

Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, perhaps the most striking thing is that it is the 90th anniversary of the first transplant in humans, which took place in Kherson (Ukraine), a city that is so topical today due to the Russian invasion. It was a kidney transplant to a 26-year-old woman.

As regards Global Health, an important report on maternal mortality published by the United Nations. There is no decrease in frequency in recent years. Globally, 800 maternal deaths occur every day, a staggering figure. Cholera emerges globally, with outbreaks already in 30 countries, which indicates serious problems in water management and in the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the population.

Regarding International Health Policy, it seems that, despite the large outbreak of covid that occurred in China, after the abandonment of the covid-zero policy, this has not generated new variants of the virus. In the United Kingdom, conflicts persist in the NHS, with junior doctors joining the strikes. Important division in Colombia before the new health reform promoted by President Petro.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the cumulative incidence of covid continues to rise slightly, although mortality is decreasing. The medical conflict continues, both in Madrid and in other communities. The cost of putting a personal assistant to each Primary Care doctor is evaluated: 505 million euros. It’s a lot of money, but it’s possibly part of the solution. The pharmaceutical sector, with a large rise in 2022, consolidates as a large export sector in Spain.

At the Business level, internationally, Apple about to develop a smart watch that can detect blood glucose level, which can change diabetes management. Big Pharma is resisting at the international level that patents are expiring and giving way to generics, as reported by the Financial Times. It seems that Fresenius is going to concentrate on the area of hospitals and generics. In principle, the rumors of the possible sale of Quirón and the preparation of several private equity companies for this operation are dissipated. In Spain, significant increase in sales of Korian, Quirón and Asisa. BUPA and Mapfre alliance to sell certain insurance in some Latin American countries.

Biomedicine

90 years have passed since the first organ transplant (in Ukraine). On April 3, 1933, the first human transplant was performed in Kherson. It was a kidney transplant in a 26-year-old woman (https://www.alimente.elconfidencial.com/bienestar/2023-02-20/historia-primer-trasplante-urss-ucrania_3577955/)
The Spanish drug that is activated by light and can be used against cancer. Initial work of the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (CSIC) (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2023/02/23/63f647e9e4d4d83c148b4591.html)
Symposium in Madrid at the Ramón Areces Foundation on experimental therapies with CAR-T. Some treatments against tumors with a very poor prognosis could be available in a few years (https://elpais.com/ciencia/2023-02-26/asesinas-naturales-la-nueva-arma-experimental-contra-el-cancer.html)

Global Health

WHO funding and conflicts of interest. Problems with a donation from the Nestlé company. Only 16% of the WHO budget is covered by regular contributions from Member States. The rest by voluntary donations from Member States, United Nations agencies and private philanthropic organizations (https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p392)
The Russian invasion in the Ukraine: an attack on health. After the invasion 7,155 civilians died and 11,662 wounded in Ukraine, although the real figures may be higher; 200,000 dead soldiers on both sides; million displaced persons and refugees (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00387-2/fulltext)
Health emergency in the indigenous Yanomani people in Brazil, with hundreds of preventable deaths, in many cases due to malnutrition (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00384-7/fulltext)
Maternal mortality is stagnating, according to a United Nations report published on February 23, 2023. 287,000 maternal deaths globally in 2020, which means 800 maternal deaths every day (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00385-9/fulltext). To access the original report: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240068759
Cholera emerges globally. There are cases in 30 countries. The occurrence of an outbreak indicates that something has gone wrong in the area with water management and basic sanitation (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00386-0/fulltext)
Mpox leads to severe, even fatal illness in people with advanced HIV (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/21/health/mpox-hiv.html)
The cases of transmission of avian influenza to humans worry the WHO (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2023/02/25/les-cas-de-transmissions-de-la-grippe-aviaire-aux-humains-concerned-l-oms_6163291_3244.html)

International Health Policy

COVID
- Why the rehabilitation of persistent covid must be very slow. It is estimated that 3% of the population suffers from this disease (https://www.ft.com/content/fb77b3ef-0ad6-4bc6-a44b-fd6e0bdfe846)

USA
- 12 States Sue FDA, Calling for Abortion Pill Restrictions to Be Lifted (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/24/health/abortion-pills-fda-lawsuit.html)

China
- Apparently, there are no new variants of covid in China, after the large growth of cases derived from the abandonment of the covid-zero policy (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00268-4/fulltext)

Serious NHS crisis in the UK
- UK nurses stop strike to enter pay talks (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/21/nurses-in-england-pause-strike-action-to-enter-intensive-pay-talks)
- Junior doctors in England will go on strike for 72 hours in March (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/20/junior-doctors-in-england-to-strike-72-hours-march-emergency-care-nhs)
- A report says more funding is needed to alt the decline of public services (https://www.ft.com/content/c3aa192f-4b48-4d0f-b231-c7211128d038)

France
- Citizen convention on the end of life (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2023/02/26/convention-citoyenne-sur-la-fin-de-vie-les-doutes-par-dela-les-votes_6163348_3224.html)
- Doctors warn about the disturbing progression of pancreatic cancer (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2023/02/22/les-medecins-alertent-sur-l-inquietante-progression-du-cancer-du-pancreas_6162794_1650684.html)

Colombia
- Colombia, divided on the health reform. President Petro’s new bill (https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p411)

National health policy

COVID
- The cumulative incidence at 14 days rises to 56.30 points, but mortality decreases with 48 deaths in one week. There are currently 1,888 hospitalized for covid, of which only 95 are in ICU beds (https://www.consalud.es/industria/especial-empresas-covid-19/covid-espana-notifica-7038-casos-210-muertes-ia-go-up-to-5358-points_126517_102.html)

Regulatory framework
- New medical specialties in Emergencies, Genetics and Infectious diseases are announced by the Ministry (https://www.consalud.es/politica/darias-adelanta-se-crearan-especialidades-mir-urgencias-genetica-infeccosas_126628_102.html)

Medical conflict in Madrid
- Three months of strike in Madrid (https://www.epe.es/es/sanidad/20230221/tres-meses-huelga-medicos-madrid-83315038)

The medical conflict in other communities
- A white tide of thousands of people cries out against the dismantling of Osakidetza (https://cronicavasca.elespanol.com/politica/marea-blanca-miles-personas-clama-contra-desmantelamiento-osakidetza_776360_102.html)
- Some 4,000 Asturian healthcare workers take to the streets demanding more contracts (https://www.lne.es/asturias/2023/02/26/sanitarios-asturianos-salen-calle-reclamar-83749266.html)

Public healthcare
- SERGAS is consolidated as a benchmark in digital innovation (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/galicia/sergas-se-consolida-como-referente-en-innivacion-digital-con-proyectos-como-ianus5-telea_126683_102.html)
- The cost of implementing the clinical assistant in Primary Care: 505 million euros (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/medicina-familiar-y-comunitaria/dotar-de-un-asistente-a-cada-medico-of-family-cost-505-million-to-sns-1928)

Health professions
- Doctors request a specific framework in the Public Employee Statute (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20230220/medicos-especifico-statuto-empleado-publico-formacion-responsabilidad/742175921_0.html)

Pharmaceutical policy
- The export of medicines increases by 55% in 2022 and exceeds 27,400 million euros (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20230224/exportacion-medicamentos-aumenta-supera-millones-euros/743675934_0 .html)

Companies

International News
- Milestone in Apple: your smart watch will be able to detect blood glucose (https://www.eleconomista.es/tecnologia/noticias/12160930/02/23/Hito-en-Apple-contra-la-diabetes-su-reloj-intelligent-will-be-able-to-detect-glucose-in-blood-.html)
- Smith & Nephew warns that the shortage of microchips still affects the medical industry (https://www.ft.com/content/54a4f238-b4ea-40d4-b6d6-ec0a60b27485)
- The high price of Humira is considered a mistake, since it excludes many patients (https://www.ft.com/content/a8685c8d-60da-4fe8-9bba-ec1ba3bf62cc)
- Big Pharma fights against the release of patents for the arrival of generics (https://www.ft.com/content/c5498e67-a48f-4adc-b85f-7bf1a0d400f6)
- 3D printing of medical devices will be an industry worth almost 3,800 million euros in 2026 (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20230225/impresion-dispositivos-medicos-industria-millones/743925741_0.html )
- Fresenius simplifies its structure and focuses on the area of hospitals and generics (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/fresenius-simplifica-su-estructura-y-se-focaliza-en-el-area-hospitalaria-and-of-generics.html)

National News
- Korian increases its sales in Spain by 50% until 2022, up to 98 million euros (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/korian-eleva-un-50-sus-ventas-en-espana-en-2022-upto-98-million-euros.html)
- The ASISA Group continued to grow in 2022, increasing its premiums by 7% and its care activity by 10% (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/asisa-incrementa-sus-primas-un-7-en-2022-upto-1426-million-euros.html)
- Bupa and Mapfre join forces to offer health insurance in Latin America (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/bupa-y-mapfre-se-alian-para-ofrecer-seguros-de-salud-en-latinoamerica.html)
- Quirónsalud increases its revenue by 10% in 2022, up to 4,441 million euros (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/quironsalud-eleva-un-10-sus-ingresos-en-2022-hasta-4441-millones-de-euros.html)
- Ribera grows in the Middle East with the second public-private hospital in Kuwait (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/ribera-crece-en-oriente-proximo-con-el-segundo-hospital-publico-privado-en-kuwait.html)
- Valencian executives keep 25% of the Ribera group, which will be chaired by Alberto de Rosa (https://valenciaplaza.com/directivos-valencianos-se-quedan-un-25-del-grupo-ribera-que-presidira-alberto-of-pink)
- Grifols changes president again and falls 6% on the stock market (https://elpais.com/economia/2023-02-22/grifols-cae-mas-de-un-6-en-bolsa-tras-la-replacement-of-its-executive-president.html)
- Grifols pays 16 million to its American donors to withdraw the class action lawsuit (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud/noticias/12157199/02/23/Grifols-paga-16-millones-a-sus-donantes-Americans-to-drop-the-class-action-suit-.html)
- DKV launches Activa, a new app to manage insurance (https://www.consalud.es/ecsalud/ehealth/dkv-lanza-activa-nueva-app-gestionar-tu-propio-seguro_126651_102.html)
- Teladoc Health opens its first European R&D center in Barcelona (https://www.expansion.com/catalunya/2023/02/23/63f78941e5fdea273e8b4598.html)
- Cosentino signs an agreement with those affected by silicosis to provide financial aid and avoid further lawsuits (https://www.eleconomista.es/industria/noticias/12158866/02/23/Cosentino-firma-un-acuerdo-con-los-affected-by-silicosis-to-give-financial-aid-and-avoid-more-lawsuits.html)

7 days in healthcare (May 16th-22nd, 2022)

23/05/2022/in The Health Week /by ignacioriesgo

Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, there seems to be new evidence of the relationship between acute childhood hepatitis and COVID. Interesting articles on how COVID can affect the brain, generating a kind of “dementia epidemic” and what long covid is and how to treat it.

Regarding Global Health, possible alarming effects of a global food crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine and its consequences. Report on serious deficiencies of “assisted technologies” (basically, wheelchairs, glasses and hearing aids) in a large part of the world’s population. The shortage of covid vaccine production in African countries continues to be denounced.

As for international health policy, an article in The Economist takes the drama out of “monkey pox”, saying that it is nothing comparable to what covid represented. Catastrophe due to covid in North Korea, a country that did not take advantage of its total closure during the pandemic to favor the immunization of its population and the reinforcement of its health system. Also, very reluctant to accept foreign aid. Isolated dictatorship things. Interesting experiment in New Zealand on a generation without tobacco.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), the Ministry of Health has issued a protocol on monkeypox, about which there are some interesting statements by López Acuña, who also takes the drama out of this epidemic. Approved in the Council of Ministers the new abortion law, destined, probably, not to solve anything and to generate artificial problems. The SEMFYC (association of primary care doctors) warns about the need for 10,000 primary care doctors, to cover the generational change.

In the field of companies, the initiative of the Government of Catalonia to create a commission to study the new location of the Hospital Clínic should be highlighted. Surely an avant-garde and innovative hospital does not fit well in the current old building. A true revolution in the hospital and urban world of Barcelona. The AESEG warns about the low price of certain basic medicines, which discourages their production.

Biomedicine

New evidence of a relationship between covid and childhood hepatitis, after a study of 245,000 children (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20220519/t2d6tp7tejeejisnst7zwfyyne.html)
A possible new medicine that allows correcting cataracts without surgery and with just a few drops in the eyes, after a very incipient study in mice (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220519/nuevo-medicamento-curar -cataracts-without-surgery-drops/673433145_0.html)
How covid-19 affects the brain, some even warn of an “epidemic of dementia”, an interesting article in the Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/37b00a84-5937-4137-ba5f-5aee20bc133c)
The “long covid”, what we know so far, an entity on which there is no consensus, article in the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/21/well/long-covid -symptoms-treatment.html)

Global health

The alarming effects of a global food crisis, according to the United Nations the results can be “malnutrition, mass hunger and starvation” (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/21/apocalypse-now- the-alarming-effects-of-the-global-food-crisis)
“Assistive technologies”, a report by the WHO and UNICEF, which describes problems of access to these technologies (basically wheelchairs, glasses and hearing aids) for almost 1,000 million people (https://www.thelancet. com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00927-8/fulltext?rss=yes)
Elimination of cholera in Haiti, after three years without reporting new cases (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00924-2/fulltext)
The lack of financing gives the last straw to the health system in Yemen (https://elpais.com/internacional/2022-05-19/la-falta-de-financiacion-da-la-puntilla-al-sistema-sanitario- de-yemen.html)
Measles rages against children in Afghanistan (https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2022-05-20/el-sarampion-se-ensana-con-los-ninos-en-afganistan.html)
Trying to break the inequity in the distribution of covid vaccines, The Lancet article on inequities in production in developing countries (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00793 -0/full text)
African leaders propose a body to buy more locally produced vaccines (https://www.ft.com/content/8627f8ed-6976-4d2f-9cdd-837e5e309213)

International health policy

Monkeypox

o Monkeypox spreads to several countries: after originating from a traveler from Nigeria, the disease has spread to the United States, Australia, Canada and 8 European countries. According to The Economist, there is nothing to worry about and it has nothing to do with the covid pandemic, which took the world unprepared, without vaccines or treatments (https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022 /05/20/monkeypox-is-popping-up-in-more-countries-how-worrying-is-this)

o What is Monkeypox, article in the New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/article/what-is-monkeypox.html)

o We will see more cases of monkeypox, warns a British scientist (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/21/we-will-see-more-cases-of-monkeypox-warn-british- scientists)

COVID-19

o Taiwan gradually renounces the “zero-covid” policy, assuming that the number of cases will increase (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2022/05/16/taiwan-renonce-peu -a-peu-a-politique-zero-covid_6126267_3244.html)

o Catastrophe in North Korea. The country was closed during the pandemic, but it was not used to immunize the population or strengthen the health system (https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/05/17/covid-19-is-spreading-like -wildfire-in-north-korea)

o Shanghai is going to open its commerce in stages (https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2022/05/15/covid-19-shanghai-va-rouvrir-ses-commerces-par-etapes-apres- deux-mois-de-confinement_6126204_3244.html)

o How Australia saved thousands of lives from covid, in contrast to what happened in the United States (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/15/world/australia/covid-deaths.html)

Other themes

o The policy on the possible annulment of the Roe v Wade judgment in the United States continues, important editorial in Science (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adc9968)

o A generation without tobacco in New Zealand, prohibited for all those born since January 1, 2009. Malaysia and Denmark are also considering similar measures (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140- 6736(22)00925-4/fulltext)

o The United States, Switzerland and Norway lead the world in spending on health per capita (https://www.plantadoce.com/entorno/estados-unidos-suiza-y-noruega-lideran-el-gasto-per-inhabitante- in-medical-care.html)

o The NHS needs access to medical data to save lives, interesting article in the Financial Times (https://www.ft.com/content/dc01b30f-472d-4da6-b694-28486383aeff)

o A report commissioned by the Minister for Health proposes that the legal smoking age in the UK be 21 (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/may/21/legal-smoking-age -in-england-could-be-raised-to-21-report)

National health policy

Monkeypox

o Protocol of the Ministry of Health against monkeypox (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/protocolo-contra-viruela-mono-aislamiento-cuarentena-solo-confirmados-sopechosos_115004_102.html)

o Interesting statements by López Acuña: there is no reason for social alarm over monkeypox (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2022/05/22/62890984e4d4d80e098b4591.html)

o Spain will buy thousands of vaccines for the monkeypox disease (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2022-05-19/espana-prepara-la-compra-de-miles-de-vacunas-frente-a -the-traditional-smallpox-to-deal-with-the-monkey-virus-outbreak.html)

COVID

o The cumulative incidence, on the rise: 848 points (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/especial-coronavirus/covid-19-espana-notifica-58839-nuevos-casos-305-muertes-ia-sube-848 -points_114982_102.html)

Regulatory announcements

o The new abortion law approved by the Council of Ministers (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/ginecologia/politica/montero-las-mujeres-podran-abortar-en-el-hospital-publico-mas-cercano- your-address.html)

Other themes

o Spain, leader in the consumption of benzodiazepines for anxiety and insomnia (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2022/05/15/627e8bf0fdddffa9638b458b.html)

o The National Health System (SNS) would need 10,000 family doctors for generational turnover, according to a study by the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (SEMFYC) (https://www.plantadoce.com/entorno/el-sns-necesita-10000-medicos -of-family-more-to-guarantee-the-generational-handover.html)

o The strike of specialist doctors in Madrid, suspended after an agreement (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/madrid-medicos-desconvocan-la-huelga-con-la-promesa-de-2500-plazas- contest.html)

o Spain, last in mental health, there are only 2,800 psychologists in public health, only 344 in Primary Care (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20220522/espana-mental-invierte-europa -psychologists-public-health/672183163_0.html)

o Private healthcare works on a code of good practice: joint initiative of ATA (Association of Self-Employed) and ASPE (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/privada/la-sanidad-privada-espanola-trabajo-en- your-own-code-of-good-practices-4162)

Companies

International News

o Big Pharma pressures the G20 to prepare for the next pandemic (https://www.ft.com/content/ca71ee0e-9b4b-4c2e-b60b-bbd841415697)

o Monkeypox shoots up the stock of the only company that manufactures them: Bavarian Nordic (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/05/20/companias/1653035794_646119.html)

National News

o Dependency insurance grows 71.4% and closes the first quarter with 132,000 users (https://www.plantadoce.com/entorno/el-seguro-de-dependencia-crece-un-714-y-cierra- the-first-quarter-with-132000-users.html)

o Catalonia constitutes the commission that will decide the location of the new Clinic Hospital (https://www.plantadoce.com/publico/cataluna-constitución-la-comision-que-decidira-el-emplazamiento-del-nuevo-hospital-clinic. html)

o Colgate-Palmolive breaks into the bid for Lácer (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/05/19/companias/1652978299_749683.html)

o AESEG asks to raise the price of essential medicines to produce them (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud/noticias/11768114/05/22/El-generico-pide-subir-el-precio-de-los-farmacos -essential-to-produce-them.html)