“I am especially satisfied with the results obtained in everyday life”

2019/04/05 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Berdintasuna
• Farmakologia
• Osasuna
• Elkarrizketak

In view of the trajectory of Regina Juanbeltz Zurbano, one may have the feeling that from the beginning he was a researcher in Pharmacy. Although many times the visions are wrong, on this occasion Juanbeltz himself has stated that it coincides with reality. In fact, he studied in high school in the science sector and, knowing the laboratory work in the open days, he opened the thread. “Then I decided to talk about biohealth,” he explained.

Despite the doubt between Pharmacy and Chemistry, he thought he would have more departures in Pharmacy: in the hospital, in the industry, in the pharmacy office… “So, I studied Pharmacy and, at the same time, I did internships to know different areas. In fact, from the third year they offered us voluntary internships in summer and, among other things, I worked in the laboratory of Biochemistry of the Hospital of Navarra and in the company Idifarma, dedicated to the research and development of pharmaceutical products. I did the compulsory career internships at the pharmacy service of Hospital Virgen del Camino.”

He was also in Florida for three months: “It was beautiful. Thanks to an inter-university agreement, they offered us the possibility to go there and I did not miss it. It was the first year, but the experience was totally positive. Their work model is also different from here. The pharmacist leaves much of the pharmacy service, visits patients with the doctor and is directly related to them. That is very nice. Fortunately, here they are also starting to do it, but we still lack much.”

Research success

This experience led him to decide as a hospital pharmacist and it was then that he was asked the possibility of carrying out the thesis, investigating the treatment of hepatitis C. He says that those around him made it much easier for him to enter the world of research, since despite the participation of professionals from different areas, the coordination was very good and he knew some for his care activity. “I felt very protected,” he acknowledged.

With new antiviral treatments, 97% of patients with chronic hepatitis C have been cured. “In the case of patients who are in the lightest stages of the disease, they have achieved a life equivalent to the rest of the Spanish population of the same sex and age. And also in difficult patients, that is, with HIV virus or liver cirrhosis, we have shown that it is effective and safe,” explained Juanbeltz.

Especially satisfied with the results obtained in everyday life: “Treatment is often successful in clinical trials, but the results are much lower when it extends to everyday life. However, with this treatment that has not happened: we have shown that it is effective and safe and that it works as well in everyday life as in clinical trials.”

In addition, in the beginning these antivirus were very expensive, but in recent years they have been much cheaper. “They have a similar price to the treatment used previously, so the situation of patients has improved in all aspects,” said Juanbeltz. Looking ahead, he is therefore very satisfied with his career.

He is now planning to study for oppositions and submit a research project for Juan Rodes contracts. “If they give me, I would start in 2020 in another line of research, probably in pediatrics,” he says hopefully.