Posts

7 days in healthcare (June 5th-11th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, to point out a new drug that gives hope to patients with certain brain tumors (low-grade gliomas). The amino acid taurine, related to the delay of aging. Biological drugs enter the treatment of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

As regards Global Health, the journal Nature publishes a set of articles on the effects of tobacco on health. Although the percentage of smokers has gone down from 1990 to 2019 (not the total number of smokers which has gone up, due to population growth), the battle against tobacco is not won. 14% of deaths globally in 2019 were due to tobacco. Whether nicotine is harmful to health is still being investigated. What is clear is that it is addictive, that is why it is said that you smoke because of the nicotine, but you die because of the tar. Difficult regulations against tobacco in Africa, due to the pressures of the industry and the lack of means. In Malaysia, suicide is going to be decriminalized, which is considered a good strategy for its prevention.

Regarding International Health Policy, regarding the covid, the weekly WHO report published on June 8 speaks of a decrease in new cases and mortality globally in the last 28 days, compared to the 28 days previous. The Lancet warns that this is not the time for complacency about the covid in Europe, since mortality continues to be unacceptably high. Interesting article from the New England Journal of Medicine on the origins of the covid, and the reasons that make it convenient to clarify that origin. In the United States, the debate on the negotiation of the price of medicines by Medicare continues, surely the most important health measure taken in the United States in recent years and which will have an impact not only in that country, but also in the pharmaceutical market, globally. Shortage of many medicines, some oncological in the USA. In the UK the difficult work continues for the report on the management of covid. The EU is discussing legislation to protect the health of sex workers.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the Ministry of Health submits the emergency MIR to public consultation, a long-standing promise, which surprisingly is launched almost during the electoral period. Psychiatrists denounce the need for these professionals, as Spain is one of the countries in Europe with fewer psychiatrists per 100,000 inhabitants, which contrasts with the increase in demand for mental health. Dentists, on the other hand, denounce from their Professional College, the growth in the number of dentists (26% growth in the last 10 years), having a high number of graduates, due to the proliferation of Dentistry Schools. In this case, on the other hand, it coincides with low dental care activity in Spain, in relative terms with other countries. Oncologists warn of an explosion of cancer cases by 2040, both globally and in Spain.

In the field of Companies, at the international level, Pfizer proposes a change in the payment model for antibiotics, proposing a kind of “subscription payment”, separating the volume from the value. Regarding the national situation, CASER announces growth in dental clinics and Hospitén a considerable investment in the Dominican Republic, where this company of Canary origin is very active.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

7 days in healthcare (May 1st-7th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, to point out the interest in certain therapies using viruses that engulf bacteria to address infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Progress continues to be made in breaking the blood-brain barrier, which will make it possible to better treat certain brain tumors, which until now have not been reached by medication.

As regards Global Health, the WHO declares the end of the emergency due to the covid pandemic, although not the covid, which is still with us. Since its inception this disease has caused more than 20 million deaths globally. Gavi reveals his plans for a malaria vaccine, another major global plague.

As for International Health Policy, he has highlighted the rise in the price of tobacco in France (a good measure against smoking), and Australia wants to limit the use of electronic cigarettes. The ECDC brings out an interesting report with the lessons of the pandemic: “More investment, improvement of surveillance systems, improvement of risk communication, community participation and greater participation between countries” could be the summary.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), in the update of the Stability Program 2023-2026, the % of GDP dedicated to public healthcare spending does not change, remaining at 6.9%. It is evident that only increasing spending does not solve the problems of our health system, but it is difficult to see how they can be solved without increasing spending, as the government proposes. The Spanish Association against Cancer, through the mouth of its president, denounces that Spain has the cheapest tobacco in Europe: “the tobacconist of Europe” calls for this situation. Interesting article by Juan Abarca Cidón, who presents a decalogue to avoid the collapse of our health system. The measurements are very clear and direct. It will be possible to qualify or even disagree with some, but there is no doubt that the problems are addressed. Not like the framework programs of the majority parties for the 28-M elections, which seem to try not to raise any suspicion, by saying nothing.

At the Corporate level, at the international level, Lilly presents a new drug that slows down the progression of Alzheimer’s. The birth of a large market linked to Artificial Intelligence in health is in sight, according to the report by Siemens Financial Services. As far as our country is concerned, Cofares reaches a sales record in 2022. Grifols enters the field of leukemia.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

  • Interesting article with a decalogue of reforms in our health system
    • Article by Juan Abarca Cidón, the proposals range from a political agreement; increase general spending on health; finalist financing with certain objectives; reduce costs, considering the co-payment; new governance model at all levels; new care organization model with a greater role for nursing; deal with patient problems, such as waiting lists; address the problems of professionals; normalize the activity of the private sector; and promote the Public Health Agency (https://www.elespanol.com/edicion/20230430/decalogo-reformas-evitar-colapso-sanidad/760293970_12.html)

Companies

 

 

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

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the debate on the governance, supervision and ethical limits of human genome editing is increasingly present, precisely when it seems that many medicines based on this technique are in advanced development, to treat many sicknesses. Nature publishes a novel approach to disseminate Magnetic Resonance, which fifty years after its birth is still a very expensive technique and not accessible to many countries. The mapping of the brain of a larva, after decades of research, heralds advances in the knowledge of more complex brains.

As regards Global Health, the WHO has drawn up the first draft of a treaty on pandemics, precisely to avoid what happened during the covid, the great differences in mortality, morbidity and access to treatment between the different countries.

Regarding International Health Policy, in the United States, the New York Times denounces that aggressive medical behavior continues to be common at the end of life. This same newspaper echoes in its editorial section the serious crisis of the British National Health Service, where several strikes are coexisting at this moment: nurses, consultants, junior doctors and ambulance drivers. The prestige of the NHS among the population plummets. Le Monde publishes in France a report on the change of pharmacies: from drug stores to health “hubs”. BCG releases a report on the scope and benefits of the metaverse in health.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid continues to increase. It is estimated that 1 million people in Spain may have persistent covid. The conflict between the Primary Care doctors in Madrid ends (it was about time). The SNS will address the problem of the carbon footprint of hospitals. The low remuneration of consultations by healthcare insurance companies is denounced, it is urgent in this sector to move from a model of payment by activity to another of payment by value.

At the Corporate level, internationally, Pfizer is addressing the purchase of Seagen, a biotech-oriented biotech company. As far as national news is concerned, it should be noted that HM Hospitales opens (in Rivas) its eighth hospital in Madrid.

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

7 days in healthcare (January 30th- February 5th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, it is worth highlighting the review by The Lancet on lung cancer screening, which shows that the low-dose Scanner is effective in reducing mortality, although there are aspects of cost-effectiveness that they remain as a problem; neural implants in rats open the prospect of brain transplants; the gene therapy revolution, previously abandoned for safety reasons, is now in full swing; and mRNA vaccines, which may be useful for cancer, with fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy. The debate on check-ups is current, proving, once again, that annual check-ups do not reduce mortality, and despite everything, they are increasingly in demand.

As regards Global Health, The Lancet publishes an editorial in which it tries to change the narrative of little hope until now on cancer, due to the great disparities between countries in this fight.

Regarding International Health Policy, the New England Journal Medicine magazine publishes an article that affects the approach to the new reality of the covid, despite the new perception as a minor nuisance, it continues to represent between 300 and 500 deaths a day in USES. According to The Economist, we will most likely never know the number of deaths from covid in China, since the official mortality figures are not credible. The crisis in the British NHS continues, which seems to have been exacerbated by Brexit. Prime Minister Sunak’s proposals are for more ambulances, more hospital beds and home care. El Mercurio, the leading newspaper in Chile, editorializes on the critical situation of the ISAPRES (health insurers) in that country, which could fall into insolvency, which occurs due to the government’s indifference to this situation.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid continues to drop, although mortality remains high. World Cancer Day (February 4) coincides with the appearance of interesting publications on the cancer situation in our country, both by SEOM and the OECD. This latest report warns Spain about accessibility problems. The implementation of cancer screening has been uneven, which leads to inequities between autonomous communities. Cancer already represents 10% of public health spending. The celebration of Cancer Day also coincides with two new inaugurations of centers dedicated to this disease: the Cancer Center of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra and the experimental oncology center of the Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid. The Ministry of Health of the Valencian Community announces the non-extension of the Denia concession contract. The Government publishes the Regulatory Plan for 2023, the law of the National Public Health Agency among the three health laws planned for 2023.

In the field of Companies, internationally, it should be noted that Pfizer is the first pharmaceutical company to reach revenues of more than $100,000 a year, thanks largely to the boost of the covid vaccine. As far as Spain is concerned, both Vitaldent and IMED are launching new centers. It seems that we are witnessing a fever of new private hospitals (Vithas in Barcelona; Sanitas in Madrid; Viamed in Tarragona; IMED in Alicante; Quirón in Asturias; and a long etcetera).

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

  • COVID
    • Addressing the new reality of covid. The covid passed, in the popular perception from a terrible threat to a minor inconvenience with a few days of symptoms. The reality, however, is not that and the covid still means between 300 and 500 deaths a day in the USA, equivalent to a mortality higher than that of a serious flu epidemic. To this must be added the effects of persistent covid (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2213920)
  • Changes in the United States
    • The implications of the results of the US elections in 2022 in health. Results of a survey conducted by Robert Blendon. It is striking that despite the fact that the United States is the country that spends the most on healthcare, the majority of the population thinks that little is spent. This opinion is very predominant among Democrats, but also in the majority among Republicans (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsr2214949)
    • The response of the National Health Institutes (NHI) to covid (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf5167)

National health policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (January 16th-22nd, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, it is worth highlighting, as the Science article does, the celebration of a decade of CRISPR gene editing technology, whose impact on medicine is only just beginning. Janssen withdraws from the HIV vaccine, a new failure in the attempt to discover a vaccine against this disease. Moderna, on the other hand, presents positive results with a vaccine against bronchiolitis. A new report points to wastewater analysis as fundamental to monitoring threats from a wide variety of diseases, not just covid.

As regards Global Health, The Lancet in an editorial underlines the importance of the One Health concept, this idea of the interdependence between human, animal and ecosystem health. The Economist publishes an editorial and an article on the problems of health systems that are in crisis everywhere in the post-covid era (even in Switzerland!), which is making mortality in Europe have been in the last year 10% higher than in a normal year.

Regarding International Health Policy, in the USA the opponents of abortion are manifested. Problems continue in the NHS, with Sajid Javid, former health secretary, proposing something as unusual in the UK as a co-pay in Primary Care and Emergency. He says an overly religious view of the NHS prevents reforms. Important debate and tensions about the price of medicines in the European continent (UK and EU) in relation to prices in the USA. Pharmaceutical companies, very reluctant to price controls, when they are also in the USA with the application of the Inflation Act, which gradually imposes a negotiation of the price of medicines between the Medicare Administration and pharmaceutical companies.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid continues to drop. Medical conflicts extend to various autonomous communities (Madrid, Catalonia, Navarra, etc.). The agreement in Aragon should be highlighted, which indicates that it is possible to reach agreements, possibly when they are well negotiated. The Ministry, completely absent from this problem. As for the public system, the statements by Lasquetty, Madrid’s Treasury Councilor, who points to “my own place” as one of the great rigidities of the public system, are very interesting. Conflict also in private health between doctors and insurers, raised in Seville. Abortion enters the national debate, following the picturesque proposals of Vox in Castilla y León, never applied. The Constitutional Court opens its new session with the debate on the recourse to the Law of deadlines presented in its day by the PP. The CIS survey presents health as the second problem that worries the Spanish.

In the field of Companies, internationally, Pfizer’s initiative to sell medicines at cost prices in 45 poor countries must be highlighted. At the national level, the launch by DKV of an insurance product that allows choosing a family doctor is notable. In a context in which insurers actually forget about Primary Care, this is something that deserves to be highlighted.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National Health Policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (January 9th-15th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, everything seems to indicate that important advances in the diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases are coming in the not too distant future, with cancer vaccines, the new FLASH radiotherapy, the diagnostic revolution of virtual biopsies and the incorporation of certain devices (such as smart watches) in the prevention and monitoring of certain pathologies.

With regard to Global Health, it should be noted that climate change seriously threatens our health, according to The Lancet. Another important article in this magazine refers to the fact that the covid has revealed the inequalities between social groups and countries in dealing with the pandemic, as well as the absence of a global health architecture.

As for International Health Policy, with regard to covid, an editorial in The Lancet says that far from being overcome, 2023 brings new concerns, such as the impact of the situation in China or the new form XBB.1.5 in the United States. In China, the post-covid zero situation continues, officially acknowledging almost 60,000 deaths in the last month, despite the fact that the WHO insists on the request for more transparency in that country. In the United States, the abortion pill, according to the FDA, can already be purchased in pharmacies and by mail order, even in states where abortion is totally prohibited, which indicates the difficulty of shortcuts and of wanting to close doors to the field. In the United Kingdom the serious crisis of the NHS continues. The health minister of the shadow Labor cabinet publishes in the Financial Times an article with a long-term approach to reforms, something that, regardless of its content, we miss in Spain by all parties. An important editorial in The Economist where it says that part of the solution to the NHS’s problems involves solving the problems of Primary Care, proposing several changes, but without losing perspective that a large part of the problems are in hospitals, with the situation of waiting lists and emergencies. He also opposes the Labor Party’s proposal, made last week, to end the independent mini-company character of Primary Care in the UK, in order to make primary care physicians salaried. The Economist carries out a study that says that in the United Kingdom there are 260 deaths a week (more than 12,000 a year) as a result of delays in the emergency room. The British are turning more and more to private healthcare, as increase problems in the public sector. The EU devises plans to avoid medicine shortages and dependence on China.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the drop in the incidence of covid continues, despite the situation in China and the American variant called Kraken. The Primary Care strike in the Community of Madrid is reactivated and a strike is on the brink in 8 autonomous communities, while the emergencies are collapsed. Despite the plans, recent studies show that almost half of public health workers are temporary. In relation to the Strategic Plan of the pharmaceutical industry, both BIOSIM and AESEG, as well as the representatives of orphan drugs, position themselves with requests, in a clear attempt not to leave this plan only in the hands of large innovative companies, as suggested by the photo of La Moncloa, with Sánchez meeting with the main leaders of pharmaceutical multinationals.

In the field of Companies, internationally, relevant news for Pfizer, BioNTech and AstraZeneca. In our country, it is worth noting the steps taken by Viamed (new hospital in Tarragona), Ribera (great growth in turnover in 2022), Miranza (which continues its growth), Korian (which is preparing to integrate Group 5) and the CUN (which has just renovated part of its hospitalization area). For its part, KKR has completed the acquisition of IVI, an important in vitro fertilization company of Spanish origin.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (December 26th, 2022-January 1st, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, it is worth noting the ambitious project of the United Kingdom “Our Future Health”, which aims to place this country at the forefront of genomic research, and which seeks to carry out genetic analyzes of 5 million adult British volunteers, then looking at the correlation with lifestyles and medical records. Undoubtedly, this project will allow us to advance a lot in the knowledge of a wide variety of diseases.

With regard to Global Health, great concern in the world, since the large number of cases in China increase the probability that new variants will appear. There is no doubt that the covid – which had appeared, artificially or naturally, in China – has entered a new phase in which the epicenter is once again China.

Regarding International Health Policy, countries are preparing to put control measures at airports and borders against travelers from China, although the ECDC sees this type of control as unfounded and the EU has not adopted a common policy. Joschka Fischer (former – German Foreign Minister) publishes an in-depth article, whose conclusion is that, in contrast to what had previously been said that authoritarian regimes that do not depend on public opinion can impose drastic and effective measures in crisis situations such as covid, experience has shown that liberal democracies are more effective than autocracies in dealing with these situations. Great controversy in the European Union over the claim of the pharmaceutical industry to agree to produce new antibiotics, under the condition of increasing the patent term of certain drugs.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), Spain has approved airport control measures to control travelers from China, which will be in force between December 31, 2022 and February 15, 2023. Primary Care doctors have opposed the hiring of doctors without MIR training, since this seems more like an opportunistic measure than addressing the underlying problems of Primary Care. The central government, so little fond of publishing and preparing expert analyzes on the covid management, instead presents a self-assessment on its management. According to this report “Cumpliendo” (“Fulfilling”) 64% of the health promises have already been fulfilled and 35% are in process. Bearing in mind that none of the structural healthcare problems have been addressed (personnel regime, management model, governance, accessibility and waiting lists, etc.) this self-assessment seems to us grated on complacency and even propaganda. Unless the promises -which are said to have been fulfilled- have nothing to do with the real problems of the sector. An interesting initiative from the private sector through the IDIS Foundation, which announces the start-up of a pilot on interoperability, should be highlighted. The fact that companies that compete with each other -both from the insurance and provisioning fields- agree on the interoperability of medical records is something that deserves to be highlighted.

In the field of Companies, the American Congress has taken an unusual decision: criticize the FDA for its inadequate collaboration with Biogen for the approval of the drug against Alzheimer’s. At the national level, Atrys continues its growth, both in Spain and abroad (United Kingdom, Middle East and Latin America).

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

 

 

 

7 days in healthcare (December 5th-11th, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, an emotional farewell in the New York Times of the “young” (81 years old), Anthony Fauci, who had such a presence in our homes throughout the years of the pandemic. Without a doubt, his scientific contributions are notable, but it is not a minor merit that he has contradicted President Trump on several occasions in the honest exercise of his office, something unusual in our environment. A new type of biomarkers seems to open the doors to the possible diagnosis of different types of cancer at an early stage with a simple blood test.

With regard to Global Health, to highlight the serious problems of diabetes, which continues to grow; and suicide, which is increasing markedly among young Americans, although, as the WHO says, it is in Africa where there are the highest suicide rates in the world.

Regarding International Health Policy, China continues to distance itself from the covid-zero policy, although we will see the increasing consequences of covid mortality. Labor problems continue in the NHS, with several strikes announced. Macron promises free condoms for minors and young people up to 25 years of age. Several initiatives in the field of health of the European Union, which makes health more and more a European Union policy, without prejudice to the fact that the management of national health services is the responsibility of the Member States.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), in terms of covid, the incidence continues to decrease, what has not completely decreased is mortality (314 deaths in the last week). The strikes continue in the Primary Care of Madrid, without it seeming that the negotiations are progressing. The results of the Third Wave (2022) of the Health Barometer appear, which well deserves a careful analysis. Spain is the European Union country that performs the most instrumental deliveries, according to the “European Perinatal Health Report” (2015-2019).

In the field of Companies, at the international level, an important initiative by Pfizer to increase production in Europe, something necessary as seen during the pandemic and the difficulties for Europe to fully depend on production in Asia. Spin off of GE Healthcare from General Electric. Regarding national news, it should be noted that Blackrock increases its stake in Grifols.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National health policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (October 17th-23rd, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, the announced “vaccine against cancer” should be highlighted, which could be prepared before 2030. Although not strictly a vaccine, it represents a promising treatment against this disease based on mRNA technology, the same used for covid vaccine.

Regarding Global Health, an important announcement by the WHO about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, which could produce 500 million chronic patients in 2030. The WHO dedicates 2,600 million in its next strategy 2022-2026 for the eradication of polio .

Regarding international health policy, an important debate introduced by The Economist on the massive use of antidepressants, when only in 15% of cases do they have an effect other than placebo. Opioids in the United States and antidepressants worldwide are examples of the misuse of medications, which can lead to, and in many cases lead to, health problems. The post-pandemic horizon has generalized a hybrid work model (face-to-face and online) for office professionals.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), the pressure on hospitals due to covid remains low, despite a slight rise in this disease. Intense debate on the flight of Spanish doctors to other countries, attracted by better salary and professional conditions. No matter how much the number of MIR vacancies and Faculties of Medicine increases, the problem will not be solved if working conditions are not acted upon. Teleconsultations seem to consolidate in Primary Care, already being more than 50% of the visits. The Trans law is the subject of great controversy. Most psychiatrists and psychologists, against. Obviously, we are in favor of the position of the WHO by removing from the list of diseases already in 2018 these cases of having a gender identity other than biological sex and wanting to change the morphology of their body. We welcome that there is a law on the subject as in most Western civilized countries. But one thing is that and another that 14-year-olds can choose sex without a psychological evaluation carried out by experts, who can rule out cases. Irreversible problems may occur. There is a certain consensus that the current wording of the law does not sufficiently protect minors.

In the field of companies, at the international level, we must welcome the first agreement with a pharmaceutical company (Novartis) to produce an anticancer drug as a generic that is still protected by patent, for its production in developing countries. As far as Spain is concerned, the continuous growth of health insurance should be highlighted, which in 2022 until September grows considerably more than the insurance as a whole.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International health policy

National health policy

Companies