The still incomplete pursuit of universal access to medicines

A substantial share of the global population continues to face barriers to accessing essential medicines. While the pharmaceutical industry’s business model has successfully facilitated the development of innovative medications, efforts to promote universal access to medicines (UAM) remain ineffective. This paper critically assesses the existing barriers to global access to medicines, including the role of…

A strategic framework for synergizing managed entry agreement efforts to access pharmaceutical products in Saudi Arabia—results from a multi-stakeholder workshop

Background Managed entry agreements (MEAs) between manufacturers and healthcare payers allow health systems to maximize patients’ access to treatments while maintaining financial sustainability. However, to work efficiently, MEAs need to be integrated into a country’s formal pricing, reimbursement, and market access processes. This study proposes a country-specific MEA framework for pharmaceutical products and sheds light…

Trends in the incidence of brain cancer and the use of mobile phones: analysis of the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN)

Purpose The association between the use of mobile phones use and the risk of brain cancer remains controversial. The aim of this study is to describe trends in the incidence of central nervous system (CNS) cancers in Spain and its possible relationship with mobile phone use. Methods Trends and trend changes from 1985 to 2015…

Cohort profile: the CORDELIA study (Collaborative cOhorts Reassembled Data to study mEchanisms and Longterm Incidence of chronic diseAses)

The CORDELIA Study (Collaborative Cohorts Reassembled Data to Study Mechanisms and Long-term Incidence of Chronic Diseases) combines 35 Spanish population cohorts to investigate the clinical, environmental, genetic, and omics determinants of cardiovascular disease in the Southern European population. It aims to conduct the largest genome-wide association study to date on cardiovascular disease in this population,…

Nutritional profile of the diet according to circadian clock genes in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) chronodiet study

Background & aims Circadian rhythms seem to impact both dietary intake and metabolism, depending on the individual’s chronotype. We aimed to explore whether the nutritional composition of meals throughout the day is influenced by genetics linked to the circadian clock and chronotype within the “European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) chronodiet” study. Methods…

Monitoring of the oncological process for lung cancer in Spain: an expert consensus report

Introduction Continuous monitoring of the oncological process is essential for identifying inefficiencies and areas of improvement, enabling better resource allocation in the care of lung cancer patients. Objective The objective is to define key indicators and identify critical variables for monitoring lung cancer care, aiming to improve early detection, reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment,…

Identification and prioritisation of biomarkers of organophosphorus compounds-induced neurotoxicity

Organophosphorus compounds (OPCs), a diverse group of chemicals widely utilised as pesticides and flame retardants, pose significant neurotoxic risks, even during neurodevelopment. While their primary molecular and cellular targets are well characterised, growing evidence suggest additional mechanisms, particularly in developmental neurotoxicity. Despite extensive research, predictive biomarkers of OPC-induced neurotoxicity beyond acetylcholinesterase remain underexplored. This study…

Molecular study of vitamin D metabolism-related single nucleotide polymorphisms in cardiovascular risk: a case-control study

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) constitute a major global health problem, being the leading cause of death. Several risk factors for CVDs have been identified, including tobacco use, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity. However, the role of genetic factors in CVDs remains unclear. Recent studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of…

Dietary and lifestyle determinants of vitamin D status in the UK Biobank Cohort study for predictive modeling

Background Vitamin D (VD) is involved in a wide variety of physiological processes. The high prevalence of VD deficiency in the population requires stronger preventive measures. Objective Characterize the dietary and lifestyle determinants of VD levels in blood and of VD deficiency to further develop predictive models of these two outcomes. Methods 63,759 participants from…

Correlation between tobacco control policies and the smoking behaviors of European adolescents from 2005 to 2019

Despite legislative efforts, tobacco smoking prevalence among European adolescents remains high and heterogeneous between countries. While tobacco control policies, often assessed using Tobacco Control Scale (TCS), have been studied in adults, their influence on preventing adolescent smoking initiation remains unknown. This ecological study investigates the correlation between tobacco control policies implementation and adolescents smoking behavior…