Posts

7 days in healthcare (February 21-27, 2022)

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SUMMARY

From the point of view of biomedicine, Bill Gates predicts another pandemic, although he estimates that he will catch us better prepared. Also to highlight the questioning of the traditional form of clinical trials. The latter is important, since Spain has become a power in clinical trials and it is important to analyze whether it is the right bet.

In terms of global health, it should be noted that COVAX has distributed exactly half of the COVID vaccines that it had as its objective. A great inequity in the distribution of vaccines in the world and, now, also of medicines against COVID.

As for international health policy, great controversy in the United Kingdom due to the lifting of all restrictions against COVID.

In national health policy (Spain), the incidence of COVID is low, although we continue with high mortality and without antivirals. The Ministry of Health takes the expansion of the service portfolio to a public hearing. Medical uneasiness before the reform of the Abortion Law, a BIOSIM proposal to promote the use of biosimilars and controversy over the financing of orphan drugs.

With regard to companies, it should be noted that the manufacture of Ventolín and Nolotil pollutes more than the automotive industry, which indicates how far the pharmaceutical industry has to go in implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Also that Quirónsalud has exceeded the turnover of 4,000 million and Fresenius is open to incorporating new shareholders both in Quirónsalud and Eugin.

BIOMEDICINE

GLOBAL HEALTH

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH POLICY

NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY (SPAIN)

  • COVID

o The incidence of COVID continues to drop to 613 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2022-02-24/ultima-hora-del-coronavirus-hoy-en-espana-y-el-mundo-en-directo.html)

o 245 deaths in the sixth wave and still without antivirals (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20220225/3eq7hmpczjfe3ct7ruk3tz56wi.html)

o The subvariant of the stealthy “ómicron” accelerates its expansion in Spain (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20220224/3zfep56h6bf7jktf4fqvbnj3yq.html)

  • Political announcements

o The Ministry of Health takes out the draft order for the expansion of the service portfolio for a public hearing. Opinions in this regard can be sent via email informacion.publica@mscbs.es until March 10 (https://www.consalud.es/politica/sanidad-saca-audiencia-publica-orden-ministerial-actualiza-cartera-comun-sns_110420_102.html)

o AIReF announces a study on MUFACE spending in its plan for 2022 (https://www.airef.es/es/noticias/la-airef-publica-su-plan-de-actuaciones-2022-con-una-apuesta-clara-por-la-sostenibilidad-y-la-evaluacion/)

  • Other issues

o The medical groups, against the reform of the abortion law, propose the obligatory nature of performing it in public hospitals (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20220225/onwymfclwbbyfiamuan5il533e.html)

o Biosim presents 14 proposals to stimulate the use of biosimilars (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/02/24/biosim-plantea-14-propuestas-para-fomentar-el-uso-de-los-biosimilares )

o Great controversy over the financing of orphan drugs, while the Ministry publishes a report with improvements in financing since 2016 (https://www.diariofarma.com/2022/02/23/sanidad-publica-un-analisis-sobre-la-financiacion-acceso-y-gasto-de-los-medicamentos-huerfanos-desde-2016) others insist that more than 50% of these medicines are not publicly funded (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/industria/el-50-de-los-medicamentos-huerfanos-estan-sin-financiar-en-espana-7267)

o The strategic health reserve today has 466 million masks and 955 respirators (https://www.elindependiente.com/espana/2022/02/27/la-reserva-estrategica-de-sanidad-cuenta-hoy-con-466-millones-de-mascarillas-y-955-respiradores/)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND OTHER AGENTS IN THE SECTOR

 

7 days in healthcare (February 14-20, 2022)

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SUMMARY

In biomedicine, we have to highlight the studies that are confirming a modest association between an increased incidence of mental illness after COVID.

As far as Global Health is concerned, mention should be made of the book by Ed Miliband, a British parliamentarian, former leader of the Labor Party and minister with Gordon Brown, which amounts to a manifesto on public health in the wider sense, which, at the moment, is already beginning to be a literary genre, among which the books by Gordon Brown, Minouche Shafik, Fareed Zakaria and, soon, Bill Gates stand out.

Regarding international health policy, verifying that the calculation of excess mortality is the best way to assess mortality from COVID. The problem is that this may be valid for Europe and the Americas, but not for Asia and Africa, where the low mortality figures are hardly credible. Gordon Brown, former British Prime Minister, asks the G20 for a global financial solution to tackle the pandemic, similar to what was done in the 1960s with smallpox. The Economist highlights Africa’s low capacity for vaccine production, in contrast to its large population.

Regarding the national health policy, the first thing to mention is the drop in the incidence of COVID, which last Friday reached 919 per 100,000 inhabitants, which is compatible with the fact that mortality skyrockets in the sixth wave and there is a delay in receiving the new antivirals. The government approves the Science Law project, with controversial elements among researchers. The massive retirement of professionals (including doctors) is probably the most far-reaching problem of the SNS. The SEOM (Spanish Society of Medical Oncology) denounces the lack of equity in access to drugs and markers.

In business news, we must mention the FENIN declaration in favor of the manufacture of medical technology in Spain, to avoid dependency in the event of pandemics; also that the fifth vaccine approved in Europe (NOVAVAX) receives authorization to be manufactured in Galicia (Porriño); Rovi extends its alliance with Moderna for the manufacture of vaccines for ten years.

BIOMEDICINE

GLOBAL HEALTH

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH POLICY

NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY (SPAIN)

  • COVID

o The incidence of COVID drops to 919 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with 7.8% occupancy of hospital beds due to COVID and 13.7% of ICU beds (https://www.consalud.es/pacientes/especial -coronavirus/covid-19-spain-records-30615-cases-288-deaths-ia-baja-919_110353_102.html)

o Deaths from covid skyrocket in the sixth wave (https://www.elindependiente.com/vida-sana/salud/2022/02/19/las-muertes-por-covid-se-disparan-en-febrero-con-4-365-fallecidos-y-elevan-a-11-081-las-de-la-sexta-ola/)

o Waiting for the antivirals that Sánchez promised in January (https://www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220214/omicron-mata-espera-antivirales-sanchez-prometio-enero/650185438_0.html)

o Public health detects an explosion of scabies cases related to the pandemic (https://elpais.com/sociedad/2022-02-19/la-sanidad-publica-detecta-una-explosion-de-casos-de- scabies-related-to-the-pandemic.html)

o Sports events capacity returns to 100% on March 4 (https://www.consalud.es/politica/consejo-interterritorial-decide-recuperar-aforos-deportivos-100-4-marzo_110196_102.html)

  • Political announcements

o The Government approves the Science Law project that the sector sees with room for improvement (https://www.diariomedico.com/investigacion/el-gobierno-aproba-una-ley-de-ciencia-que-los-investigadores-ven-muy -improveable.html?check_logged_in=1)

o Changes in the portfolio of services: more oral health and screening (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/ministerio-sanidad/la-nueva-cartera-comun-del-sns-contempla-mas-salud-bucodental- y-screened-6455)

o Spain adheres to the International Vaccine Institute (https://www.consalud.es/politica/gobierno-aprob-adhesion-espana-instituto-internacional-vacunas_110110_102.html)

  • Other issues

o Health approves the new vaccination schedule for 2022 (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20220217/as5pmub735hwpmxosjjwlzapty.html)

o Strong mobilizations in the Andalusian health sector (https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/andalucia/2022-02-19/sanidad-andalucia-manifestaciones-sindicatos-partidas_3378408/)

o Mass retirement of health workers: a drag on the SNS (https://www.consalud.es/profesionales/jubilacion-masiva-sanitarios-quebradero-cabeza-sistema-nacional-salud_110332_102.html)

o Private healthcare demands a clear legal framework in the National Security Law (https://www.redaccionmedica.com/secciones/privada/la-privada-reclama-un-marco-juridico-claro-en-la-nueva- security-law-8788)

o Lack of equity in access to drugs and markers (https://cincodias.elpais.com/cincodias/2022/02/16/companias/1645013239_112550.html)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND OTHER AGENTS IN THE SECTOR