Italian Doctor Cleared of Illegal Practice Charges

A physician in Ferrara, Italy, has been cleared of charges of illegally practicing medicine, concluding a legal battle that began nearly a decade ago. Judge Giuseppe Palasciano issued a ruling of non-lieu to proceed against Federico Di Lascio on February 24, 2026, determining that the alleged offense did not occur.

The case stemmed from a 2015 decision by the Sicilian regional authorities to revoke Di Lascio’s qualification to practice as a general practitioner, retroactive to the date of his certification. Following this, the Emilia-Romagna region also removed him from the list of eligible family doctors. The prosecution alleged that while completing mandatory training in Sicily to gain access to the national health service, Di Lascio simultaneously worked as a private physician providing on-call services at a local clinic – an activity prohibited for those in full-time training. Prosecutors further contended that Di Lascio had failed to disclose this activity in official self-certifications submitted in 2010 and 2012.

Di Lascio initially challenged the Sicilian regional decision, securing a temporary suspension from the Regional Administrative Court of Sicily in 2016. However, the court ultimately rejected his appeal in 2017. Further appeals, including one to the Regional Administrative Justice Council of Sicily in 2022, were deemed inadmissible, upholding the incompatibility ruling between the training course and private practice.

An association subsequently filed a complaint, leading to the investigation for illegal practice. The complaint centered on the period following the administrative action that had temporarily barred Di Lascio from working as a general practitioner. Despite the legal challenges, Di Lascio continued to practice medicine, obtaining additional specializations during this time.

“I am very satisfied with the procedural outcome – said defense attorney Marco Linguerri – with this morning’s (February 24th) ruling, which merely acknowledges the validity of what we have maintained since the investigation phase. But I am even happier due to the fact that this ruling restores to my client the serenity he deserves and to which he has always been entitled.”

The ruling brings an finish to a five-year legal process for Di Lascio, who is the son of Bruno Di Lascio, president of the Order of Physicians in Ferrara.