The Board maintains its support for health research, which allows an increase in career researchers by 150%

The number of career researchers in public centers has increased by 150% in the last eight years (from 78 in 2006 to 190 today) and the professionals who benefit from activity promotion programs have gone from six to 80 researcher in the health centers promoted by the Ministry of Equality, Health and Social Policies.

Specifically, the Ministry has made an investment of more than six million euros, since 2006, in specific programs that guarantee the replacement of professionals in the event that they carry out scientific work.

These advances are the result of the Andalusian Government's continued investment in health research. This was highlighted today by the Regional Minister of Equality, Health, and Social Policies, María José Sánchez Rubio, at the opening of the conference "Biomedical Research: A Strategic Commitment of the Regional Ministry of Equality, Health, and Social Policies," held in Granada.

In this regard, Sánchez Rubio highlighted the "solid Andalusian knowledge system" that the Andalusian Regional Government has built in recent years "on solid values and principles, with a bold and intelligent regulatory framework, which will continue to grow with the strategic planning framework until 2018." 

Research Strategy

Precisely, the new Andalusian Health R&I Strategy 2014-2018 will allocate this year 66,6 million euros to health research in the autonomous community, from the budget of the Ministry, returns, active search for funds and calls competitive at regional, national and international level.

The Strategy, which gives continuity to the one developed during the 2006-2013 period, will maintain the effort of the Autonomous Administration in this matter and will allow the consolidation of the largest network attached to the National Health System of Spain, five biomedical centers, four health research institutes , a network biobank, ten public laboratories where advanced therapy drugs are manufactured and a network of research management foundations. To these resources is added the network of health centers with 47 hospitals and more than 1.500 health centers.

Scientific production

Thanks to the support of the Andalusian Government, Andalusia has tripled its scientific output in health, and the number of papers published in prestigious journals has increased from nearly 600 in 2006 to 1.932 in 2013. The "impact factor" (an index that measures impact) has grown exponentially, from 1.905 in 2006 to 5.201 points in 2013.

Since 2006, 63 licensing agreements have also been signed for the exploitation of designs and products generated by researchers in Andalusia, 12 new spin-off companies focused on the development of these products have been created, and 13 licensing agreements with financial returns are currently active (there was only one in 1).

Likewise, 36 firms have invested 10 million euros for the development and clinical validation of the products and technologies created by research professionals in Andalusia. This activity has reported sales of 1,2 million euros to Andalusian public health.

In addition, 2013 industrial and intellectual property registrations were carried out in 117 compared to three in 2006, while clinical trials in Andalusian healthcare centers increased to 337. The objective of these studies is to evaluate a product, medicine or technique to assess its efficacy and safety in human application.

For its part, in advanced therapies, 25 clinical trials are being developed in cell therapy and tissue engineering in different stages of development and in various areas such as immunology, cardiology, neurology, digestive pathology, ophthalmology or hematology, among others. More than 400 patients and 300 professionals participate in these clinical trials.