Doctors struck off in Italy during covid pandemic could regain registration under new bill

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A bill approved by Italy’s Chamber of Deputies would allow doctors removed from the medical register during the COVID-19 pandemic over anti-vaccine views to apply for reinstatement. Applicants would still face review by a national commission, and the bill is now before the Senate amid objections from medical professionals.

Doctors struck off Italy’s medical register during the covid-19 pandemic because of their antivaccine views could soon be allowed to apply for reinstatement.1On 27 October, one of the country’s political bodies, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, approved the move, arguing that as the evidence on covid-19 vaccines was still emerging during the pandemic, this uncertainty may have led some doctors to speak out against vaccination.The legislation could allow around 200 doctors to apply to a national commission to be reinstated on the medical register, according to Italian news outlet Il Post, although representatives of the medical profession say that the actual number of doctors concerned is much lower.Expert panels would still have to assess whether the doctors meet the relevant professional and ethical criteria.2The bill is now with the Italian Senate for debate but is expected to pass by the end of the year.However, the legislature has sparked an outcry...