ES+ | No.3 | 2025/2026 I Public-private partnerships are on the rise, including in fields such as biotechnology: Terafront is the leading Spanish pharmaceutical company with mixed capital. which in many cases have attracted the interest of interna-uct (GDP). However, the institute notes that growing pri- tional investors. In the field of assisted reproduction, Spainvate spending on healthcare, particularly through private is one of the countries where the most in vitro fertilisationinsurance, contributes to the sustainability of the national cycles are performed worldwide and, in the words of Elkin health system, “especially through substitute agreements Muñoz, director of IVI in Vigo and A Coruña, Spain is “one and centres that form part ofthe public hospitalnwo”et rk. of the most advanced countries in terms of treatment tech- “These agreements enable the private sector to complement niques and clinical results”. the public sector, easing pressure on public services and facilitating broader and more efficient access to health- Challenges facing the system care”, it adds. Spain’s powerful public health system, which is managed For Del Barrio, this mechanism “has proven to be a useful in a decentralised manner by the autonomous commu- tool in the Spanish healthcare system, especially in contexts nities, currently faces significant challenges in terms of where the aim is to improve efficiency, expand coverage financial sustainability, mainly due to growing demand and accelerate innovation”. “Although it is not without its resulting from the country’s exacting demographic struc- critics, there are numerous examples that demonstrate ture. Public-private partnerships are emerging in this areaits positive impact in areas such as hospital management, as a way forward for the system. research, digitalisation and specialised care”, he argues. According to data from the Institute for the Development For the president of AseBio, collaboration betweencom- and Integration of Health (Idis), which brings together panies and administrations is also essential in the field of the country’s main private healthcare groups, spending biotechnology. “This model enables scientific knowledge on private-public partnerships was €9.521 billion in 2022, to be transformed into innovative solutions that benefit representing 0.69% of the country’s gross domestic prod- patients and society”, he points out. 67