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7 days in healthcare (April 10th-16th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, this week marked the 20th anniversary of the completion (later it turned out not completely) of the Human Genome Project, whose results were presented on April 14, 2003. A project that revolutionized biology and Medicine. Many of the treatments that are now in sight, such as gene editing, or the screening of certain diseases come from the progress of that project.

As far as Global Health is concerned, the criminalization of suicide (considering suicide attempts as a crime subject to fines or imprisonment) is still in force in more than 20 countries. Not so many years ago suicide attempts were decriminalized in advanced societies, as recently as 1966 in England or 1993 in Ireland. Clearly, what these suicidal individuals need is care and treatment.

As for International Health Policy, the United States continues to have problems with the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the FDA’s authorization of an abortion pill, a measure that was later put on hold. The crisis in the British NHS continues, with two important strikes called: nurses and junior doctors.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid has grown slightly in the last week. Medical and health conflicts continue in various autonomous communities: the Valencian Community, Galicia, the Canary Islands, Madrid and Andalusia. Great news, if confirmed, the arrival of the first publicly funded biomarkers on the SNS. It will start with those related to oncology. A breakthrough in precision medicine. Initiative from Aragon for a debate on health that is intended to be held at the Conference of Presidents. Although everything that represents a debate on health in the highest instances is positive, the lack of ambition of the document proposed from Aragon is truly surprising, where neither the care model nor the management model nor the personnel policy (except in what refers to the planning of professionals), nor many other very relevant things. A real disappointment the document of the Aragonese initiative. The central government supports the Spanish covid vaccine, buying 3.2 million vaccines. FENIN makes some interesting proposals, closely linked to healthcare technology, before the new legislature that is looming.

In the field of Companies, at the international level, KKR promotes the merger of IVI and General Life, to give rise to an infertility giant. At the national level, the creditors of Dentix, a former network of dental clinics, now defunct, accuse KKR of the bankruptcy of this company.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

  • FENIN petitions
    • FENIN prepares some requests with 10 points for the new legislature, among them a stable regulatory environment, digital transformation of the SNS, public purchase based on value and the renewal of the health technology park (https://www.fenin.es/resources/press-notes/1011)

Companies

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

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the journal Nature reveals the role of mitochondria in the process of tumor growth.

Regarding Global Health, editorial of The Lancet on Water and Health. Although in developed societies this may seem like a secondary issue, the truth is that a quarter of the world’s population suffers tensions with water and it is an area in which governance over water management is needed. Tuberculosis is rebounding throughout the world, as has not been seen for more than ten years.

Regarding International Health Policy, despite the fact that the covid has caused many problems (including 6.7 million deaths, confinements of entire countries and serious economic problems), this has not affected the global happiness of humanity, according to an international study on the subject. Mysteries of human nature. The American transplant system with long waiting lists, which permanently affects more than 100,000 Americans, of whom about 17 per day die waiting. In this field, Spain could probably teach some lesson. The health of adolescents, a great concern for the American Surgeon General, since the cases of suicides between 10 and 19 years have risen in a very striking way in recent years. China approves the first covid vaccine with mRNA technology, after permanently denying permission to the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In France, a bill is being discussed to protect children from screens. New health law in Croatia, which introduces concepts such as integration of care, complex patients, coordinated care and hospital without walls, as well as a reinforcement of Primary Care.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid drops slightly. Darias is preparing to leave the Ministry without having fulfilled the commitment to publish the report on the management of the pandemic, in contrast to what has been happening in many other countries, without going any further in the United States. A true national shame. In the motion of no confidence debated this week, the candidate Ramón Tamames favors a refounding of public health and pleads for something similar to what the Abril Martorell Report represented in 1981, thus joining many opinions in the sector. Demonstrations on public health continue, this time in Asturias, Andalusia and Madrid. The Complutense University, under the auspices of ASPE, publishes a report on the consequences of what it calls “low cost” health insurance. The real problem is that practically, to a greater or lesser degree, all health insurance is “low cost” and is based on low compensation for hospitals and doctors, which makes the system very unstable. The Roche Institute, which is directed by Federico Plaza and which is making so many valuable contributions to the health system, publishes an interesting report on the Health of the Future and Personalized Precision Medicine. The Supreme Court endorses the euthanasia law. However, seen with hindsight, it contrasts the scant citizen and professional debate that took place on this law in Spain, comparing it with what is happening in France with something similar, with the involvement of President Macron himself. It seems that this time the biomarkers are going to be introduced into the National Health System, without which there can be no advances in precision medicine.

In the field of companies, internationally, the effect of the release of some pharmaceutical patents is estimated at 30 billion euros. In Spain, the beginning of the evaluation of the authorization of the HIPRA covid vaccine stands out, which will be called “Bimervax”. AstraZeneca is going to make a very significant investment in research in Barcelona. The doctors of the Vizcaya IMQ are massively inclined towards the sale to Adeslas, which will control 75% of this insurer.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (March 7th-12th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the geneticist Francisco J Ayala, one of the great Spaniards of science, with important contributions in the field of the human genome and other diseases, dies. Some obscure episodes, not fully clarified, pointed to him as a target of the “me too” initiatives. It is increasingly clear that gene therapies will soon explode and will be useful in multiple hematological, cardiac, ocular, muscular and even neurodegenerative processes. An ethical reflection is essential, which ensures, on the one hand, that these treatments are accessible, and, on the other, the limits of these treatments. It seems that we are closer to having specific treatments against fatty liver, a serious disease responsible for tens of thousands of deaths.

As regards Global Health, young people, including adolescents, with gender dysphoria are growing all over the world. There is no accepted professional consensus on how to approach these situations. It seems increasingly clear that inequality in the face of covid vaccines responsible for thousands of deaths from this disease. Although there is no absolute consensus, it seems increasingly clear that smartphones and social networks are responsible for serious mental health problems among young people. 24/7 access to these technologies minimizes face-to-face contact between young people.

Regarding International Health Policy, the WHO maintains the covid as a “health emergency of international concern”. In the United States, the budget presented by Biden – which will not be approved – proposes a significant increase in funds for Medicare. Problems continue for the Walgreens pharmacy chain for not selling abortion pills in 21 states. The USA plans to eliminate hepatitis C, almost a decade after highly effective therapies for this disease appeared. Concern in the United Kingdom about the interruption of the improvement in life expectancy for a decade, before the covid, contrary to what is happening in France or Denmark, for example. Australia is preparing to tackle a health reform, after the preparation of an independent report, a model that could well be inspiring for Spain. Newsweek magazine publishes its well-known ranking of the best hospitals in the world. The Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, and the Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, considered the best hospitals in the world. Among the first hundred there are 6 Spaniards, all of them public, except one private: the Clínica Universidad de Navarra (CUN).

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), in terms of covid, the accumulated incidence continues to rise slightly, with a fairly high mortality (139 patients in one week). In Castilla y León, the health areas will have access to a team on rare diseases. Serious concerns among psychiatrists about the large increase in cases of gender dysphoria. The actors in the cyber attack on the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona request a ransom of 4.5 million dollars, which the Administration refuses to deliver. Some Catalan doctors are organized to attend only in Catalan, something against repeated court rulings and the Generalitat’s own protocols.

At the Corporate level, at the international level, investors are rubbing their hands at the prospects of big business in anti-obesity drugs. Morgan Stanley has quantified what this can mean in billions of dollars worldwide. Pfizer places its vaccine against covid as the drug with the highest income in the world. At the national level, Quirón reaches an agreement with the City Council for the construction of its hospital in Gijón and Hospitén announces the construction of a new hospital in Madrid with a large investment of 160 million euros. Thus, the boom in new private hospitals continues, for which there is a real race in which several actors participate (Quirón, Viamed, Vithas, Hospitén, Imed, and others). Hipra will return aid to the covid vaccine in ten years.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

  • Best hospitals in the world
    • Newsweek magazine publishes its traditional ranking of the best hospitals in the world. The first three are: the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Among the first 100 are 6 Spanish hospitals: La Paz, (53); Barcelona Clinic (62); October 12 (72); Vall d’Hebrón (83), Gregorio Marañón (90) and the CUN (97) (https://www.newsweek.com/rankings/worlds-best-hospitals-2023)

National health policy

Companies