Former Parliamentarian Faces Obstacles Accessing Life-Saving Pneumonia Drug
Rome – Former Christian Democratic parliamentarian Paolo Cirino Pomicino is sounding the alarm over difficulties obtaining a crucial antibiotic needed to treat a recent pneumonia relapse. Pomicino, recently discharged after a four-month hospitalization in Turin for pneumonia, says he is now unable to access the medication – Linezolid – as of regulations classifying it as a “hospital drug.”
The issue highlights a growing concern over access to essential medicines in Italy,where bureaucratic hurdles can prevent patients from receiving timely treatment,even with a doctor’s prescription. Pomicino states pharmacies are unable to dispense the drug without a prescription from a hospital doctor or requiring the patient to be re-hospitalized, a situation he describes as “schizophrenic legislation.” “I am upset and worried. Upset because it is increasingly difficult to cure themselves, even for a fee. Worried, why I have a lung in place and I don’t know how to do it,” Pomicino told Adnkronos.”I need a latest generation antibiotic…it is basically a drug save life.”
Pomicino, currently recovering at his home in Rome, experienced a feverish relapse and requires the antibiotic to prevent a return to the hospital. He questioned, “What should I do to have it?” The case underscores the challenges faced by patients needing specialized medications and the potential for delays in care due to restrictive pharmaceutical regulations.
