Medicine in Spain in 20 years

I review the list of 100 drugs that generate more revenue in the US market thinking we have to analyze it carefully. As is well known, there are only two certain provisions in Spain, that are fulfill without fail: the first is the idea that the heads of government spend the second term to organize their personal future not taking notice of what happens around theme; and the second is that here in our country happens the same as in the US but with twenty years of delay.

As I say, if our current president does not intervene within the next two years, this list will fall over us in approximately twenty years, and what is prescribed in 2013 in USA will be the standard requirements of our next generation of physicians. And as one of the future would say, “therefor”, this little list explains the pattern of diseases that we´ll have in the generation of thirty-three.

Twenty years from now I can say that my colleagues will spend the day asking the patient to say: "say thirty-three", because many of their patients will be asthmatic. Bronchodilators and bronchial anti-inflammatory have the same position in the classification of Spanish riders in the world cup of motorcycling.

The first brand of drugs with more recipes made is held by thyroid hormones to treat hypothyroidism and takes podium, a statin to lower cholesterol levels, that by the way, is very high in patients with thyroid dysfunction. The matter leading to the accumulation of the LDL in blood, we know that it is linked to the age and not much more, so I assume that to achieve telling this molecule, willing to clog our arteries, "leave Mr. cholesterol" we will have to continue consuming these pills for decades.

Brief subsection, a doctor I know gets control of his cholesterol taking each day a natural yogurt topped with half a teaspoon of cinnamon, pecan nuts from Coín "Haza del Palmar" and tow dried apricots. To which I would add maintain reasonable fasting hours between meals, or what is the same, avoid snacking between meals and occasionally a good red wine. As always, do not tell anyone, I also want to earn from SGAE.

It is certainly curious that the drug will turn over more in twenty years in Spain is an antipsychotic. It may be indicative that there will be more people with mental disorders treated that perhaps now are not undiagnosed. Also consider hopeful and good "mood" that cancer is gradually finding effective treatments and hepatitis C finally has a treatment. The Sofosbuvir ranks among the top ten list, and even it has a high price in dollars, it will be well spent money because it will alleviate much suffering and save lives. I further understand that is higher the cost of cirrhosis untreated.

For the curious, Viagra and Cialis are maintained in an intermediate position in sections 41 and 43. I don’t know if it's good or bad and I think is urgent that a "Commission of Inquiry" is established to clarify. "With no acrimony," I dare to comment that there is a percentage for savings in gastric protectors (omeprazole and derivatives) whose use in Spain is soaring, often used as gastric protectors associated with the consumption of anti-inflammatory. Please, be careful with the kidneys and stomachs, they can be heart with such an intake of anti-inflammatory medication.

I also think that we could save a lot in painkillers, giving proper solution to fibromyalgia and other chronic musculoskeletal disorders, ant diabetic and antihypertensive controlling overweight and, of course, anxiolytic and antidepressant with a "policy of creating employment" more accurate and "a great deal " for education that would calm down that anxiety of so many people.

But there's something I want to emphasize above all: The huge prevalence of autoimmune diseases ahead. As commented before, specific drugs for asthma and thyroid disorders, both disorders immunoallergic based, we have to add in the top of the ranking, biological drugs for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis, etc. Look, with Adalimumab, Etanercept and Infliximab over 16,500 million were invoiced in a single year.

The Europeans have been selected regarding to our ancestors overcame epidemics, famines, wars, migration and crisis, many crises. We are descendants of these survivors and therefore the "members" of our country; genetically carry a strong immune system.

As if it was not enough, in the last years we have been vaccinated and raised in an environment increasingly sterile, that make our leukocytes fight as if it was war when they see a microbe or allergen coming, and in the procedure the affect tissues and organs causing these diseases. The Europeans who did not grow up on the street and don’t even smoke, are reactionaries against everything they can react, but not towards the political class, which for these cases remain quite unresisting.

Taking notice to the list of "Top 100" drugs, of course, autoimmune diseases will continue be successive to infectious diseases and will increasingly monopolized our consultations if we all don’t take the handbrake to our destiny. Well it would be interesting to devote a full term to this "minor issue" but, to be fair, I have not much confidence, that there are no more those who "can promise and promise".

Doctor Carlos Miguel de Sola Earle