• The Department of Health is committed to strengthening research, attracting talent and accelerating innovation in order to respond to major healthcare challenges

The Department of Health of the Government of Navarre has approved the new Strategic Health Research and Innovation Plan 2026-2032, together with the strategic-operational roadmap of the Miguel Servet Foundation, within the framework of the scientific and technical support that the Foundation provides to the regional healthcare administration.
The new framework aims to position research and innovation as key pillars for improving population health, strengthening the public healthcare system and establishing Navarre as a leading region in health research.

The strategy sets out five major objectives for the coming years:
•    Increase research and innovation activity within the public healthcare system.
•    Enhance the quality and excellence of research.
•    Improve the attraction and retention of research talent.
•    Strengthen collaboration between healthcare centres, universities, research institutes, companies and society.
•    Orient research towards the real health needs of citizens.

The ultimate goal is to ensure that scientific advances translate into better diagnoses, more personalised treatments, improved disease prevention and a more efficient and sustainable healthcare system for the people of Navarre, while also promoting health and wellbeing.

The plan builds on Navarre’s strong position in research and innovation. The region is one of Spain’s leading territories in R&D investment relative to GDP, exceeding the national average and approaching European standards. According to Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), Navarre allocated 2.34% of its GDP to research and development activities in 2024, making it the highest-ranked autonomous community in relative R&D effort, well above the national average of 1.50% and in line with the European Union average of 2.24%.
Navarre benefits from highly qualified professionals, research centres and a well-established scientific and healthcare ecosystem. The new plan aims to leverage this potential to generate knowledge, innovation and solutions tailored to the real needs of society.

In terms of scientific quality and impact, 66% of research publications produced in Navarre are published in top-tier scientific journals. This places the region fifth among Spain’s autonomous communities in publications in the most prestigious journals, demonstrating not only increasing scientific output but also high quality and visibility in research.

Artificial intelligence, advanced therapies and personalised medicine

To achieve its objectives, the plan includes five strategic pillars and twelve priority lines of action, with efforts focused on areas such as:
•    Artificial intelligence applied to healthcare.
•    Digital health and advanced data analytics.
•    Advanced therapies.
•    Healthy ageing.
•    Disease prevention and health promotion.
•    Chronic and degenerative diseases.
•    Mental health.
•    Care research and community-based healthcare.

Particular emphasis will be placed on consolidating Navarre’s leadership in personalised and precision medicine, enabling treatments to be adapted to each patient's specific characteristics through technologies such as multi-omics analysis (genomics, proteomics and related disciplines), clinical data integration and emerging digital technologies.

The Strategic Plan includes two complementary roadmaps containing specific, scheduled actions to achieve its objectives. One roadmap corresponds to the Department of Health, while the other focuses on the Miguel Servet Foundation.
Among the most significant actions are:
•    Designing and implementing a new governance and innovation model within the Department of Health.
•    Prioritising research lines and improving coordination among stakeholders.
•    Optimising the management and use of research infrastructures and resources.
•    Creating the role of clinical researcher within the public healthcare system.
•    Redesigning and implementing research training pathways that allow healthcare professionals to combine clinical and research activities.
•    Strengthening coordination and partnerships across the research ecosystem.
•    Embedding citizen participation from the earliest stages of research and innovation projects.

To ensure rigorous monitoring of progress, a set of annual outcome indicators has been established. These indicators will serve as a key tool for continuous evaluation, helping to track progress over time, identify deviations and support evidence-based decision-making to ensure effective implementation of planned actions.

Where baseline values already exist, specific performance targets have also been defined.

A strategy built through participation

The plan was developed through an extensive participatory process involving healthcare professionals, researchers, universities, technology centres, public administrations, social organisations and representatives of Navarre’s innovation ecosystem.
Citizens were also given the opportunity to contribute during the final stages of the plan’s development.
Participants highlighted the importance of:
•    Strengthening governance in research and innovation.
•    Promoting innovation across the healthcare system.
•    Improving research support infrastructures.
•    Enhancing working conditions for researchers.

In total, around one hundred people took part in shaping a strategy designed to respond to both the current and future health needs of the population of Navarre.