What is it about?
In Italy a wide anti-vaccine sentiment has spread through the country, and vaccine coverage has kept going down. To counter this phenomenon, in November 2016 the Government of Emilia Romagna Region (Northern Italy) acted with a regional Law to forbid children enrolment in day care if they are not vaccinated against Tetanus, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria and Poliomyelitis.
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Why is it important?
Previously this vaccines were mandatory nationwide, but after the constitutional reform of 2001, a large autonomy on health matters has been granted to regional governments, including the power to legislate on health topics. In 2008 Veneto region suspended mandatory vaccinations in order to give parents the full right of choice. The New York Times has recently published an article describing the quick escalation of measles incidence in Italy, allegedly as a result of misinformation on vaccines, which is apparently also encouraged by some political parties.
Perspectives
Authors underline the criticality of Italian regulation system and the need of a better information and of a clearer legislation, and the avoidance of overlapping regulations as crucial requirements to enhance the compliance of the population regarding vaccinations and the efficacy of Public Health in Italy.
Professor Daniela D'Alessandro
Sapienza University of Rome
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Are two laws better than one in Italy? Compulsory vaccinations, double trouble, La Presse Médicale, March 2018, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.lpm.2018.03.009.
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