This is by virtue of the previous Purchase Agreement signed, “which ensures the annual supply of anti-Covid vaccination doses until 31 December 2026”. If the need for additional vaccination doses and updated to new variants is identified, also in consideration of any international recommendations, “all procurement operations deemed necessary will be carried out”.
08 MAY –
“Italy has, however, guaranteed an annual supply of mRna vaccines by virtue of the previous Purchase Agreement signed, which ensures the annual supply of anti-Covid vaccine doses until 31 December 2026. Further assessments that become appropriate will be carried out on the basis of the future epidemiological trend and, if the need for additional vaccination doses and updated to new variants is detected, also in consideration of any international recommendations, all the procurement operations deemed necessary will be carried out”.
Thus the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaciresponding in the Chamber to the question time on the topic presented by Maurizio Lupi (Nm).
Below is Minister Schillaci’s full response.
“I thank the Questioners for the question because it allows me to provide the necessary clarifications.
The national vaccination prevention plan 2023-2025 – approved in the State-Regions Conference on 2 August 2023 and published in the Official Journal on 21 August 2023 – and the related national vaccination calendar have the primary aim of harmonizing the vaccination strategies implemented in Italy to guarantee the population, regardless of place of residence, income, socio-cultural level and legal status, the full benefits deriving from vaccination.
In particular, on the basis of the Legislative Decree of 7 June 2017, n. 73, as amended by the Conversion Law of 31 July 2017, n. 119, which provides for the following mandatory vaccinations for minors between the ages of zero and sixteen and for unaccompanied foreign minors:
– anti-polio
– anti-diphtheria
– anti-tetanus
– anti-hepatitis B
– anti-whooping cough
– anti-Haemophilus influenzae type b
– anti-measles
– anti-rubella
– anti-mumps
– anti-chickenpox
the national vaccination prevention plan pursues the following objectives:
– maintain Polio free status
– achieve and maintain the elimination of measles and rubella
– strengthen the prevention of cervical cancer
– achieve and maintain target vaccination coverage by strengthening governance, networks and vaccination prevention paths
– promote vaccination interventions in population groups at high risk for pathologies
– reduce inequalities and provide actions for population groups that are difficult to reach
– complete the computerization of the regional vaccination registers and bring the national vaccination register up to speed
– improve surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases
– strengthen communication in the vaccination field
– promote vaccination culture and vaccination training among healthcare professionals.
It is therefore an instrument of both individual and collective protection to be achieved through equity in access to high quality vaccines for various pathogens, in terms of efficacy and safety, and available over time (preventing, as much as possible, situations of deficiency), and excellent immunization services.
In this regard, I would like to point out that the National Vaccine Prevention Plan 2023-2025 makes no reference to the Authority for the preparation and response to health emergencies (HERA) which is responsible for preventing, identifying and responding rapidly to health emergencies, and it does not deal with the issues of emergency preparedness and governance in the context of respiratory pathogens.
Furthermore, I must point out that the PRET document (Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats Module 1: Planning for respiratory pathogen pandemics Version 1.0), issued in 2023 by the WHO, has no relevance to the Plan itself but concerns the adoption of a “Strategic operational plan for preparation and response to a pandemic caused by respiratory pathogens with greater pandemic potential 2024-2028”, the process of which is currently underway.
Having said this, with regards to the purchasing procedures for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, I represent that HERA, in the summer of 2023, launched a Joint procurement procedure for the supply of Moderna Covid-19 mRNA vaccines on behalf of member countries , which Italy did not initially join, requesting that the supply be updated to the latest variants.
Through subsequent discussions, our country has therefore made itself available to obtain all the vaccines that may have become necessary, as long as they were up to date.
In this regard, I must highlight that Italy has nevertheless guaranteed an annual supply of mRNA vaccines by virtue of the previous Purchase Agreement signed, which ensures the annual supply of anti-Covid vaccination doses until 31 December 2026.
I conclude by reassuring that further evaluations that may be appropriate will be carried out on the basis of future epidemiological trends and, if the need for additional vaccination doses and updated to new variants is identified, also in consideration of any international recommendations, we will proceed to experiment all procurement operations deemed necessary”.
08 May 2024
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