Italy expands health services with Calabria neonatal SMA screening and Lazio pharmacy telemedicine

In Calabria, regional councilor Elisabetta Barbuto has asked President Roberto Occhiuto to verify the implementation of the mandatory neonatal screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The inquiry seeks confirmation that the contract with Ceinge Biotecnologie is active, that consent forms have been distributed to all birth points, and that the number of newborns screened is known. Barbuto stressed that “the right to health of newborns cannot wait for bureaucracy” and warned that delays can cause irreversible damage.

In Lazio, a new initiative turns pharmacies into multifunctional health hubs, offering preventive services, vaccinations, and tele‑medicine examinations such as ECG and Holter monitoring. Federfarma Rome president Andrea Cicconetti said “we have involved 700 pharmacies … and can potentially expand to all 1,752 pharmacies,” adding that results are sent online to accredited centers for immediate reporting, reducing the need for hospital visits.