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7 days in healthcare (May 9th-15th, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, the important study published by the journal Science should be highlighted, outlining the most detailed atlas of human cells to date. The discussion about the origin of acute childhood hepatitis continues.

As far as Global Health is concerned, it is found that the United States has reached one million deaths from COVID and Europe two million. A sad milestone.

Regarding international health policy, in relation to COVID, the debate continues on the sustainability of the zero-COVID policy in China. Lockdowns in North Korea, possibly the most opaque country in the world. The debate continues in the United States on the modification of the Roe v Wade sentence. Pronouncements from scientific journals (Nature, The Lancet), as well as from the President of the American Medical Association. The ECDC (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control) stops recommending the use of masks on public transport in Europe.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), the accumulated incidence of COVID continues to grow. Great debate regarding the announced new Abortion Law. It is more than doubtful that the Law will be approved and, if it is, that it will be complied with, given the large number of controversial elements (registration of conscientious objectors, the obligation that these interventions be carried out in public hospitals, the use of terminology of obstetric violence, etc.). The Ministry of Industry takes out the first tender of the cutting-edge health PERTE. Important editorial in El País on waiting lists, which it presents as a scourge of the SNS.

In the field of companies, the WHO denounces attempts to whiten tobacco companies, by way of presenting themselves as green companies.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

  • COVID-19

o The Director of the WHO affirms that the zero-covid policy in China is not sustainable (https://www.ft.com/content/9b81b9f0-e13d-4b0a-8bdf-91c97c7d61e7)

o A study says that lifting the “zero COVID” policy in China could mean 1.5 million deaths (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/11/lifting-zero-covid-policies-in -china-could-risk-16m-deaths-says-study)

o China considers the WHO statement on its zero COVID policy “irresponsible” (https://www.ft.com/content/2e20867b-5f1d-4307-93b0-1d9b07d65e34)

o China renounces organizing the 2023 Asian Soccer Cup, due to the pandemic (https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2022/05/14/la-chine-renonce-a-organiser-la- coupe-d-asie-2023-de-football-in-raison-de-la-pandemie-de-covid-19_6126096_3210.html)

o Confinement in North Korea, as the first cases of COVID are confirmed (https://www.ft.com/content/41dec58c-3860-4ae3-86c4-716ffe85dbdd)

o Alert in the state of New York, due to the increase in cases (https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/05/13/world/covid-19-mandates-vaccine-cases)

  • The debate on abortion continues in the United States

o The pronouncement of medical and scientific journals continues against the annulment of the Roe v Wade ruling in the United States, for reasons of public health and worsening of the health of women and children, particularly those with fewer resources. Editorials in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01249-2) and The Lancet (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22) 00870-4/fulltext), among others.

o Gerald E. Harmon, President of the AMA, the representation of American doctors, was “deeply concerned” about the impact on reproductive health in the United States of this possible modification (https://www.ama-assn.org/ delivering-care/population-care/why-leaked-abortion-opinion-antithetical-public-health)

o The New York Times assures that the annulment of same-sex marriage could be the next step (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/11/us/politics/roe-wade-supreme-court- abortion.html)

o Certain groups try to ban telemedicine prescription of pills that interrupt pregnancy (https://www.ft.com/content/6a3dd70e-8bb9-4727-af4a-4036a660db64)

  • Other themes

o The United States, willing to share vaccine technology with poor countries, says Biden (https://www.ft.com/content/ec6b5b3a-7cff-4aa9-8e68-cba3bbaae06f)

o The European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), eliminate the recommendation to use masks in airports and during flights (https://www.larazon.es/ society/20220511/2dur4ogv7zemfkl5bbwmsitpme.html)

o Disposable electronic cigarettes are imposed among adolescents in France (https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2022/05/08/les-cigarettes-electroniques-jetables-s-imposent-parmi-les-adolescents_6125199_3224 .html)

o France will stop requiring a mask on public transport starting next Monday, May 16 (https://www.expansion.com/economia/2022/05/12/627ccd8e468aeb71118b4611.html)

National health policy

  • COVID

o The accumulated incidence continues to rise, growing 13 points since the last measurement and standing at 856.65 cases in the last 14 days per 100,000 inhabitants. The ward occupancy rate is 5.80% and the ICU occupancy rate is 4.07% (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/especial-coronavirus/covid-19-espana-suma-31036-casos- 321-deceased-ia-uploads-856-points_114645_102.html)

  • Regulatory announcements

o The Government willing to approve next Tuesday, May 17, a new abortion law at the initiative of the Ministry of Equality. The 14-week period for abortion to be considered legal is not modified. Most controversial points: 1. Without permission or information to parents from the age of 16; 2. No to surrogacy; 3. Registration of conscientious objectors; 4. Abortion in public hospitals; 5. Leave due to painful menstruation, outside the regulations of the common disease; 6. The terminology of obstetric violence is maintained (https://www.abc.es/sociedad/abci-no-reforma-sino-ley-aborto-ultima-gobierno-diez-claves-rapidas-202205111920_noticia.html)

o The need to strengthen public healthcare so that it can address the 74,000 abortions that are performed in the private sector (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2022-05-14/la-sanidad-publica-debera-reforzarse-para-asumir -the-74000-abortions-that-now-derives-to-the-private.html)

o The Constitutional Court is preparing a ruling in favor of the 2010 Abortion Law for June, after an appeal by the PP, parked for 12 years (https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2022-05-13/constitucional-junio -judgment-favorable-law-abortion_3423623/)

  • Other themes

o The Ministry of Industry is putting out to tender the Vanguard Health PERTE for the pharmaceutical and health products sector (https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2022/05/07/pdfs/BOE-B-2022-14280 .pdf)

o Important editorial in El País on waiting lists, which it presents as a major problem for the SNS (https://elpais.com/opinion/2022-05-10/largas-listas-de-espera.html)

o War of figures in the strike of medical specialists in Madrid (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2022-05-10/primer-dia-de-huelga-indefinida-de-medicos-en-madrid-basta -already-of-temporary.html)

o Castilla y León intends to lower the surgical delay in six months by 21 days (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/05/11/castilla-y-leon-objetivo-bajar-21-dias-la-demora -surgical-in-6-months)

o The national 024 telephone line for suicide prevention is launched (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20220509/cubyq6iicncg3nfm6hieltpxvy.html)

o The SNS Interterritorial Council gives the green light to the Mental Health Plan (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/05/11/el-cisns-da-luz-verde-al-plan-de-salud-mental -con-practica-unanimidad), which is criticized by the President of the Spanish Society of Psychiatry, saying that “Mental Health needs professionals and intermediate centers, not apps” (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/psiquiatria /-mental-health-needs-professionals-and-intermediate-centers-no-apps–8807)

o The Ministry publishes the list of 462 strategic medicines, which includes 249 active ingredients (https://www.diariomedico.com/farmacia/industria/estos-son-los-462-medicamentos-estrategicos-para-el-sns. html)

o Private doctors ask insurers to raise their fees, which according to them have been frozen for 32 years (https://theobjective.com/economia/2022-05-15/medicos-privados-honorarios/)

o Andalusia can have up to 8 Faculties of Medicine, after the steps in Jaén and Almería only Huelva remains (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/bisturi/-ocho-facultades-de-medicina-en-una-misma-region –3332), something (the proliferation of Medical Faculties) totally against the approaches of the CEEM (State Confederation of Medical Students) and the Conference of Deans

Companies, employers and other agents of the sector

  • International News

o The WHO asks countries to stop the tobacco companies that try to whitewash their image as a green industry (https://elpais.com/clima-y-medio-ambiente/2022-05-13/la-oms-pide- to-the-countries-that-stop-the-tobacco- companies-that-try-to-clean-up-their-image-as-a-green-industry.html)

o Pfizer will buy the biotech company Biohaven for 11.6 billion dollars (https://www.ft.com/content/ea9bb9bc-b5ec-4278-ab42-1f5f14a1a76f)

  • National News

o Vithas invests 3 million euros in the renovation of emergencies (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/vithas-madrid-la-milagrosa-invierte-tres-millones-de-euros-en-la-renovacion- of-your-emergencies.html)

o Vitaldent is committed to dental aesthetics by incorporating 73 Smysecret spaces into its clinics (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/vitaldent-apuesta-por-la-estetica-dental-e-incorpora-73-espacios-smysecret-a -your-clinics.html)

o Asisa buys a 600m2 center in Zaragoza (https://www.ondacero.es/programas/en-buenas-manos/asisa-compra-centro-medico-600-zaragoza_20220510627a3bbc64c3c90001106b03.html)

o Hospitales Parque grows in Talavera with a new building for outpatient consultations (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/hospitales-parque-crece-en-talavera-de-la-reina-con-un-nuevo-edificio- for-external-queries.html)

o Sanitas, SegurCaixa Adeslas and Línea Directa, the most profitable insurers (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/banca/2022/05/09/627567d7e5fdea58068b45f4.html)

o Novartis will manufacture an oncology drug for the whole world in Barcelona (https://www.eleconomista.es/salud/noticias/11765483/05/22/Novartis-fabricara-en-Zaragoza-un-oncologico-para-todo-el -world-.html)

7 days in healthcare (April 11-17, 2022)

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SUMMARY

From the point of view of biomedicine, it is important to highlight the fact that greater access to antibiotics (reduced in many countries) is a basic element to overcome the pandemic of resistance to these drugs. Cases of acute hepatitis in children, detected in the United Kingdom and also in Spain, have been the subject of an alert by the WHO and the ECDC. Some of them require liver transplantation.

With regard to Global Health, the financing of the WHO is one of the great issues of global health, since this organization has always had a financing well below its challenges.

As for international health policy, President Biden’s Memorandum on “long covid” should be noted. Also the important article published in The Lancet that analyzes the circumstances surrounding the incidence of covid and its mortality in 177 countries, with some interesting conclusions. The “zero-covid” policy in China and, specifically, the confinement of Shanghai, continues to occupy the international front pages and is a policy that is beginning to be highly questioned, despite its successes so far in both the number of cases and in mortality, as in economic impact, if we believe the official figures from China. Great expectations regarding the new agency created by the Biden Administration: the ARPS-H (Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health)

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), 50,000 doses of covid have finally been distributed, albeit with great delay compared to the initial promises, although without having agreed on criteria regarding their use. Interesting proposal to the Ministry of Health of the Medical Collegiate Organization (OMC) on medical recertification, which includes a supervisory agency OMC-FACME, similar to a British one.

In the field of companies, from the international point of view, to highlight the declines in sales of covid vaccines. Regarding national news, the announcement of the forthcoming arrival of the HIPRA vaccine should be highlighted.

 BIOMEDICINE

GLOBAL HEALTH

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH POLICY

  • COVID

o President Biden’s memorandum on addressing the “long COVID” (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2022/04/05/memorandum-on-addressing-the-long-term- effects-of-covid-19/). Article on the subject in JAMA magazine: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2791210

o Preparedness for the pandemic and covid, an analysis of 177 countries. The relationship between various circumstances and the incidence of covid, as well as mortality, are analyzed (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00172-6/fulltext). Comments on this article, the WHO and health systems remain unprepared to deal with a pandemic like covid, which caused 494 million cases and more than 6 million deaths, as of April 5, 2022: https://www. thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00425-1/fulltext

o Shanghai lockdown shows signs of desperation among the population and lack of food (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/17/shanghai-lockdown-desperation-rises-food-runs-low-china )

o The mystery of China with “ómicron”: 280,000 infections and zero deaths (https://www.abc.es/sociedad/abci-misterio-china-omicron-280000-contagios-y-cero-muertes-202204150122_noticia.html)

o The WHO confirms a decrease in new covid cases worldwide, for the third consecutive week (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/13/la-oms-confirma-la-disminucion-de-nuevos -covid-cases-around-the-world)

o Covid infections start to fall in the UK (https://www.ft.com/content/0c2fc3ce-be3f-41b1-8b1f-e1b729882720)

o Valneva, the Franco-Austrian vaccine against covid, is the sixth approved in the United Kingdom (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/14/valneva-approved-to-be-uks-sixth -covid-vaccine)

o The FDA authorizes the first breath-based covid test that produces results in less than three minutes (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/15/us/the-fda-authorizes-the- first-covid-19-breath-test.html)

  • Other themes

o Expectations about the new health agency created by Biden, called ARPA-H (Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health). Editorial in Science magazine (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq4814)

o The number of people on the NHS waiting list at record high (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/apr/14/number-of-people-on-nhs-waiting-lists-in-england -at-record-high)

o The number of primary care physicians (GPs) in the UK, down every year since 2015. Organizations representing doctors say the heavy workload, high expectations of patients, difficulties recruiting non-medical staff and the fear of errors due to overload, at the base of this situation (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/apr/11/gp-numbers-in-england-down-every-year-since-2015 -pledge-to-raise-them)

o A lawsuit by Cuban doctors has been accepted by the US justice system, accusing the PAHO (WHO organization for Latin America) of collaborating in the “forced labor” of Cuban doctors sent to Brazil (https://www. .bmj.com/content/377/bmj.o962)

NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY (SPAIN)

  • COVID

o Spain, the rich country where life expectancy fell the most due to the pandemic, after the United States (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220414/espana-pais-rico-cayo-esperanza-pandemia-unidos /664683895_0.html)

o The covid increased health spending in 2020 by 10.9%, a record figure (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/06/la-covid-incremento-el-gasto-sanitario-en-2020 -a-109-a-figure-record)

o The Ministry of Health has already distributed 50,000 doses of Paxlovid in Spain (https://www.consalud.es/politica/ministerio-sanidad/sanidad-distribuido-espana-50000-dosis-farmaco-covid-19-paxlovid_113219_102.html)

  • Other themes

o Three cases of childhood hepatitis of unknown origin detected in Spain, following an international alert from the WHO and the ECDC, originating in the United Kingdom (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2022-04-13/detectado- in-spain-the-first-case-of-an-infantile-hepatitis-of-unknown-origin.html)

o Spain, at the tail of the large European markets in access to cancer and orphan drugs (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/medicina-preventiva/politica/espana-la-cola-de-los-grandes-mercados -europeans-in-access-oncology-drugs-and-orphans.html)

o The Government wants to reduce tobacco consumption, without prohibiting smoking (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2022-04-10/espana-quiere-desatascar-la-caida-de-fumadores-sin-recurr-a-la- prohibition.html)

o The Collegiate Medical Organization (OMC) makes a proposal to the Ministry of Health on medical recertification according to the English model with three measures. It proposes that the OMC-FACME could be the supervisory agency, similar to the “Professionals Standards Authority for Health and Social Care”, of the United Kingdom (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/medicina/- English-model-of -medical-recertification-with-3-measures-of-competence-6828)

o The Spanish transplant model triumphs in Latin America, where organ donation grew by 100% between 2005 and 2019 (https://www.consalud.es/politica/donacion-organos-iberoamerica-programa-espanol_112999_102.html)

o Harassment of women who go to abortion clinics is declared a crime, through a modification of the Penal Code (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/acoso-mujeres-acudan-clinicas-abortar-delito-jueves_113177_102. html)

o Family Medicine, Anesthesiology, Psychiatry and Radiodiagnosis, among the specialties that will have to increase their MIR offer to alleviate the deficit, according to a recent report (https://www.diariomedico.com/medicina/profesion/espana-pagara-en -five-years-the-lack-of-planning-in-medical-templates.html)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND OTHER AGENTS IN THE SECTOR

  • International News

o Walgreens, the American pharmacy chain, flooded the market with opiates and is accused of creating addicts (https://www.consalud.es/ecsalud/internacional/walgreens-farmaceutica-opiaceos-mercado-crear-adictos_113123_102.html)

o GSK, about to buy Sierra Oncology for 1,500 million pounds to boost its oncology offer (https://www.ft.com/content/d26ea24f-1ea9-4b09-842d-4708090bfe42)

o The vaccine business drops, with a 21% drop in sales (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20220412/business-vacunas-anticovid-cae-prevision-ventas-demanda/ 664183929_0.html)

  • National News

o Farmaindustria pays 452 million to the State for excess public spending on medicines in 2018 and 2019 (https://www.elespanol.com/invertia/observatorios/sanidad/20220411/farmaindustria-abona-millones-exceso-gasto-publico- medications/663433943_0.html)

o The HIPRA vaccine will arrive between May and June, according to Minister Morant (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220411/vacuna-espanola-hipra-covid-llegara-ministra-morant/664183699_0.html)

o Boehringer Ingelheim reinforces its commitment to Spain with an investment in R&D of 42 million in 2021, 23% more than in the previous period (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/boehringer-ingelheim-refuerza-su -bet-on-spain-with-an-investment-of-42-million-in-2021.html)

o Lácer launches its sale process for more than 500 million euros (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/04/08/companias/1649439648_227115.html)

o Insparya, the hair business that Cristiano Ronaldo is in, will take its clinics to Milan, Paris and Dubai and will continue to open in Spain (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/04/08/companias/1649440871_986204. html)