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7 days in healthcare (February 12th-18th, 2024)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, as is known, most rare diseases have no treatment, although this situation will surely be overcome in the not too distant future. A new drug (prozelimab) against the rare Chaple disease. A trial offers hope that a jab could prevent rheumatoid arthritis, the disease that affects 18 million people globally. Chances of a blood protein test warning about the onset of Alzheimer’s disease up to fifteen years in advance. A new powerful antibiotic (cresomycin), hope for antimicrobial resistance, which globally causes about five million deaths a year.

Regarding Global Health, despite the fact that 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the appearance of insulin, many diabetes patients still do not have access to it. Important article in the New England Journal Medicine about e-cigarettes. There is sufficient evidence to show that switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes reduces exposure to tobacco toxins, decreases respiratory symptoms, and reverses physiological changes related to cigarette smoking. There is not enough evidence that e-cigarettes are a good method to quit smoking.

In terms of International Health Policy, an unexpected consequence of the ruling of the United States Supreme Court, granting states the possibility of legislating on abortion, what was widely used to prohibit or restrict it: the taking of prescribed abortion pills by telemedicine and received by mail is a safe and effective method, according to a study. The European Commission approves the first gene editing treatment, in this case for beta thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. HERA (Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority) launches the Critical Medicines Alliance. It is said that this Alliance will contribute to changing the way medicines are produced and purchased in Europe.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), there is great commotion in the sector as a result of the statements by Vice President Yolanda Díaz that she is negotiating to introduce in the budgets the modification of the health VAT from 0% to 21%. Regardless of the viability of this proposal, could it be considered whether this is the best way to make policy? Any study on the impact on the sector? Any previous negotiations with the health ecosystem? Although the Ministry of Health usually intervenes little in economic matters – remember that all the cuts during the financial crisis were not even discussed in the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System – this is a major issue that well deserves a position. and an analysis by the Ministry of Health. Asturias regulates financial compensation to professionals (442 euros for four hours of surgical activity and half for consultations for doctors) for extension of working hours to address the serious problem of waiting lists. Family doctors report a deficit of 2,600 professionals in the next year. As a consequence of the European Plan against Cancer, the launch of the first nine Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Spain is announced. The project is led in Spain by the Vall d’Hebron Hospital and the National Institute of Oncology.

As for Companies, on an international level, the British consulting firm Clarivate analyzes the 13 disruptive drugs for 2024. Oncology drugs predominate, although there is also the vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus and a new drug against COPD. At the national level, the growth of the egg freezing business in Spain is confirmed. It seems that the HIPRA vaccine is going to end up in the trash. There is nothing special, since failures are inherent to business, especially in an area as difficult as biotechnology. However, some excessively triumphalist government demonstrations could have been avoided.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

  • United Kingdom and the National Health Service

National health policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (February 5th-11th, 2024)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the first effective medication against endometriosis, the growth of the mucosa that internally lines the uterus in other parts of the body, which produces serious disorders, is on the horizon. The Lancet insists that population screening, including genomic screening, requires robust evidence. Population screenings generate considerable expenses, in some cases they are not risk-free and can generate false expectations, so only the most proven ones should be launched. Obesity drugs show other superpowers. They seem to have the ability to control inflammation, including brain inflammation. In this way, it is thought that they may be useful in certain neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

As far as Global Health is concerned, malaria vaccines, currently in use in Africa, are one of the great current tests of Global Health. An article in The Lancet criticizes the WHO’s desire to assimilate policies on tobacco products with those on e-cigarettes. For the author this is a retrograde position, since they are not comparable products in terms of the damage they cause. It is said that the focus should remain on what is the main public health problem: the harmful effects of tobacco consumption. Some directors of scientific advisory committees on covid sign an article in The Lancet, with general recommendations for these committees. Among the signatories is Fernando Simón, whose role in Spain was highly questioned and criticized.

Regarding International Health Policy, British experts from the Academy of Medical Sciences warn of the decline in the level of health of children in the United Kingdom. Due to its importance in the Spanish debate, we simply have to mention that the French Social Security agreed to raise the price of consultations for liberal practice general practitioners to 30 euros per consultation.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), after the monographic meeting of the Interterritorial Council of the SNS on Primary Care, it was agreed, among other things, that the government, after checking the teaching capacity by the autonomous communities, will increase the number of places in training for primary care, although it is simultaneously reported that up to 90% of those who do this specialty leave it for various reasons, to move to the emergency room, to do another specialty or to go abroad. Publication of the Health Observatory (Ministry of Health-CIS) corresponding to 2023. The time to be seen in primary care is very striking, since 70% of patients wait nine days to be seen. The Department of Health of Catalonia addresses the places that are difficult to fill in Primary Care, after identifying 73 primary care teams with these characteristics. Design an incentive program. Among the economic ones are 3,500 gross euros per year for doctors, which may seem little since it represents just over 200 euros net per month, although the Metges union considers it a big step. ASPE publishes, in collaboration with a team from the Complutense University of Madrid, a study on MUFACE, joined by the IDIS Foundation, which calls for a PP-PSOE political agreement and a review of the governance of the model. It is also made public that the insurers that are in MUFACE (Adeslas, Asisa and DKV) already assume losses of 200 million with the current agreement. This is difficult to maintain since private companies in public/private collaboration can be asked to innovate, offer high quality, invest or even, with a long-term perspective, take short-term losses, but not that they lose money continuously and indefinitely, since the possibility of that collaboration is put at risk. Osasunbidea (the Navarrese Health Service) opens, through the intervention of the LAB union, a file on several doctors for making public and private practice compatible, without giving up a supplement. It seems like a debate from another era. Furthermore, there are great differences in the application of this regulation in the national territory. Therefore, a strict approach to incompatibility is only being followed in Navarra and Asturias. A group of Catalan health workers asks to expel another group of Spanish speakers, a notable example of intransigence, regardless of the dubious legality. Another of the conclusions of the Ministry’s Health Observatory is the great growth of private insurance, which went from 6.5% of the population in 1995 to 30.9% in 2023. The great leap occurred in the last decade.

As for Companies, at the international level, Big Pharma still needs successes in clinical trials to compensate for the loss of patents. At the national level, Magnum Partners is preparing to launch a premium aesthetic medicine group. The giant DomusVi offers the largest portfolio of nursing homes in Spain for sale.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies