SUMMARY

From an international point of view, to highlight the 50th anniversary of “Médecins sans Frontières”; also the impressive success of vaccines that saved hundreds of thousands of lives globally; the great expansion of COVID by the “omicron” variant, which is leading to the record of infections in many countries; as well as the strengthening of three important institutions linked to health in the European Union: the ECDC, the EMA and the HERA. To verify that COVID produced more deaths globally in 2021 than in 2020.

With regard to national news, it should be noted that Spain leads the number of infections in Europe, in the midst of a collapse of Primary Care and pressure on hospital emergencies and, little by little, also on hospitalization areas and ICUs. Antigen tests are scarce and, in addition, they are very expensive. The government submits the MUFACE model to AIReF’s evaluation, which is good news, if that evaluation is done rigorously. The Community of Madrid is tackling a very difficult project: the creation of a health purchasing center. Once again, it is necessary to do it very well, obtain the synergies of the large public buyer, without altering the autonomy of the centers and without evaluating exclusively the price of the items, but other elements (quality, safety for the patient, technical service, etc.)

In relation to companies, it should be noted that this year we will probably see the first Spanish vaccine (HIPRA) in operation, also that El Corte Inglés, Carrefour and Alcampo offer to sell COVID tests in their establishments, something until now reserved for pharmacies.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• Eight medical advances (not related to COVID) in 2021: 1. The structure of proteins, within reach of an algorithm; 2. Live CRISPR; 3. Closer to the chimera (monkey-human chimeras); 4. New and controversial drug against Alzheimer’s: 5. Neuroprosthesis to communicate; 6. Avoid relapses into depression; 7. Impact of salt on strokes; and 8. Triple “jump” in child transplantation (Diario Médico, Dec 31 21)
• 50 years after the creation of “Médecins sans Frontières” (Doctors without Borders), founded in 1971, as an independent non-governmental association, currently formed by 25 national or regional associations, which works in more than 70 countries and employs in around 45,000 people (The Lancet, 1 Jan 22)
• One year of COVID vaccines. In the USA alone there are more than 200 million vaccinated, and the vaccine has prevented millions of COVID-19 cases, thousands of hospitalizations and saved hundreds of thousands of lives. An unprecedented success. Experience indicates that vaccines alone do not save lives, it is the vaccination process that saves them (including manufacturing, distribution and administration), which requires robust organizations (JAMA, Dec 21, 21)
• The Wellcome’s Global Monitor 2020, which assesses trust in science and scientists, is released. The survey covers 113 countries. Although with large regional differences, it is detected that confidence in science grew during the pandemic (The Lancet, 1 Jan 22)
• COVID leaves more deaths in the world in 2021 than in the year of its outbreak (El Confidencial, 1 Jan 22)
• The “omicron” variant produces records of infections in 20 countries, among which are Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States (FT, Dec 31 21)
• The United States reduces the period of isolation due to COVID to 5 days (FT, Dec 28 21)
• The WHO warns of a “tsunami of cases” due to the “omicron” and Delta variants (FT, Dec 29 21)
• WHO says the pandemic may overwhelm health systems, as cases reach records in Europe (FT, The Guardian, Dec 29 21)
• Shortage of COVID tests in the UK, as cases rise (FT, Dec 29 21)
• Europe: promoting the “European Health Union”, reinforcing the ECDC (European Center for Disease Prevention and Control) and the EMA (European Medicines Agency) and activating the creation of the HERA (European Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies Agency), which is expected to start operating in early 2022, with an initial budget of 6,000 million euros, although it is expected to reach 30,000 million, with contributions from the States and the private sector (ConSalud, 30 Dec 21)
• Persistent COVID and its more than 200 sequels already have an official definition (El País, Dec 28 21)
• According to a survey, one in four Britons do not believe that the NHS can serve them well, which is surprising given the extraordinary prestige of the NHS so far in the UK (The Guardian, 26 Dec 21)

NATIONAL NEWS

• “Redacción Médica” analyzes the 10 highlights of 2021: 1. COVID has not abandoned us; 2. Filomena tests the capacity for healing; 3. Relief in the Ministry of Health: Darias instead of Illa; 4. Euthanasia, regulated by Law; 5. Spanish stamp for the first public CART therapy in Europe; 6. Controversial choice of MIR places; 7. Industry is ahead of the virus, with an arsenal of vaccines and treatments; 8. Muface “illuminates” the future of health mutualism; 9. Several strategies in Spanish health: Cancer, Mental Health and Primary Care; and, 10. Various variants of COVID (Redacción Médica, Dec 31 21)
• Elements that are considered essential for 2022: COVID, Primary Care and Mental Health. The Center for Public Health and improvements for professionals is also expected (ConSalud, 1 Jan 22)
• Spain closes 2021 at the head of infections in Europe (Diario Médico, Dec 31 21)
• On December 30, 21, the COVID rate reached 1,775 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Despite everything, no new official information on the number of cases will be published until January 3 (El Español, Dec 31 21)
• The collapse in primary care due to COVID leads to hospital emergencies (eldiario.es, Dec 26 21)
• Health and communities agree to reduce the COVID quarantine period to 7 days (La Razón, Dec 29, 21)
• Antigen tests in Spain: scarcity and high prices, while in other countries (France and the United Kingdom) they are free (El Debate, 1 Jan 22)
• The Spanish Medicines Agency advises not to buy antigen tests online (El Debate, Dec 28 21)
• The Council of Ministers endorses the Plan to improve Primary Care (Health Act, Dec 28 21)
• Numerous unions and scientific societies (especially those linked to Primary Care) demonstrate against the approved Plan (Consalud, Dec 31 21)
• The MUFACE model will be subject to review, the government instructs AIReF to evaluate it (El Español, Dec 28 21)
• Very important draft bill of the Community of Madrid: “Draft Bill of urgent measures to promote economic activity and modernization of the Administration of the Community of Madrid”. Article 44 of the preliminary draft develops the Sanitary Contracting Agency of the Community of Madrid, which becomes a health purchasing center for Madrid. It is more than foreseeable that this is a controversial law with suppliers. (Draft project disseminated by the Community of Madrid: https://www.comunidad.madrid/transparencia/sites/default/files/2._anteproyecto_ley_omnibus_texto_completo_21-12-2021_0.pdf)

COMPANIES, EMPLOYERS AND MAIN ACTORS IN HEALTH

• 2022: the year in which the first Spanish vaccine will reach patients (El Español, Dec 30 21)
• Private healthcare, years ahead of the SNS in telemedicine (Redacción Médica, Dec 29 21)
• J&J (Janssen) Vaccine Protects Against Severe “Omicron”, Study Says (NYT, Dec 30, 21)
• Teva found liable in the US opioid trial (NYT, Dec 30 21)
• HM acquires a plot of land in Tres Cantos, for the construction of a university hospital (Acta Sanitaria, 23 Dec 21)
• HM buys the Dr. Gálvez clinic in Malaga, the fourth clinic that the HM group buys in the region (Málagahoy, Dec 31 21)
• Atrys has 100 million to buy health companies (El Economista, Dec 29 21)
• Antigen test manufacturers (such as Abbott, Siemens Healthineers and Roche groups) end the year skyrocketing on the stock market (CincoDías, Dec 28, 21)
• El Corte Inglés, Carrefour or Alcampo offer to sell antigen tests at their centers, according to their employer Anged (CincoDías, Dec 30 21)
• Magnum Capital starts the international leap of its Miranza ophthalmology clinics: Portugal and Andorra (CincoDías, Dec 27 21)
• The Jiménez Díaz Foundation leads for the sixth consecutive year the Hospital Excellence Index of the Coordinates Institute (ABC, Dec 27 21)