Simona Autunnali says Italy's drug formulary update must not mask cost‑saving motives

Simona Autunnali, president of the Italian pharmacists' union Snami, told a health policy debate that the long‑overdue revision of the national pharmaceutical formulary (Prontuario) should focus on clinical appropriateness and patient access rather than being used as a tool for pure cost reductions. While acknowledging that having at least one reimbursed drug per therapeutic class is a basic guarantee, she stressed that drugs within the same class can differ in efficacy, tolerance and interactions, so prescribing decisions must be guided by the best scientific evidence, even when the chosen treatment is more expensive. Autunnali called for stronger continuous training for physicians and wider dissemination of therapeutic guidelines to protect medical autonomy while ensuring the sustainability of the national health service.

In a related development, pharmacist Sergio Cattani released a new 416‑page practical guide for community pharmacists titled “Farmacia clinica di comunità. Le piccole patologie al banco.” The book offers evidence‑based protocols for handling common minor ailments at the pharmacy counter, highlighting the pharmacist’s role in patient counselling, early detection of red‑flag symptoms and appropriate referral to physicians. Both pieces underscore a broader push in Italy to balance cost‑containment, professional autonomy and high‑quality, evidence‑based care in the pharmaceutical sector.