From 'stopgap' residents to obesity screening among teenagers: what's new

From the young 'stopgap' doctors in the execution of fiscal visits on behalf of the Inps to the extension to 31 December 2026 of the recruitment procedures for employees during the Covid period. From the 500 million euro per year mini-fund to support paediatric healthcare mobility in 2026-2027 and thus the expenses of families for out-of-region admissions of children up to 21 years of age to the million euro to be allocated to an HIV prevention programme; from the strengthening of palliative care with 20 million euro for the recruitment of personnel dedicated to palliative care to the national screening for metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare disease, to be extended to all regions of Italy. All the way to the National Screening Programme for the prevention and management of obesity in adolescence, announced on several occasions by Health Minister Orazio Schillaci. These are some of the main amendments to the budget bill approved for health in the Senate's 5th budget committee.

In detail, for young doctors, it is envisaged that both trainees and those enrolled in the training course in general medicine by means of free professional appointments 'may, outside the hours dedicated to specialised training', carry out tax visits on behalf of the INPS 'aimed at ascertaining illness, exclusively in cases of a shortage of tax doctors'. Considering the dramatic shortage of tax doctors, currently around 600 in the country, it is very likely that young white coats will be enrolled, albeit 'within the limits of the financial resources' allocated to tax medicine'.

The amendment signed by Mariolina Castellone amends Law No. 234 of 2021, extending from 31 December 2025 to 31 December 2026 the deadline for completing the recruitment procedures for personnel employed during the Covid-19 emergency. The measure also introduces a significant broadening of the number of beneficiaries: in addition to health and social-health workers, workers in outsourced activities who performed technical and administrative functions during the pandemic are also explicitly included. Lastly, the access requirements have been adjusted: it will be sufficient to have served for at least six months in the period between 31 January 2020 and 31 December 2025, with a total seniority of at least 18 months. 'An act of justice and common sense towards those who, in the darkest moments of the pandemic, saved lives and ensured the resilience of the National Health Service,' commented the Vice-President of the Senate. With this measure we give a concrete answer to thousands of workers who are still waiting for stabilisation. We cannot allow valuable professionalism, already trained and indispensable, to be lost due to bureaucratic delays or excessively rigid rules. At the same time,' he emphasises, 'we finally recognise the contribution of all the figures who have made the health system's response possible, often working far from the spotlight'.

To promote the prevention and early diagnosis of obesity in adolescents and the care of patients with this pathology - recognised as such by Italy with the Pella Law (149/2025), the first country in the world - a fund of 2 million euro for each of the years 2026 and 2027 has been set up in the Ministry of Health's estimates, aimed at implementing a national screening programme for the prevention and management of obesity in the population aged between 13 and 17. It will be a Health-Mef decree to be adopted by March (within 90 days of the publication of the 2026 budget package) to set criteria and modalities for the implementation of the screening programme.

As of 2026, newborn screening for the rare disease metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) will be financed in all regions of Italy through the 'Prevention' share of the National Health Fund. A success that the Telethon Foundation claims, thanking in particular Senator Elena Murelli, first signatory of the amendment, and Uniamo - Italian Federation of Rare Diseases. "It is essential that neonatal screening be extended nationwide not only to MLD, but to all diseases for which effective treatment exists today, so that children who need it can receive it in good time. This amendment is a concrete step in that direction. I would like to thank all the national and regional institutions - starting with the Lombardy Region - for the attention and support they are showing on such an important issue for families and for the future of our children,' commented Ilaria Villa, DG of the Telethon Foundation.