Posts

7 days in healthcare (July 8th-14th, 2024)

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Summary

Biomedicine

  • Four decades of orphan drugs. The Orphan Drug Act (ODA) was approved in the USA in 1983, due to the lack of commercial interest in the development of these drugs. The law that developed incentives for production, the duration of patents and research was a success and more than 800 indications have already been approved. However, many rare diseases remain untreated and prices are unsustainable. This is why a new strategy is proposed for the next four decades.
  • Gene therapy offers hope for autoimmune diseases. Use of CAR-T, originally intended for cancers, in lupus. The initial findings offer hope to millions of patients with autoimmune diseases, four in five of which are women.

Global Health

  • Vaccines save lives. The measles vaccine alone is estimated to have prevented 23 million deaths between 2000 and 2018. Globally, the vaccination rate has increased for many diseases. However, in 2022 (the latest figure available) there were still 14.3 million children with zero doses. A lack of access and high production and cost costs among the reasons for this situation. New strategies are needed to boost utilization.
  • Counting the dead in Gaza. According to a letter published in The Lancet, as of June 24, 37,396 people had been killed in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas attack and the Israeli response, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, figures not accepted by Israeli authorities, although they are by the United Nations and the WHO. If we take into account that the indirect deaths are estimated to be between three and fifteen the number of direct deaths, a conservative estimate with a multiple of four gives 186,000 deaths attributable to the current conflict. This is why an immediate ceasefire is advocated.

International health policy

  • The NHS is broken: In his first official statement released on July 5, the new UK Health Minister (Wes Streeting) says that his department’s official position is that “the NHS is broken.” . He is surprised by this clarity regarding the recognition of problems, which is to be expected to be followed by profound reforms.
  • Official statement from the Labor Party on preparing the NHS for the future: cutting waiting lists with 40,000 more appointments each week; double the number of cancer scans; a new Dental Plan; 8,500 more mental health professionals; back to the family doctor.
  • Starmer turns to Alan Milburn, former Minister of Health, close to Tony Blair, to fix the problems of the NHS, which is interpreted as meaning that the private sector and consumer choice will be at the center of the plans.
  • The first official report on Covid management in the United Kingdom is published. After multiple surveys, it will be published next Thursday and promises to reveal serious deficiencies in the management of Covid. It will be interesting to compare this report with the disappointing and incomplete one published in Spain, carried out by three experts selected by the government.
  • European hospitals lose more than 170,000 beds in a decade, but Spain increases them, despite continuing to be one of the European countries with the fewest beds per 100,000 inhabitants.

National Health Policy (Spain)

  • The State Public Health Agency, in limbo. The creation of this Agency takes forever. It’s a bit frustrating, says Eduardo Satué, president of the Spanish Society of Public Health and Health Administration (SESPAS).
  • Various communities offer bonuses and incentives to doctors: to cover the deficit in Primary Care (Andalusia) or to cover the wings of the region (Asturias).
  • AESEG requests a price difference between generics and brands, which Farmaindustria opposes, a measure that is already applied throughout Europe except in Spain. The sector has 21 production plants in Spain and generates more than 40,000 direct and indirect jobs.
  • Private healthcare runs the risk of dying of success. Waiting lists are exploding for private health insurance (which 1 in every four citizens already have), but, due to low premiums, reaching up to 20 or 30 euros per month, it is not possible to provide a good service. A giant is being built with feet of clay.
  • Serious management problems in the health sector, according to FEDEA. Despite the significant increase in resources in the health field, since the level of spending has grown from 13.2% in 1999 to the current 14.5% of the total spending of Public Administrations. Real public spending per inhabitant has grown by 48% since 2003. This reality contrasts with the idea that healthcare has experienced significant cuts in recent decades, when the only falls in real spending per inhabitant only occurred between 2010 and 2013.

Companies

  • International
    • Pfizer wants to enter the anti-obesity drug market, having an advanced trial with a daily pill, with which it intends to enter the obesity market that promises to be worth 100 billion dollars a year.
  • National
    • It is possible that Grifols will cease to be a listed company. The Grifols family in talks with the Brookfield fund to take the company private.

Biomedicine

  • NEJM review: Four decades of orphan drugs. The Orphan Drug Act (ODA) was approved in the USA in 1983, due to the lack of commercial interest in the development of these drugs. The law that developed incentives for production, the duration of patents and research was a success and more than 800 indications have already been approved. However, many rare diseases remain untreated and prices are unsustainable. This is why a new strategy is proposed for the next four decades (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2401487)
  • Non-communicable diseases in reproductive care. New approach to gestational diabetes (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01298-4/fulltext)
  • Gene therapy offers hope for autoimmune diseases. Use of CAR-T, originally intended for cancers, in lupus. Initial findings offer hope to millions of patients with autoimmune diseases, four in five of whom are women (https://www.ft.com/content/a974f4c1-bb8a-4a1b-9d88-a2cf14be5c6e)

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (February 12th-18th, 2024)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, as is known, most rare diseases have no treatment, although this situation will surely be overcome in the not too distant future. A new drug (prozelimab) against the rare Chaple disease. A trial offers hope that a jab could prevent rheumatoid arthritis, the disease that affects 18 million people globally. Chances of a blood protein test warning about the onset of Alzheimer’s disease up to fifteen years in advance. A new powerful antibiotic (cresomycin), hope for antimicrobial resistance, which globally causes about five million deaths a year.

Regarding Global Health, despite the fact that 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the appearance of insulin, many diabetes patients still do not have access to it. Important article in the New England Journal Medicine about e-cigarettes. There is sufficient evidence to show that switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes reduces exposure to tobacco toxins, decreases respiratory symptoms, and reverses physiological changes related to cigarette smoking. There is not enough evidence that e-cigarettes are a good method to quit smoking.

In terms of International Health Policy, an unexpected consequence of the ruling of the United States Supreme Court, granting states the possibility of legislating on abortion, what was widely used to prohibit or restrict it: the taking of prescribed abortion pills by telemedicine and received by mail is a safe and effective method, according to a study. The European Commission approves the first gene editing treatment, in this case for beta thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. HERA (Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority) launches the Critical Medicines Alliance. It is said that this Alliance will contribute to changing the way medicines are produced and purchased in Europe.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), there is great commotion in the sector as a result of the statements by Vice President Yolanda Díaz that she is negotiating to introduce in the budgets the modification of the health VAT from 0% to 21%. Regardless of the viability of this proposal, could it be considered whether this is the best way to make policy? Any study on the impact on the sector? Any previous negotiations with the health ecosystem? Although the Ministry of Health usually intervenes little in economic matters – remember that all the cuts during the financial crisis were not even discussed in the Interterritorial Council of the National Health System – this is a major issue that well deserves a position. and an analysis by the Ministry of Health. Asturias regulates financial compensation to professionals (442 euros for four hours of surgical activity and half for consultations for doctors) for extension of working hours to address the serious problem of waiting lists. Family doctors report a deficit of 2,600 professionals in the next year. As a consequence of the European Plan against Cancer, the launch of the first nine Comprehensive Cancer Centers in Spain is announced. The project is led in Spain by the Vall d’Hebron Hospital and the National Institute of Oncology.

As for Companies, on an international level, the British consulting firm Clarivate analyzes the 13 disruptive drugs for 2024. Oncology drugs predominate, although there is also the vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus and a new drug against COPD. At the national level, the growth of the egg freezing business in Spain is confirmed. It seems that the HIPRA vaccine is going to end up in the trash. There is nothing special, since failures are inherent to business, especially in an area as difficult as biotechnology. However, some excessively triumphalist government demonstrations could have been avoided.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

  • United Kingdom and the National Health Service

National health policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (January 22nd-28th, 2024)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, highlight the article by Dr. Topol, famous American cardiologist and doctor, who says how generative AI can contribute to significantly reducing medical errors, which cause hundreds of thousands of deaths a year in the United States and around the world. An initial cancer screening seems to be making its way through a simple blood test, taking advantage of the sharing of certain molecular characteristics in all cancers. The University of Gothenburg in Sweden is developing a blood test for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

With regard to Global Health, an editorial in The Lancet refers to the economic problems in low- and middle-income countries in addressing health expenditures, given the great weight of debt interest, which is why it proposes as a solution its condonation. The first mass malaria vaccination begins in Africa. Universal healthcare in Tanzania. Universal coverage, long exclusive to Europe and high-income countries (with the exception of the United States), is now spreading to developing countries as well.

In terms of International Health Policy, the next American elections in 2024 already show what could be the priority issues during the campaign for Democrats and Republicans. For the former, reducing the high price of prescription drugs and women’s health (with pro-choice options); for Republicans, overcoming covid-19 and drug overdose. It does not seem that the repeal of Obamacare, which has reached a record of 21 million affiliates, is going to be a priority in the Republican campaign.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), presentation by Minister Mónica García of her priorities in the Congressional health commission. Laws against alcohol consumption in young people and to protect direct public management in public healthcare. Announcement of the legalization of cannabis and increase in the portfolio of services in “dental” and “visual health”. The imminent approval of the Public Health Agency and the reform of the Framework Statute in 2024 are announced. In relation to this last point, it was announced that negotiations are being carried out with the unions and the communities. And what about the professionals? Don’t they have anything to say on this topic? Important announcement by the Ministry of the genetic portfolio of the National Health System, to be launched gradually throughout 2024. Health maps are being reformed and simplified in several communities: Aragón, Cantabria, Valencian Community and Asturias . It is striking that the reforms are promoted by PP governments in the first three communities, while the reform in Asturias, sponsored by a PSOE government, is opposed by the PP. Catalonia promotes the discussion of a National Health Pact. Among other issues, the elimination of the statutory personnel regime is proposed. Possibly this change cannot be made legally from an autonomous community, but the much-needed idea and the opening of the discussion are welcome.

As for Companies, at the international level, Novo Nordisk and Lilly find themselves with a new player in their battle regarding obesity: the Danish biotech company Zeland Pharma. When it comes to national news, the problems with Grifols continue. Interesting article in Expansión on professionalization and corporate governance in family businesses.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

  • USA
    • Article in JAMA: Focus on health problems in the 2024 American elections. It seems that health care is going to be very present in the American elections. Democrats’ issues are lowering prescription drug prices and women’s health (with pro-choice options); while the Republican issues are overcoming covid-19 and drug overdoses and border control policies in this regard. Despite Trump’s criticism of the Obamacare law, repealing the law is unlikely to be made a campaign priority (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2814471)
    • Obamacare enrollment boom, reaching 21 million in 2024 (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/us/politics/obamacare-open-enrollment.html)

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (November 13th-19th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, The Economist speculates in an article about whether certain regenerated neurons of the dentate gyrus could reverse Alzheimer’s, based on studies in mice. AI, useful in improving the detection of breast cancer.

Regarding Global Health, the WHO points out the rebound in measles worldwide. The number of cases and, above all, mortality are increasing a lot.

In terms of International Health Policy, the United Kingdom encourages the EU and the USA to join its “subscription model” for the development of antibiotics. In practice, it introduces a system of incentives for pharmaceutical companies not linked to the sale of the drug, which can be useful if new antibiotics against resistant bacteria are intended to be of low use. The King’s Fund (an important British health think tank) launches a study in which it analyzes in great detail the inequities in waiting lists. Without a doubt interesting reading in our country. In France, the SNCF (equivalent to our RENFE) launches an interesting initiative to alleviate the problem of medical deserts: build telemedicine centers near the stations.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the confrontation between private doctors and insurers continues. Without a doubt, the problems of personnel policy do not only occur, as some might think, in the public sector. They also occur in the private sector. The Ministry of Health calls the comments about the transfer of the MIR to certain communities hoaxes. The problem is that this issue appears in the investiture agreements. Success of the PRAN (the plan to reduce antibiotic consumption), obtaining good results in our country, despite continuing to be one of the countries with the highest consumption of antibiotics, both in humans and in veterinary medicine.

In the field of Companies, on an international level, the sale of obesity drugs could be a great boom and reach 100 billion dollars in 2030. On a national level, Quirón is advancing in the approach of building its new hospital in Gijón. Sanitas-BUPA buys a Turkish insurer. The bankruptcy administrator blames KKR for the bankruptcy of the dental company Dentix.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (October 30th-November 5th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the FDA opens the door to the first treatment with CRIPSR gene editing, applied in this case to sickle cell anemia. The “liquid biopsy” seems to be able to detect cancer recurrence before any radiological signs. A change is proposed in the regulation of embryo research. The laws and conventions in force do not allow embryos to be investigated in the laboratory beyond day 14. There is a gap until day 28, when embryos from abortions can already be investigated. This seems to prevent us from knowing many elements of organ development and that is what we are trying to modify. Although it is often assumed that dementia is increasing as the population ages, there appears to already be some evidence that the incidence of dementia is decreasing quite significantly.

As far as Global Health is concerned, the director general of the WHO is alarmed by the indescribable situation in Gaza. Nigeria is preparing to vaccinate 8 million girls with the papillomatosis vaccine, related to cervical cancer.

Regarding International Health Policy, in the United States, despite the prohibition of abortion in some states as a consequence of the Dobbs ruling of the Supreme Court, the abortion rate has not decreased a year after this ruling. The Economist considers how it is possible that doctors in the United States earn so much ($350,000/year on average), coming to the conclusion that it is due to an artificial shortage of doctors, due to the few places in Medical Schools, despite that there is no shortage of candidates. In the United Kingdom, the investigation into covid seems to show the disaster in management during the Boris Johnson period. Bad business, although the case of Spain is worse, where, despite promises, no report on the management of the pandemic has been made public. Health changes are on the horizon in Poland, following the arrival of the new government. Kenya, with 53 million inhabitants, joins the movement of so many other countries to move towards universal health coverage.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the XENOMA project in Galicia is very important, which aims to analyze the DNA of 400,000 Galicians. One of the precedents is the project to analyze the genome of 100,000 Britons, promoted during the David Cameron period and managed by Genomics England. Surely a project of this style should have been promoted at the national level, but it is good that, in the absence of the above, it should be promoted by an autonomous community. Doubts among experts about one of the measures of the PSOE-Sumar agreement on a law to end waiting lists. Without funding, better accounting and prioritization, organizational measures, new incentives and public/private collaboration, no law is capable of solving this problem. After all, a Royal Decree that establishes maximum times for certain procedures has already been in force since 2011, but it is not being complied with. Virtually all autonomous communities are approving increased health budgets for 2024, rising especially in Primary Care. Just because the budgets grow compared to the previous year does not mean that they are higher than the real spending in 2023, which is happening in Madrid, for example. The PSOE-ERC agreement contemplates the transfer of at least 150 million euros/year to Catalonia, for scientific and technical research.

In the field of Companies, on an international level, Google intends to grow in healthcare, based above all on artificial intelligence tools. Regarding the covid vaccine, GSK raises profit forecasts, while Moderna and Pfizer contemplate setbacks. At the national level, Fresenius sells its Quirón business in Peru. The Sant Joan de Deu Hospital in Barcelona creates an artificial intelligence laboratory with Microsoft.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

 

 

7 days in healthcare (September 25th-October 1st, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, The Economist raises the issue of how research on aging makes the prospect of living to 120 years less unimaginable.

Regarding Global Health, The Lancet publishes a study prepared with information from 185 countries that shows how a more “feminist” approach could have saved hundreds of lives of women with cancer. Surprising news from COVAX, the body created to distribute covid vaccines to developing countries: billions of its budget unspent.

Regarding International Health Policy, the pharmaceutical industry warns against the possible harms of the application of the European Union’s pharmaceutical policy, in this case the reduction of medicines against rare diseases. The pharmaceutical policy has not yet been approved, so this sounds like putting the bandage before the wound.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the news of the week was the failed investiture of Feijóo. In his speech he addressed health problems. Although logically in a discourse of this type the sectoral details must necessarily be brief and what is interesting is the general tone, the poverty of the health discourse is surprising. The proposals are reduced to a shock plan for Primary Care and new medical calls, in addition to a “commission of experts” to address the problems of the sector for which no initial proposal is launched. It does not seem that there is a mature reform program in the PP when it comes to health. The news of the approval of a catalog of biomarkers in the SNS, which will be published electronically, seems like good news.

In the field of Companies, at the international level, the EU’s talks with Moderna for the new supply of covid vaccines should be highlighted. At the national level, Sanitas is reinforced in Andalusia with a new center in Malaga; an Austrian company will create a wellness center in Marbella; and, Atrys Health continues its expansion in Mexico, through an agreement with BUPA.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies

 

7 days in healthcare (August 14th-20th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, surely the most far-reaching news is the success obtained with a transplant to a brain-dead human of a genetically modified pig kidney, which worked perfectly, both from the point of view of renal function and of non-rejection. This represents great hope for transplants, especially in the United States where transplant waiting lists are very long. It is estimated that some 5,000 people in the USA die each year waiting for a kidney transplant. The idea is to request authorization from the FDA to carry out a clinical trial.

As far as Global Health is concerned, an interesting WHO summit in India on traditional medicine (which includes treatments as varied as Ayurveda, yoga, homeopathy and complementary therapies), although we don’t have to expect much from the results. The truth is that traditional medicine is followed by billions of people and the WHO wants to see how it integrates with conventional medicine. The Lancet comments that malnutrition is the greatest risk for tuberculosis. In fact between 1900 and 1940 the incidence of tuberculosis plummeted, in the absence of any effective treatment or vaccines, simply because of improved socioeconomic conditions.

As for International Health Policy, two Chinese manufacturers are making “copycats” of weight-loss drugs, threatening Western companies in their development in this huge obesity market. An international study (United States, Germany and Switzerland) warns of the “cancer premium” in the price of medicines, which reaches up to three times that of medicines for other diseases, this price not being justified either by the manufacturing process or by because of the research, but, fundamentally, because of the extreme concern and anguish in the face of this disease. Although the study refers to those countries, this phenomenon occurs in all nations, including Spain.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), denounce the low rates of insurers with doctors. Although the matter will surely have many nuances, the truth is that the low rate of insurers (20 euros on average for a first consultation and 10 for a subsequent one) make this model of care provision very unstable. La Rioja proposes with the new government of the PP to have a Faculty of Medicine. The map of the Faculties of Medicine in Spain has been highly denounced both by the Association of Medical Students and by the Medical Deans’ Conference. We have a ratio of medical schools per population that is second only to South Korea, of course much higher than that of France, the United Kingdom and Germany, which should be our benchmarks. The peculiar distribution of powers between the State, the communities and the Universities has led to this certainly anomalous situation. The pharmaceutical industry has become the leading export sector in Spain, ahead of the automobile industry, which traditionally led the ranking. A complete success for this industry, of which there are 173 production plants, most of them in Catalonia, followed by Madrid.

In the field of Companies, at the international level, Novartis plans to separate from Sandoz (its division for generics and biosimilars), following the same path as Pfizer with its Upjohn generic business, which it merged with Mylan to form Viatris. Various private equity firms interested in the operation. At the national level, it is worth highlighting the large increase in Ferrer’s profit.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (July 31st-August 6th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, it seems that for the first time, apart from the complicated bariatric surgery, medicine will have a treatment for obesity, this disease that affects more than 1 billion people worldwide. With GLP-1 it seems that we are entering the phase of effective drugs against obesity. Generative AI, which is capable of generating new algorithms, based on the patterns and structure of the data, is called to play an important role in health care. It seems that cancer is growing at younger ages. The WHO declares the polypill, developed by the CNIC and Ferrer, as an “essential medicine”.

With regard to Global Health, a call by the editors of the most important scientific journals in the world, through a common article, for health professionals to get involved in the fight against the risk of nuclear war, since it seems that we are in a situation of risk not seen since the Cold War. The WHO detects progress in tobacco control in many countries, through the WHO Framework Agreement for Tobacco Control, signed 20 years ago.

Regarding International Health Policy, in the United States a cyberattack forces the paralyzation of the activity of several hospitals. In the United Kingdom, new diagnostic centers are being created to increase the capacity to carry out tests and reduce the waiting list. Of the 13 centers announced, 8 will be privately financed and managed. The waiting list is a political priority for Prime Minister Sunak.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid has risen since July. It is extremely striking that a new registry multiplies by four the official number of maternal mortality in Spain. Maternal mortality is precisely one of the indicators most taken into account when establishing the health of a country. The Health Accounts System document has been published, which updates the data with those of 2021. Between 2017 and 2021 there has been a 25% increase in health spending, including public and private. The MUFACE system is doubly threatened, firstly because of its high losses and, secondly, because the SUMAR program, Sánchez’s possible partner in a new government, is sponsoring its disappearance. The agreement signed in Aragon for the constitution of the new PP-Vox government contemplates resorting to public/private collaboration to address the waiting list. It should be noted that the integration of the workforce of the former Health Agencies of Andalusia has been completed, which affects 3,500 workers, who may be integrated as permanent statutory employees. An important regression, which reinforces the most rigid aspects of the public health system, precisely what the public hospitals with the configuration of public companies, unfairly called by the PP in Andalusia as “chiringuitos”, had tried to overcome with remarkable success. A blunder, not to use euphemisms, both from the Andalusian government and from the party that supports it. Information from the old management teams ensures that the deterioration is already taking place. If, rightly, an audit is required to see the results of the reversals of the concessions in the Valencian Community, something similar will have to be done in due course with these Andalusian hospitals.

In the field of Companies, internationally, Amazon launches a new documentation service based on generative AI. The pharmaceutical companies that had made cash with the covid vaccine are deflating, something that was already discounted by the market. At the national level, a new incursion of Magnum Partners into health, by buying the nutraceutical company Martínez Nieto. Apax acquires 50% of Palex, a company that had become a target for many funds, and which will surely herald a consolidation of the medical technology distribution sector.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (July 24th-30th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the mRNA vaccine for cancer and regenerative medicine seem to be the great promises in medical advances.

As regards Global Health, The Lancet dedicates an editorial to the need for a broader vision of women’s health, beyond maternal health. The most prevalent disease problems in women are the same as in men, but need insight into specific, poorly understood risks.

As for International Health Policy, the battle continues in the United States for the application of the new pharmaceutical policy that allows Medicare to negotiate the price of drugs, something that until now had been banned. This negotiation will begin in 2024 and it is expected that on September 1, 2023 the medicines on which it will be negotiated will be known. In a movement that seems to be ahead of events, several pharmaceutical companies (Janssen, Merck, Astellas Pharma and BMS) file a lawsuit against the American government. Apart from other possible considerations, it seems difficult to maintain that the price of medicines is much higher in the United States than in other countries, and not only in developing countries, but also in Europe. In the United Kingdom, the British Medical Journal focuses on the financing of pharmaceutical and medical technology companies to British scientific societies. For this, more transparency is required.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the political changes derived from the regional elections establish a new configuration of the Interterritorial Council, which will be numerically dominated by the PP (which will count, including the Canary Islands Coalition) 12 seats in the Council, by 3 of the PSOE (Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra, Asturias), 1 from the PNV (Basque Country) and 1 from ERC (Catalonia). The Radar Healthcare organization publishes a new ranking of healthcare systems and awards Spain a very favorable position in terms of quality. In general, these types of rankings must be looked at with a magnifying glass and consider the type of indicators analyzed and another series of circumstances. A biased and unprofessional interpretation of the international rankings on the Spanish health system has meant, in practice, a brake on the reforms. If we are so well, why reform anything? It is known that Spain is one of the OECD countries that devotes less public funding to dental care. What we did not know and what is now clear is that it has even dropped very significantly in the last decade, going from 5,245 million euros in 2010 to 3,681 in 2020. It seems clear that Spain, which globally has organized vaccination against covid very well However, it has failed to develop a vaccine: the HIPRA vaccine was delayed much longer than expected and the announced intranasal vaccine no longer even has a release date. It is difficult to compete with vaccines that appear less than a year after the onset of the disease, as has happened in the case of covid, with long development of vaccines that take years.

In the field of Companies, internationally, the president of Novartis (company of European origin) says that the price reform in the United States of medicines represents a threat to Public Health. At the national level, it is worth noting that spending on biosimilars has exceeded 1 billion euros in 2022, due to the fact that the patent for several biological drug molecules has expired and biosimilars have appeared.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

  • Changes in the Interterritorial Council
    • Changes in the political sign of the autonomous communities completely modify the political weights in the Interterritorial Council. The popular ones will have 12 seats (with the Canary Islands Coalition), compared to 3 for the socialists (Castilla-La Mancha, Navarra and Asturias), 1 for the PNV (Basque Country) and 1 ERC (Catalonia) (https://gacetamedica.com/opinion/a-new-territorial-council-of-the-sns/)

Companies

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

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, there is little doubt that Artificial Intelligence will revolutionize medicine: from diagnosis, to the robotic-AI combination for surgical procedures, rehabilitation aid, support in the fight against infectious diseases, development of new drugs, etc. There will be few areas of medicine that are not affected by the development of Artificial Intelligence.

As regards Global Health, The Lancet insists on the WHO-Europe notice on the need to decontaminate the air, since pollution contributes to the appearance of a large number of diseases and premature deaths. This time, 12 African countries are going to receive 18 million doses of the malaria vaccine. Now one can dream of the disappearance of malaria – that secular plague – from our planet.

Regarding International Health Policy, the American regulator approves the first contraceptive pill that will be dispatched (in pharmacies, supermarkets and online) without the need for a prescription. Although the “pill” could be used in the USA for 50 years, until now it was always under medical prescription. It is believed that this measure will contribute to reinforcing women’s reproductive rights, which were so affected by the US Supreme Court ruling that repealed the previous interpretation of the federal constitutional right to abortion, leaving this regulation in the hands of the states. Great controversy as a result of the WHO declaration of the possible carcinogenic effects of aspartame, a sugar substitute widely used in many beverages, including Coca-Cola. The WHO statement is not without controversy.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), to highlight the private health agreement in Madrid, with a rise of 15% in four years. The private provision employers address a decalogue of petitions to the new government. One of them is not addressed so much to the government as to health insurers, by requesting that relations between insurers and health centers be regulated in writing. The Coordinates Institute reveals the very different development of the right of choice in health in the national territory. On the other hand, the Minister of Health presents the new citizen folder. According to him “with one click you can access the medical history”. This of presenting a project of this magnitude a week before the elections cannot be taken very seriously.

In the field of Companies, internationally, Moderna has established itself in China. As for national news, Quirón announces a new hospital in Badajoz and Viamed the expansion of its hospital in Zaragoza. The funds, interested in radiodiagnostic companies, a sector so far very fragmented. ALSA, the bus company of Asturian origin, together with the Asturian health transport company Trasinsa, agree to launch a new health transport operator: SANIR.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

  • USA
    • The American regulator (FDA) approves the first contraceptive pill for sale without a prescription. It is called Opill and it will be available in pharmacies, supermarkets and online from 2024. The manufacturer is Perrigo, an American-Irish consortium. This pill can be used with a prescription for 50 years. The change is that, from now on, it is freely dispensed (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/13/health/otc-birth-control-pill.html)

National health policy

Companies