Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, vaccines against cancer; precision surgery in lung cancer; the use of bacteriophage viruses against antibiotic resistant bacteria; stem cells for a wide variety of diseases; and micromotor robots, great promise in the development of new advances in medicine.

With regard to Global Health, it should be noted that 839 million people around the world cannot eat with dignity, for various reasons; the magazine Nature calls for a treaty against new pandemics, since it estimates that the covid represented “a catastrophic failure of the international community in achieving solidarity and equity”. The malaria pandemic is still active in more than 30 countries .

Regarding International Health Policy, in the United States the practices of certain pharmaceutical companies to prevent the entry of generics and biosimilars are denounced. International effort in the search for antibiotics to combat bacterial resistance.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of the covid has a small rebound, hopefully in a context of falling incidence, although high mortality persists. The Spanish Public Health Agency, whose bill has just been approved, possibly the most important consequence of the covid crisis. The conflict of public health continues, focused on Primary Care. The Constitutional Court recognizes the constitutionality of the abortion law of deadlines. AESEG and BIOSIM request modification of the reference prices and urgent measures along these lines, since many medicines are at the limit of economic viability.

In the field of Companies, at the international level, it should be noted that Sanofi and Merck MSD significantly increase their profits in 2022. At the national level, Quirónsalud announces the start-up of a new hospital in Valencia. For its part, Consentino, a company that had plans to go public, may see its intentions cut short for health reasons, given the high incidence of silicosis among its workforce.

Biomedicine

• When will the world have vaccines for cancer? The great promise of mRNA technology (https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.o3041)
• The era of precision surgery in lung cancer begins. From pneumonectomy to minimal surgery (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2215647)
• Bivalent covid vaccines. The lessons of these vaccines, prepared to respond to new variants, are analyzed (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2215780)
• Rising antibiotic resistance revives interest in bacteria-killing viruses. Experts believe that bacteriophages can be a useful tool (https://www.ft.com/content/c6df6bc4-f87e-4adb-bc92-97985f031550)
• Teplizumab, the immunotherapy that delays type 1 diabetes (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/inmunologia/la-inmunoterapia-que-retrasa-la-diabetes-tipo-1-pasa-de-promesa-realidad. html)
• Stem cells, beyond marrow transplantation: a possibility for other pathologies. Promising clinical trials against Parkinson’s, cardiac pathologies or regenerative medicine (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/pacientes-avances/celulas-madre-otras-patologias_126213_102.html)
• The micromotors, the new caregivers within our cells. Microscopic, autonomous and biocompatible robots are being developed in the hope of non-invasive actions (https://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2023/02/10/les-micromoteurs-des-soignants-au-c-ur -de-nos-cellules_6161232_1650684.html)

Global Health

• 839 million people cannot eat with dignity. Armed conflicts, climate change and the increase in the cost of raw materials: great pressure on the food chain (https://elpais.com/economia/negocios/2023-02-04/morir-de-hambre-en-la-era-of-artificial-intelligence-why-839-million-people-cannot-eat-with-worthiness.html)
• Nature magazine calls for a global treaty against pandemics, so as not to repeat the mistakes of climate change. He estimates that the global response to the covid represented “a catastrophic failure of the international community in achieving solidarity and equity.” COVAX goals to extend vaccines to developing countries failed (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00339-z)
• Predatory tactics of the milk industry. The Lancet denounces the predominance of commercial interests over health in infant milk manufacturers (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00118-6/fulltext)
• The health situation deteriorates in refugee camps in Kenya (https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(23)00290-8.pdf)
• Advancing Insecticide-Resistant Malaria Mosquitoes (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00102-2/fulltext)
• How India tackles deadly rainstorms (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00341-5)
• Mortality from the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The WHO warns that the number of deaths may exceed 20,000 (https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p304)
• The cholera pandemic is not over in more than 30 countries. The WHO believes that we are facing a “resurgence” of the seventh cholera pandemic, which began in 1961 and has never ended (https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/pandemia-colera-no-terminado-30-countries_1_9920972.html)

International Health Policy

• USA
  • The pandemic is not over for the elderly. Deaths are concentrated among those over 65 and, above all, over 75 (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/11/health/covid-pandemic-seniors.html)
  • The New England Journal Medicine denounces formulas in the United States to prevent the entry of generics and biosimilars. The system consists of having multiple patents for different components, apart from the active ingredient. Adalimumab (Humira) will be released as a biosimilar in the United States this year, while in the EU it has already been five (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2216020)

• China
  • China announces the end of the covid after 1,100 million infections. A downward trend in infections is reported, recognizing 80,000 deaths between December 8 and February 2 (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2023-02-09/china-anuncia-el-final-of-the-wave-of-covid-19-after-1100-million-contagions.html)

• Serious NHS crisis in the UK
  • The Guardian believes that Sunak’s policy favors the launch of private medicine (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/06/the-guardian-view-on-rishi-sunaks-nhs-plans-ramping-up-private-medicine)
  • Millions of young people are unable to access mental health services in the UK (https://www.ft.com/content/44a3a522-7bc7-43d6-9ab1-eeef426dd433)
  • NHS consultants (Heads of Service) run companies in charge of reducing public health waiting lists, according to the Center for Health and the Public Interest (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/feb/12/nhs-consultants-run-private-firms-charging-to-cut-waiting-lists-at-their-own-hospitals)

• Pharmaceutical policy
  • Antibiotics are sought to combat bacterial resistance (https://www.elindependiente.com/vida-sana/salud/2023/02/06/se-buscan-antibioticos-contra-la-amenaza-de-la-resistencia- bacterial/)

National Health Policy

• COVID
  • The cumulative incidence after 14 days rises to 50.76 points, with 264 deaths in one week (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/especial-coronavirus/covid-espana-notifica-8387-casos-264-deaths-ia-goes-up-to-5161-points_126219_102.html)

• Regulatory framework
  • The government approves the bill for the creation of the Spanish Public Health Agency (https://diariofarma.com/2023/02/07/el-gobierno-apprueba-el-anteproyecto-para-la-creacion-de-the-state-public-health-agency)
  • The Spanish Public Health Agency (AESP), whose location remains undefined, will have 250 professionals (https://www.consalud.es/politica/gobierno-plantea-asignar-agencia-salud-publica-mas-250-professionals_126208_102.html)
  • The government will force companies to collect health data for the new Agency (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20230211/gobierno-obligara-empresas-recopilar-enviar-vigilar-publica/740426197_0.html)

• Medical conflict in the public system
  • Massive demonstration against the health policy of the Community of Madrid (https://www.abc.es/espana/madrid/cuatro-grandes-columnas-marchan-cibeles-protestar-gestion-20230212130211-nt.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.es%2F)
  • Health union protests continue in Andalusia (https://www.eldiario.es/andalucia/servicio-andaluz-salud-no-convence-sindicatos-seguiran-protestas-mejora-atencion-primaria_1_9939622.html)

• Spanish vaccine against covid
  • The Spanish vaccine against covid arrives late (https://www.abc.es/sociedad/vacuna-espanola-covid-llega-retraso-mercado-recesion-20230206183033-nt.html)

• Abortion debate
  • The Constitutional Court rejects the PP’s appeal and fully endorses the abortion deadline law (https://elpais.com/espana/2023-02-09/el-constitucional-rechaza-el-recurso-del-pp-and-endorses-in-its-entirety-the-law-of-abortion-terms.html)

• Public healthcare
  • Madrid announces the first public center dedicated to ELA, which will be located in the old Puerta de Hierro (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/c-madrid/ayuso-anuncia-primer-centro-publico-residencial-dedicado-exclusively-patients-with-ela_126134_102.html)
  • Seville will have a day hospital for eating disorders (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/andalucia/sevilla-contara-con-hospital-dia-tratar-trastornos-conducta-alimentaria_126183_102.html)

• Private healthcare
  • Health insurance will surpass car insurance as the main insurance business (https://www.elconfidencial.com/empresas/2023-02-10/seguros-salud-autos-primas-ramos-inflacion_3572957/)

• Health professions
  • The Dean of Medicine of the Complutense explains why it is not good to train more doctors (https://www.alimente.elconfidencial.com/bienestar/2023-02-10/entrevista-decano-medicina-complutense-javier-arias_3572601/ )

• Pharmaceutical policy
  • The drug crisis worsens. Supply problems were detected in 403 medicines (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20230206/gxsx3xyu6jenhgwmfiarra6c4u.html)
  • Approval for public financing of the first oral drug against spinal muscular atrophy (https://www.elmundo.es/ciencia-y-salud/salud/2023/02/10/63e5307621efa093348b45a5.html)
  • AESEG and BIOSIM advocate for the modification of the reference prices, since the price of many drugs places them at the limit of economic viability (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/industria/la-revision-de- reference-prices-urgent-to-go-beyond-cost-adjustments-1590)

Companies

• International News
  • Sanofi increases its profit by 8.8%, up to 6,833 million euros (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/sanofi-aumenta-un-88-su-beneficio-en-2022-hasta-6833-millones-de-euros.html)
  • Merck MSD increases its profits by 18% in 2022, up to 14,500 million dollars (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/merck-msd-aumenta-un-18-su-beneficio-en-2022-hasta-14500-million-dollars.html)

• National News
  • Vithas, Quirón and Ribera bid for the health block of the new Ciudad Deportiva de Vigo (https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/galicia/2023-02-08/vithas-quiron-ribera-saluda-celta-de-vigo_3571777/)
  • Quirónsalud will open a new hospital in Valencia (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/quironsalud-pondra-en-marcha-un-nuevo-hospital-en-valencia.html)
  • GenesisCare launches a new radiosurgery center in Malaga (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/genesiscare-pone-en-marcha-un-nuevo-centro-de-radiocirugia-en-malaga.html)
  • The Hospital Sant Joan de Deu and Atrys launch a new nuclear medicine service (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/el-hospital-sant-joan-de-deu-y-atrys-ponen-en-a-new-nuclear-medicine-service-starts-up.html)
  • Competition approves the first phase of the sale of IMQ to Adeslas. One of the conditions of the sale is the maintenance of “family doctors” (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/privada/competencia-apprueba-la-primera-fase-de-la-venta-de-imq-a-adeslas-6824)
  • Atrys Health doubles its sales in 2022 and seeks to grow in telediagnosis in Mexico (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/atrys-health-duplica-ventas-en-2022-y-busca-crecer-en-telediagnostico-in-mexico.html)
  • KKR files Arcano for the sale of IVI clinics required by the CNMC (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/2023/02/10/63e59a39468aeb3c348b45cd.html)
  • Cases of silicosis dot Cosentino in full IPO (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/2023/02/08/63e2b1bbe5fdea86718b4616.html)