Posts

7 days in healthcare (May 27th-June 2nd, 2024)

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Summary

Biomedicine

  • A blood test would allow predicting breast cancer: This possible advance is celebrated as a great step in the prediction of breast cancer at the Congress of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, held in Chicago.
  • Test to detect people at high risk of prostate cancer: Current PSA tests are not specific enough. A sputum DNA test has been developed that can detect high-risk men and rule out other forms of treatment. Early diagnosis is key.
  • Genetic inheritance influences the type of breast cancer and its prognosis: This contradicts the idea that breast cancer is the result of mutations that occur by chance and accumulate throughout life.
  • Oncologists warn that rapping can cause lung cancer: Although the first vapers were marketed in Spain in 2013 and there are no long follow-up series, some short series from the United States warn of this risk. Vapes contain more than 200 toxic substances and some of them carcinogenic.

Global Health

  • WHO gives itself one more year to reach an agreement on the pandemic treaty:  With the WHO World Assembly over, it gives itself one more year to reach an agreement on pandemics. This is not good news and underlines the great difficulties and tensions in reaching an agreement in 2024, as was the initial intention.
  • New fronts in the war against malaria: Two new vaccines (RTS,S/AS01 and R-21/MatrixM), effective in the fight against malaria. However, experts highlight new threats: more aggressive mosquitoes; resistant strains of the parasite and the effects of climate change.
  • The necessary global agenda in relation to bacterial resistance (AMR): High human cost of this disease, since a 2022 study says that it is estimated that almost 5 million deaths are due to this problem.

International health policy

  • Pro-choice options (following the ruling that limits abortion in the USA) influence the American elections: The pro-choice movement (in favor of abortion) can help Biden win.
  • Large clinical trial in the United Kingdom with cancer vaccines: In the United Kingdom, for the first time in the world, a massive form of clinical trial using these vaccines is being proposed.
  • European elections and health: Various experts say that health should be a priority in the next European Parliament.

National Health Policy (Spain)

  • Very negative allegations about the announced Public Management and Integrity law: Both the IDIS Foundation, ASPE, ACHPM, Cercle de Sanitat, and the Community of Madrid present very negative allegations about this announced bill. In general, the objections are related to the interference in the transferred management, the impact on patients and the non-existence of the problems that are intended to be resolved. The IDIS Foundation, apart from everything else, takes a more strategic approach to the contribution of private healthcare to public service, the European traditions of participation of private companies in public healthcare provision and the consideration of the private sector as a strategic ally. of the health sector. A poor diagnosis by the government should be highlighted: public/private collaboration is treated as a major problem, and, on the other hand, it does not address the problems of the public health sector through reforms.
  • Great controversy over the actions of the new Commissioner of Mental Health: Trying to solve the serious problems of psychiatric care in our country by recommending joining a union or a feminist association, as a joke may not be wrong, but seriously it is absolutely unacceptable that be said from any environment, and even less so, from the health administration.
  • The IDIS Foundation publishes a work on the perception of private healthcare:  Meritorious effort by the IDIS Foundation to carry out a serious survey among its users to detect their perception of the sector, which, in general, is very positive, although problems are detected such as repetition of tests by the public sector, without taking into account the studies carried out in the private sector. It is confirmed once again that the majority of private sector users also use the public one. Also that specialist consultations are the most used service in private healthcare.
  • Work that demonstrates that public/private collaboration does not produce worse health outcomes and less higher mortality than public management: In the face of some attempts to disqualify private healthcare by stating that it produces worse outcomes and more mortality, this is not confirmed in the extensive review national and international bibliography carried out. Even in places (Community of Madrid and Catalonia) where there are specific indicators on the behavior of the bulk of the public sector and public/private collaboration, better results are detected in the latter.

Companies

  • International
    • Nestlé reorients itself towards food for healthy aging: The largest food group in the world wants to focus on foods for healthy aging, considering it a priority at a time of reduced birth rates.
  • National
    • Rovi, ready to sell its third-party manufacturing area: Rovi is ready to sell its third-party manufacturing subsidiary for at least 3.1 billion.
    • The Miranza Foundation is born: With the purpose of ensuring the eye health of the most vulnerable.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

  • Results in public/private collaboration
    • Bibliographic review carried out by a special Chair of the UCM on the results of public/private collaboration. Extensive review of national and international bibliography. The most notable are the results published in the Observatory of the Community of Madrid or in the Results Center of the Quality Agency of Catalonia. The conclusion is that there is no general evidence of worse results in public/private collaboration than in direct public management and, in the case of Spain, there is well-documented evidence of the opposite based on indicators in Catalonia and Madrid (https://isanidad.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Informe-UCM-Colaboracion-publico-privada.pdf.pdf)

Companies

7 days in healthcare (March 11th-17th, 2024)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, a revolutionary blood test stands out that manages to detect colon cancer in early stages and, consequently, reduce the number of deaths. Early diagnosis of this cancer can prevent most deaths, possibly 73% of them. But this requires regular screening in adults. There are two options: colonoscopy every ten years or fecal test every three. Both are unpleasant procedures, the first involving the introduction of a tube into the rectum and the second manipulating the stool itself. But something much simpler is on the horizon: a simple blood test. AI can revolutionize clinical trials, a fundamental basis for the progress of medicine. Just as Moore’s law was known in computing (the information capacity in a circuit grew every two years and at a lower price), in clinical trials in 2012 Eroom’s law was defined, which is just the opposite, since in the 60s In previous years, the number of drugs placed on the market per 1 billion invested was reduced by half every nine years. Half of this time and money was dedicated to clinical trials. AI can disrupt this law by helping to manage clinical trials, including developing protocols, recruiting patients, and analyzing data.

As far as Global Health is concerned, alterations of the nervous system are the most frequent cause of poor health. Neurological diseases such as stroke, dementia and migraine constitute the largest global cause of disease burden. This is related to increased life expectancy. However, if we adjust the data with age, we see that between 1990 and 2021, the number of neurological problems decreased by 27% and the number of deaths by 34%, in that 31-year period. Impressive Egypt success story with hepatitis. In Egypt at the beginning of the 20th century, most of the population worked on farms in contact with the Nile, a source of schistosomiasis, which affected 60% of the population. A treatment was implemented, but without single-use needles. This generated a very high prevalence of hepatitis C, which was reduced in just a decade from 2014. The secret was the free tests and treatment for everyone, with Gilead medication, after having negotiated the price with this company.

In terms of International Health Policy, the NEJM analyzes the effects of vertical integration in American medicine. Vertical integration (purchase of medical practices by hospitals) is unstoppable in the USA. We don’t know the consequences well. In theory it should improve coordination, facilitate the exchange of information and develop economies of scale. But, in practice, what has been seen is an increase in prices. It is urgent to study the consequences of this phenomenon. Macron, after a broad national debate, which included a citizens’ convention, supports the law on the end of life, which must still be approved in Parliament. An impressive debate took place in France on this topic for several months, just the opposite of what happened in Spain where such a transcendental issue was processed as a bill (avoiding the opinions required by the bills) and with hardly any national debate, as if it were a question of modifying the VAT on some product. Agreement in the EU for the regulations on the European Health Data Space, which will allow access to clinical information to any EU patient in all the countries of the Union, as well as the use of this information for research. A great step that, however, will take time to implement, given the very different and heterogeneous development of healthcare digitalization in EU countries.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the debate continues on the purchase of masks during the pandemic, another example of the more than deficient management of Covid-19 that occurred in Spain. The Minister of Health presents her plans in the Senate. Ambitious battery of health measures: mental health; Public Health Agency; climate change; smoking, sexually transmitted diseases; waiting lists, among other issues. We will see how this agenda progresses, since changes in healthcare are never easy. The health insurers involved in MUFACE (Adeslas, Asisa and DKV) request a renewal of the contract admitting 20% less of the public sector capital without pharmacy, which would mean an increase of 50% on the current capital. They also ask for some system of indexing the capital to the evolution of the public sector. Possibly the extension of the budgets represents an obstacle to the renegotiation of the agreement. Interesting initiative: the Council of Ministers approves a commercial pioneer of advanced therapies with public/private capital, whose promoter and shareholder is the CDTI (50% of the shares), as well as Insud and Rovi (25% each of them). The goal is to develop advanced therapies. It is included in the PERTE and, together, will mobilize 74 million euros.

As for Companies, internationally, recovery of mergers in the pharmaceutical industry in 2023. Psychedelic therapies, in the focus of investors. At the national level, AstraZeneca’s big commitment to Catalonia, where it will invest 1.3 billion until 2027.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

  • USA
    • The unknown health of the candidates for President in the USA. Everything is based on speculation. There is no official system to know the real health situation of either the presidents or the candidates. An attempt to create an expert body on the topic failed as recently as 2017 (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00528-2/fulltext?rss=yes)
    • The Lancet analyzes Biden’s health priorities in the State of the Union address. Commitment to women’s reproductive health; lowering drug prices, expanding Obamacare, preventing gun violence, among the most important priorities (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)00529-4/abstract?rss=yes)
    • The effects of vertical integration in American medicine. Vertical integration (purchase of medical practices by hospitals) is unstoppable in the USA. We don’t know the consequences well. In theory it should improve coordination, facilitate the exchange of information and develop economies of scale. But, in practice, what has been seen is an increase in prices. It is urgent to study the consequences of this phenomenon (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2313406)
  • France
    • Macron supports the “end of life” bill, which will be discussed by Parliament in May. The term “assisted in dying” is used, rather than euthanasia or assisted suicide, which are considered more controversial. If approved, France will join the few European countries (Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Spain) that have regulated this issue (https://www.ft.com/content/8129ad50-ae82-4cf9-8b06-cdd196cc57ef)

National health policy

  • Advanced therapies trading company

Companies

7 days in healthcare (April 17th-23rd, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, this week, exceptionally, two important advances in Spain are mentioned. On the one hand, the important investigations of the team led by Dr. Obeso, at HM Hospitales, on how to “open” the blood-brain barrier, that barrier that, among other things, prevented the arrival of drugs to the brain. It seems that in this way possibilities could be opened for the treatment of Parkinson’s. On the other hand, at the Vall d’Hebrón Hospital in Barcelona, the first robotic lung transplant was approached through a small incision.

As far as Global Health is concerned, there is a great alarm, highlighted by UNICEF and The Lancet magazine, about the drop in immunizations in children after the covid. Although the covid highlighted the efficacy of the vaccines, it brought the side effect of this drop in immunizations globally. In Uganda, the new anti-homosexuality law takes repression against this sexual option to an extreme, endangering anti-HIV campaigns in that country. The G7, to be held in Japan in May, emphasizes various health issues, including the importance of universal health coverage and the need for resilient health systems.

Regarding International Health Policy, the WHO warns of the non-solution of the covid problem, since in the last 28 days there were 23,000 deaths and 3 million new cases globally, even with reduced test figures. High mortality in the USA, with around 245 deaths per day. In the United States, the government is preparing to finalize the guidelines for negotiating the price of drugs in Medicare in July, something totally new in that country and that is shocking the pharmaceutical industry. The American Supreme Court rectifies its previous decisions and allows the abortion pill mifepristone to continue to be used, amid abundant criticism of the Court, for having questioned something that the FDA had already authorized more than 20 years ago. According to The Economist, the annulment of the Roe v Wade ruling caused the number of abortions in the USA to drop by 6%. In the United Kingdom, the consequences in the NHS of the multiple and continuous strikes and conflicts of health personnel continue. The German government is clashing with other European governments in its efforts to reduce the timeframe for generics to appear, calling into question the pharmaceutical investment model, according to some.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid continues to rise, amid controversies about the advisability or not of suppressing masks where they are still mandatory (health centers, social health centers and pharmacies). Conflicts with health personnel continue in several autonomous communities. In public healthcare, quite important allocation of resources by the Ministry to primary care and mental health. In private health, in the first quarter of the year there was a growth of 7.5% in the policies of private health insurers. “Voting with your feet” is called that figure. The IDIS Foundation focuses, through an interesting publication, on an important problem: the mental health situation in our country. Since we have few problems, Catalonia insists on an artificial conflict: the use of Catalan in the healthcare system in that autonomous community. Both in Aragon and in Castilla-La Mancha, two initiatives of dubious utility and even suspected of electoralism are launched. In Aragon, a national debate on health is proposed through a very typical document of those that come out in the autonomous communities that could be summarized as “More money for health without reforms.” As for Castilla-La Mancha, a law on waiting lists is promoted, when the terminal state of the legislature suggests that it will not be approved.

In the field of Companies, internationally, Nestlé is accused of manufacturing unhealthy products, due to their high load of fat, sugar and salt. Merck makes a major investment buying Prometheus Biosciences for $11 billion. At the national level, Moderna opens a laboratory in Madrid.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

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 (February 20th-26th, 2023)

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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

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (April 25-May 1, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, to highlight the evolution of acute hepatitis in children; Lilly’s announcement of a drug to tackle obesity that could compete with bariatric surgery; and the analysis of the New England Journal of Medicine on the “boosters” for covid.

As far as Global Health is concerned, we again quote Bill Gates, who is publishing a new book on pandemic prevention. Great concern about the resurgence of measles, yellow fever and polio in Africa, due to the low levels of vaccination against these diseases, given that resources have been largely diverted to covid.

As for international health policy, the problems of the “zero-covid” policy in China continue, which threatens the global economy, due to the closure of the largest port in the world: Shanghai. It seems increasingly clear that for political reasons this “zero-covid” approach will not change until the approval of a third term for its leader Xi. Also noteworthy is the very serious discrediting of the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, which until now had been the object of almost religious veneration.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), the incidence of covid continues to increase, particularly in some regions (Galicia, Navarra, Asturias and Castilla y León). The Health Advertising Law was not approved by Parliament, which is not necessarily bad news, since it was largely part of the confrontation between the College of Dentists and the dental care networks. The announced strike of doctors in Madrid, regardless of its results, has its origin in a very serious problem: the very high rate of temporary employment (more than 50% of doctors in the public system in Madrid). Very interesting statements by José Ramón Repullo, proposing national accreditation and hiring at the local level.

In the field of companies, from the international point of view, certain possible disruptive changes for the pharmaceutical industry should be highlighted: 3D printing, which would allow the “manufacturing” of medicines in a clinical environment; and the movements of Amazon for the sale of prescription drugs.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

  • COVID-19

o Serious problems continue in China with the “zero-covid” policy. The general impression is that the rhetoric of war does not help to defeat covid (https://www.economist.com/leaders/2022/04/30/chinas-martial-rhetoric-will-not-help-it-defeat- covid), while the global economic implications of the closure of Shanghai persist, the largest port in the world (https://www.epe.es/es/internacional/20220429/estrategia-covid-cero-china-dessolucion-inflacion-13586353)

o The “zero-covid” policy in China, a great personal bet of the leader Xi and difficult to be modified before his re-election for a third term (https://www.ft.com/content/33b7fcb2-bc88- 4a76-9b81-d561deaabc5c)

o Covid cases on the rise in virtually all of the United States (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/29/world/coronavirus-cases-us.html)

  • Other issues

o The FDA, about to ban menthol cigarettes. They are the most used among the black population (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/28/health/menthol-ban-fda.html)

o Very serious loss of prestige of the National Health Service, which is ending an almost religious adoration of this body in the United Kingdom. A survey says that global satisfaction dropped to 36%, something never known. Poor staff planning among major problems (https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/04/28/the-nhs-is-in-seriously-poor-shape)

National health policy (Spain)

  • COVID

o The cumulative incidence among people over 60 years of age continues to rise, reaching (April 29) 676.43 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 14 days, an increase of almost 70 points compared to the previous measurement. Occupation rate due to covid: 5.12% in the ward and 3.66% in the ICU (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/especial-coronavirus/covid-19-espana-notifica-62695-casos-229- deceased-ia-exceeds-676-points_113987_102.html)

o The Ministry of Health reports almost 2,000 deaths in April, the first full month of “flu” from covid (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220430/sanidad-notifica-muertes-primer-completo- flu-covid/668683313_0.html)

o Increase in the incidence of covid grows by 35% after Easter and there are already four regions with the unbridled incidence (Galicia, Navarra, Asturias and Castilla y León) (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220428 /revenues-covid-semana-santa-ccaa-incident-runaway/668183406_0.html)

o The Ministry of Health will authorize the fourth dose for those over 80 years of age and those who live in residences, a total of about 3 million people (https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20220425/8219507/sanidad-autorizara- fourth-dose-vaccine-covid-older-80.html)

  • Regulatory announcements

o The Health Advertising Law presented by the PP fails, which is regretted by the professional associations, in particular that of dentists. Apparently, the Government is preparing a Royal Decree on the subject (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/28/el-congreso-desestima-la-ley-de-publicidad-sanitaria-del-pp)

  • Other issues

o Madrid hospital doctors go on strike over temporary contracts (https://www.epe.es/es/sanidad/20220429/medicos-hospitales-madrid-huelga-contratos-temporales-13587639)

o Interesting statements by José Ramón Repullo regarding the temporality of doctors and health professionals and their non-solution through the OPEs. He proposes national accreditation and contracting by centers, as exists in other countries (https://elpais.com/espana/madrid/2022-04-30/la-temporalidad-de-los-medicos-es-el-resultado -of-a-bad-system-worse-governed.html)

o Cases of severe hepatitis in children in Spain rise to 22 (https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20220429/8233030/hepatitis-aguda-ascienden-22-casos-espana.html)

o 700,000 Spaniards on the surgical waiting list, the worst figure in the history of public healthcare (https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20220501/espanoles-lista-espera-quirurgica-historia-sanidad-publica/668683270_0. html)

o Núñez Feijóo calls for the creation of the emergency specialty, with the argument of preventing primary care professionals from leaving (https://www.consalud.es/autonomias/galicia/feijoo-pide-creacion-urgencias_113617_102.html)

o Facme presents the Spanish recertification model (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/22/facme-presenta-el-programa-espanol-de-recertificacion)

o Five communities (Extremadura, Aragón, Baleares, Comunidad Valenciana and Navarra) ask AIReF to evaluate their healthcare and pharmaceutical spending (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/04/26/cinco-ccaa-piden-a- the-airef-assess-your-health-care-and-pharmaceutical-expenditure)

o Very interesting article by José Luis Puerta: “Data saves lives”, on the need to overcome the situation in which the custodians of the data are not capable of exploiting them, nor do they allow third parties to do so (https://www.diariomedico .com/opinion/data-saves-lives.html)

Companies

  • International News

o Possible disruptive changes for the pharmaceutical industry (http://gestionclinicavarela.blogspot.com/2022/04/aires-de-disrupcion-en-la-industria.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email): volumetric 3D printing that would allow drugs to be “manufactured” in a clinical setting (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214860422000781) and Amazon Prime’s offer to facilitate basic drugs for $1 a month (https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/amazon-pharmacy-offers-half-yearly-prescriptions-starting-6-2021-06-08/)

o Roche sales soar in the United States due to the demand for covid tests (https://www.ft.com/content/ed5f4f64-4fa6-4663-bc75-8860bb1ad997)

o Investors pressure Nestlé and Kraft Heinz to target health (https://www.ft.com/content/545651c2-c408-4cad-b724-698ed896ee89)

o Philips records losses of 151 million euros in the first quarter of 2022 (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/philips-registra-unas-perdidas-de-151-millones-de-euros-en-el -first-quarter-of-2022.html)

o Abbie strengthens its neurosciences portfolio and acquires Syndesis Therapeutics (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/abbvie-strengthens-its-neurosciences-portfolio-and-acquires-syndesi-therapeutics.html)

  • National News

o Lácer attracts the interest of venture capital funds (https://www.expansion.com/empresas/distribucion/2022/04/29/626afa0de5fdeaa9578b45a2.html)

o Grifols closes the purchase operation of its German rival Biotest (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/04/25/companias/1650876940_315447.html)

o Faes Farma profit grows 24% thanks to licenses and the Latin American market (https://www.eleconomista.es/pais_vasco/noticias/11743403/04/22/El-beneficio-de-Faes-Farma-crece -a-24-thanks-to-the-licenses-and-the-latin-american-market.html)

o Senniors disembark in Abu Dhabi with the support of the country’s sovereign wealth fund (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/senniors-desembarca-en-abu-dabi-con-el-apoyo-del-fondo-soberano-del -country.html)

o Quirónsalud launches a new rehabilitation center in Ronda de Triana (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/quironsalud-pone-en-marcha-un-nuevo-centro-de-rehabilitacion-en-ronda-de -triana.html)

o Hospitales Parque (CASER) accelerates in 2021 and raises its income by 46%, up to 58 million euros (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/hospitales-parque-acelera-en-2021-y-eleva-un -46-your-income-up-to-58-million-euros.html)

o Asisa strengthens Otoaudio and opens its first center in Seville (https://www.plantadoce.com/empresa/asisa-refuerza-otoaudio-y-abre-su-primer-centro-en-sevilla.html)

o Asisa Dental opens its first own clinic in the Canary Islands in Las Palmas (https://www.consalud.es/ecsalud/nacional/asisa-dental-abre-palmas-clinica-canarias_113952_102.html)

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 days in healthcare (February 7-13, 2022)

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SUMMARY

From the point of view of biomedicine, to highlight the advances that allow paraplegics to walk, through spinal implants.

Regarding Global Health, it is worth mentioning the WHO warning that the pandemic has threatened the health systems of 90% of the countries; as well as the health problems in Burkina Faso and Afghanistan.

In relation to international health policy, the WHO statement that the pandemic is not over and that more variants are expected should be highlighted. In some countries the restrictions are lifted (United Kingdom, Norway) while in others (Germany) they continue. HERA (the new European Authority for Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies) begins its steps and will receive a budget of 1,300 million euros in 2022.

In national health policy, we are witnessing a relaxation of the restriction measures, as a consequence of the decrease in the figures of the pandemic (less than 1,500 per 100,000 inhabitants), although these figures are still high and are accompanied by high mortality. Nor is the appearance of new variants ruled out. On the other hand, in the face of loud announcements by the Government, the incorporation of Paxlovid, Pfizer’s medication against serious cases of COVID, is delayed. Work begins for the creation of the State Public Health Surveillance Network, one of the conclusions of the work of the Commission for Social and Economic Reconstruction of the Congress of Deputies of July 3, 2020 (point 19.2), although in the conclusions of the commission there was talk of “urgently implementing” this issue. It is addressed two years after the first death from covid. Also noteworthy is the great concern and mobilizations carried out by the nursing sector. The General Council of Nursing Colleges publishes a Decalogue, whose first point is “Spain without nurses” and the last “Enough of ignoring us”. Spain leads the consumption of anxiolytics, which does not seem like a minor problem.

As far as company news is concerned, mention should be made of the FDA’s delay in approving Pfizer’s vaccine for children under 5 years of age. Also the entry of Nestlé in the field of health, positioning itself in weight control.

BIOMEDICINE

  • Spinal implants allow paraplegics to walk, swim and ride a bike. Breakthrough driven by Grégoire Courtine, a neuroscientist at the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, and Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at Lausanne University Hospital. The rupture of the cord prevents the transmission of electrical signals from the brain, which allows the implanted device (The Economist, 12 February 22)
  • There is a lack of evidence that current covid vaccines will produce herd immunity (American Journal of Medicine, February 6, 22)
  • A study analyzes the prevalence of loneliness in 113 countries, as a major health and social problem (BMJ, February 9, 22

GLOBAL HEALTH

  • The WHO warns that more than 90% of the countries have seen their health system threatened by the pandemic (interruptions in services, difficulties in accessing care, problems with emergency care) (La Razón, February 7, 22)
  • The WHO denounces actions by the pharmaceutical industry that make it difficult to bring covid vaccines to Africa. The declaration affects a foundation (kENUP) linked to BioNTech (BMJ, February 9, 22)
  • The armed conflict in the Sahel region (Burkina Faso) endangers the already weak health system (The Lancet, February 12, 22)
  • Afghanistan’s health system is collapsing under stress (NYT, February 6, 22)
  • Ukraine, fears that a health system that had made great progress in recent times is going into crisis due to the possible conflict (The Lancet 12 February 22)

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH POLICY

  • COVID

o The WHO warns that the pandemic is not over and that more variants are expected (ABC, February 12, 22)

o Covid levels remain high in many parts of Europe, but restrictions tend to be lifted (FT, February 11, 22)

o The 1918 flu had devastating effects the third year (Washington Post, February 6, 22)

o Protests against covid restrictions in France and the Netherlands (The Guardian, February 12, 22)

o Waiting lists in England exceed 6 million for the first time (FT, 10 February 22)

o Boris Johnson plans to end the restrictions due to covid a month earlier than planned (The Guardian, February 9, 22)

o China, ready to impose greater confinements in Hong Kong (FT, February 11, 22)

o A study detects that NYC deer are infected by covid (NYT, February 7, 22)

o Seven out of ten vaccines administered in the EU are from Pfizer (El Español, February 11, 22)

o Norway lifts all restrictions against the pandemic (El País, February 13, 22)

o Germany will not lift the restrictions against covid (El Mundo, February 10, 22)

  • Other issues

o HERA (the new European Authority for Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies) will have a total budget of 1,300 million in 2022 (diariofarma, February 10, 22)

o The EFPIA publishes a white paper on the effectiveness of public procurement of medicines in the EU (EFPIA, February 22)

o It seems that the attempts of the United States government to lower the price of medicines by allowing the negotiation of their prices in Medicare are failing (NEJM, February 9, 22)

NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY (SPAIN)

  • COVID

o The low incidence of 1,500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Spain, although with 389 deaths on the last day with official information (La Vanguardia, February 11, 22)

o Delays in the incorporation of Paxlovid, Pfizer’s medication against severe COVID (El Periódico de España, February 11, 22)

  • Political announcements

o Spain begins to create the pandemic alert network, creating the State Public Health Surveillance Network (El Español, 13 February 22)

  • Other issues

o The nursing sector stars in demonstrations throughout Spain (La Razón, February 9, 22)

o Decalogue published by the General Council of Nursing Colleges (CGCE, February, 2022)

o Spain leads the consumption of anxiolytics in Europe, according to the latest report from the Narcotics Control Board (INCB), more than 2.5 million people consume psychotropic drugs daily (La Razón, February 12, 22)

o Spain doubles the number of leprosy cases in 2021 (The Objective, February 7, 22)

o The OMC (Collegiate Medical Organization), against Montero’s campaign on “obstetric violence” (El Español, February 10, 22)

o The Ombudsman intervenes in response to complaints of health cuts to MUFACE officials (La Razón, February 10, 22)

o In a meeting convened by the IMAS Foundation, specialists demand a digital health strategy (Health Act, February 9, 22)

o Cantabria wants to turn Valdecilla into a reference in precision medicine (Sanitary Act, February 10, 22)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND OTHER AGENTS IN THE SECTOR

  • Important medical bet by Amazon that is revolutionizing the health system in the USA (El Economista, February 12, 22)
  • The FDA puts a brake on the approval of Pfizer’s covid vaccine below 5 years (The Guardian, February 11, 22)
  • Novavax, the fifth vaccine, arrives in Europe the last week of February (diariofarma, February 10, 22)
  • China conditionally approves Pfizer’s treatment Paxlovid (The Guardian, 12 February 22)
  • CEOE: Adriana Bonezzi, new head of the health area (Medical Writing, February 7, 22)
  • Wivi vision. company that evaluates the capabilities of the visual system: agreement with General Óptica to implement it in its network of stores (PlantaDoce, February 8, 22)
  • Vithas joins forces with Genesis Care to launch a cancer center in Madrid (PlantaDoce, February 4, 22)
  • Pfizer more than doubles its profits in 2021, up to 22,000 million dollars (PlantaDoce, February 8, 22)
  • Nestlé Health Science buys Pronokal, positioning itself in the weight loss and control products sector (Diario Médico, February 7, 22)
  • J&J suspends the manufacture of its vaccine (Consalud, February 11, 22)
  • Dependency insurance grows 96% and closes 2021 with 128,000 insured (PlantaDoce, February 7, 22)
  • Durcal relies on Movistar to break into the elderly care segment (PlantaDoce, February 10, 22)
  • Nordic Cap and Amulet enter the bid for the IVI group, Morgan Stanley will receive the non-binding offers before February 23 (CincoDías, February 12, 22)