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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will contribute to reinforcing women’s reproductive rights, which were so affected by the US Supreme Court ruling that repealed the previous interpretation of the federal constitutional right to abortion, leaving this regulation in the hands of the states.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

 

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 (July 18th-24th, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, it is worth highlighting the finding published by “Science” that in covid the continuous appearance of variants is the new normality, but the appearance of a totally new variant cannot be ruled out. We must also highlight the very promising advances published in the treatment of the most aggressive form of breast cancer (the triple negative form) by a group of Spanish scientists, led by Javier Cortés.

As far as Global Health is concerned, it is worth noting the efforts of the WHO to establish 2030 as the year of elimination of viral hepatitis, which produces more cases and deaths per year than HIV. The covid pandemic has produced a global decrease in vaccination in children.

Regarding international health policy, the WHO declares monkeypox an international public health emergency. New waves of extreme heat are expected.

If we talk about national health policy (Spain), with 3,125 cases, Spain leads the cases of monkeypox in the world. As for covid, there is a peak in admissions to the ICU and deaths already exceed those of June. It is estimated that 510 deaths from the heat wave in the last week. Published in the BOE the new Royal Decree on Specialties in Health Sciences. Publication of the Health Barometer (2nd wave, 2022), which shows that the average time to see a primary care physician is 8.88 days.

In the field of companies, it should be noted that Amazon buys One Medical, entering more and more into the core of the health activity. Important Farmaindustria manifestos, to favor the rapid incorporation of innovations; and AESEG, to promote greater use of generics.

Biomedicine

Global health

International health policy

  • Monkeypox
    • The WHO declares monkeypox an international public health emergency, putting this disease at the level of covid-19, Ebola and polio. Overall, the global risk from monkeypox is low, except in Europe. More than 16,000 cases have been registered so far, mostly in men who have sex with men (https://www.ft.com/content/562fc24e-1b34-4ac6-a32a-42172a5f82b6)

National health policy

Companies