The PSOE’s Secretary for Health stressed the role of healthcare as a lever for competitiveness, economic growth and investment attraction, and defended innovation and territorial equity as key factors in strengthening the sustainability and leadership of Spain’s healthcare system.
Pedro Martínez, Head of Government Affairs at Johnson & Johnson: “In 2024, more than 4,500 patients took part in the company’s clinical trials in collaboration with over 100 Spanish hospitals.”
The PSOE’s Secretary for Health, senator and spokesperson for the Socialist Group on the Health Committee, Kilian Sánchez San Juan, took part in the SID Dialogue “Healthcare as a driver of competitiveness: innovation, investment and equity in the Spanish healthcare system”, organised by Spain Investors Day (SID) and Estudio de Comunicación, and held at the latter’s headquarters.
During the event, Sánchez San Juan addressed the main challenges and opportunities facing the Spanish healthcare system in a context marked by technological transformation, population ageing and the need to ensure the sustainability and territorial cohesion of the model.
Healthcare as a driver of growth and investment attraction
In his remarks, the PSOE’s Secretary for Health underlined that “healthcare is one of our country’s greatest strengths and one of the main assets that Spain projects internationally”, highlighting its role as a driver of competitiveness, economic growth, the creation of highly skilled jobs and the attraction of international investment.
Sánchez San Juan recalled that the National Health System is marking 40 years since the approval of the General Health Act, an anniversary he described as “a source of collective pride”, as it is a model that has been key to social cohesion and the country’s economic development. However, he noted that “forty years on, the challenges have changed and it is essential to adapt the regulatory framework to respond to new patient needs and to the growth opportunities opening up for Spain and Europe”.
The PSOE’s Secretary for Health also stressed the importance of clinical trials, noting that Spain is one of the leading countries in Europe in this field, and defended the need to move forward on territorial equity, ensuring that “a person’s postcode does not determine their access to prevention, diagnosis or treatment”. In this context, he highlighted the value of screening programmes and called for greater coordination between public administrations.
Healthcare talent and public–private collaboration as competitive advantages
Another key focus of his remarks was healthcare and scientific talent. Sánchez San Juan defended the reform of the Framework Statute as a key tool to protect professionals’ rights, improve their working conditions and guarantee the sustainability of the system. “If we fail to protect those who care for us, we will be making our first major mistake.”
He also emphasised that Spain has highly qualified professionals, advanced healthcare infrastructure, leading universities and cutting-edge research centres, further strengthened in recent years thanks to Next Generation EU funds, making the country a safe and attractive environment for health investment. As an example of Spanish leadership, he cited the National Transplant Organisation, a global benchmark in its field.
Another issue addressed was the sustainability of the healthcare system, an area that, according to Sánchez San Juan, “cannot be achieved by cutting back on innovation, but by investing in it. It is the only way to increase competitiveness, and that commitment requires public–private collaboration. We cannot do it alone,” he concluded.
The dialogue also featured Pedro Martínez, Head of Government Affairs at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, who highlighted the company’s commitment to research and development in Spain, “with 40 years of investment through our research centre in Toledo, which is part of a global network of four centres worldwide”. This, he noted, is an example of the “scientific talent that exists in Spain and its ability to lead biomedical research”.
In this regard, he stressed that in 2024 more than 4,500 patients participated in the company’s clinical trials in collaboration with over 100 Spanish hospitals, particularly in early stages of research. “Innovation in healthcare goes beyond health value: it generates social and economic value. Every euro invested in healthcare has a positive impact on the economy, and some studies estimate that every dollar invested can generate up to four dollars in return,” he stated.
The event was moderated by Sonia Díaz, Director of Spain Investors Day and Partner at Estudio de Comunicación, and was attended by investors, business leaders, opinion leaders and representatives of the media.
This dialogue forms part of the Spain Investors Day Dialogue series, an initiative aimed at fostering reflection and exchange between the public and private sectors, and was sponsored by Johnson & Johnson.