Health: from rare diseases to cancer tests, the milestones in 2021

(by Livia Parisi) (ANSA) – ROME, DEC 28 – From the vaccination campaign, to the green light for monoclonal antibodies against Sars-CoV-2, up to the disappearance of the flu epidemic and other respiratory diseases. Covid-19 marked 2021, but the year that is about to end has also brought with it important news for health and health. From the green light to the law on defibrillators outside hospitals to the approval of the single text on rare diseases, here are the main steps that have marked the year month by month: JANUARY: after the Vaccine Day of December 27, 2020, the anti-vaccination campaign begins. Covid, starting with health workers and guests of the RSA. After that of Pfizer and Moderna, the AstraZeneca vaccine is also approved in Europe, the first non-RNA vaccine, whose administration will however be marked by several updates resulting from scientific knowledge being acquired.

FEBRUARY: in Italy the temporary use of monoclonal antibodies is authorized, in advance of European protocols. The Italian Medicines Agency establishes a registry dedicated to the appropriate use of these medicines, administered by infusion in the hospital and dedicated to people with recently onset infection but at risk of serious illness. At the end of 2021, over 24,000 patients have been treated, while those developed by Toscana Life science have not yet reached the end of the trial.

MARCH: green light for anti-Covid vaccinations in pharmacies. The framework agreement, signed on March 29 between the Government, Federfarma Regions and Assofarm, provides for the involvement of pharmacists in the vaccination campaign. They will be able to administer the vaccine directly, subject to attendance of qualification courses and exclusion, of vulnerable subjects or those who have had severe allergic reactions.

APRIL: Italian RSAs are now almost all Covid-free but for over a year the elderly who have been hospitalized there have not been able to meet their loved ones. For this reason, the families of the more than 350 thousand guests, on April 15, launch an appeal to the Draghi government and ask for “a certain date to safely resume visits”. After letters, sit-ins and parliamentary questions, in August a circular from the Ministry of Health will reopen the RSA, providing for meetings 7 days a week.

MAY: thanks to the measures put in place to continue the spread of Sars-CoV-2 and the vaccination campaign, 2021 saw the ‘disappearance’ of the flu epidemic. According to the data of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, this disease, which affects about 5-6 million Italians every winter and accompanies almost ten thousand deaths, has disappeared, as well as other respiratory infections typical of the cold months have been greatly reduced.

JUNE: green light, in the State-Regions Conference, to the agreement for the redefinition of the needs of medical specialists. To meet the needs reported by the Regions, over 38 thousand will be trained for 2020-2023, over 13 thousand more than in the previous three-year period. A few weeks later, a decree of the Ministry of Health will bring to 17,400 the specialization grants for the year 2020-2021, with an increase of 4,200 contracts compared to the 13,200 initially foreseen.

JULY: a decree from the Ministry of Health Roberto Speranza finances free genomic tests for women with early stage breast cancer and hormone therapy with 20 million euros. These tests mark a step forward towards precision oncology and help define the most appropriate treatments for each patient, saving heavy chemotherapy cycles for those who cannot benefit from them. Meanwhile, work is being carried out on the National Health Service of tomorrow: the NRR is approved, which provides for 20 billion for health, largely dedicated to home care, digital healthcare and territorial medicine.

AUGUST: Law 116 of 4 August is published in the Official Gazette, which provides for the installation of AEDs, or automatic and semi-automatic defibrillators, in public places.

This tool is indispensable for treating sudden cardiac arrest, of which about 60,000 cases per year are recorded in Italy.

SEPTEMBER: on the 14th the first anti-tumor drug with agnostic indication, ie independent of the organ affected by the disease, is approved in Italy. Larotrectinib therapy is a ‘wild card’ for cancers characterized by fusion of NTRK genes, because it selectively affects some genetic mutations.

OCTOBER: from the G20 in Rome comes the commitment to take measures to boost vaccine supplies, so as to achieve the global goals of vaccinating 70% by mid-2022; on climate, the commitment is to keep the global temperature rise below 2 degrees. Meanwhile, Italy begins administering the third dose (booster) to healthcare personnel, over 80s, guests and RSA operators. In addition, on October 15 over 1.3 million signatures collected by the Luca Coscioni association for the Referendum on Legal Euthanasia are delivered to the Court of Cassation.

NOVEMBER: the law on rare diseases is definitively approved on 10 November, which aims to guarantee uniformity in the diagnosis, treatment and assistance of the approximately 2 million rare patients in Italy throughout the territory. The consolidated act provides for a solidarity fund, updating of the essential levels of assistance, access to orphan drugs, support for research.

DECEMBER: while the Omicron variant begins to spread and the fourth wave causes infections to rise again, on December 1 the anti-Covid vaccine is authorized between 5 and 11 years: on December 15, on pediatric V-day, there are more than 20,000 booked. Vaccinating children, pediatricians explain, protects them from severe forms and long Covid, but also allows schools to be kept open. The year ends with the green light for the Budget law which provides, among other things, 2 billion more a year for the National Health Fund for 2022-24, and another 2 to be allocated to healthcare construction. (HANDLE).

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Source From: Ansa

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