Italy discusses 2025-2029 National Pandemic Plan

The Italian Ministry of Health has submitted the revised text of the Strategic Operational Plan for Preparedness and Response to a Pandemic from Respiratory Pathogens to Increased Pandemic Potential 2025-2029 to the Conference of the Regions. The document, grounded in the foundational principles of the national health system – namely, justice, equity, non-discrimination, and solidarity – outlines a multifaceted approach to combating the pandemic, with vaccines being utilised as one component of this strategy. From a pharmacological standpoint, the document outlines plans to utilise existing treatments, emphasising the identification of effective treatment protocols and the promotion of awareness through straightforward and impactful communication of the associated benefits and risks. Furthermore, it proposes the implementation of restrictions on personal freedom only in the event of an ‘exceptional pandemic.’ The draft emphasises that all institutions responding to a potential health emergency must be equipped with the requisite resources, ensuring their effective and efficient utilisation, and mandatory public reporting of their activities. The Italian Health Minister, Orazio Schillaci, has assured citizens that the pandemic plan will safeguard their well-being and fundamental freedoms, leveraging innovative resources such as digital medicine and telemedicine.