Spanish officials propose scientific research into thermal therapy benefits

Luis Menor, president of the Diputación de Ourense and the Network of Thermal Villas, has called for scientific investigation into thermal therapies to determine their potential health applications. Speaking at the XIX Meeting and Assembly of the entity in Archena, Murcia, Menor argued for transitioning thermalism from a focus on leisure and tourism toward recognized medical benefits supported by scientific evidence.

The goal is to establish a foundation that could allow specific thermal therapies to be included in state and regional health service portfolios. Menor clarified that the objective is not to replace existing medical treatments, but to study if thermal interventions could serve as complements that doctors could eventually prescribe. A pilot research project is being prepared in Galicia in collaboration with the Xunta and the University of Vigo, focusing on conditions such as knee osteoarthritis.

In Murcia, regional authorities have expressed support for integrating thermal tourism with sports medicine. Marcos Ortuño, the Counselor of the Presidency, endorsed initiatives to use thermal resources to aid athlete recovery and drive economic development, aiming to reduce tourism seasonality and stimulate local commerce.