The Italian general practitioners’ union is up in arms over a new national “electronic tax” that is causing frustration and hindering the prescription process for non-reimbursable drugs.
Dr. Pietro Pesaresi, president of the Snami general practitioners’ union, has criticized the new procedure, which requires doctors to enter a 16-digit alphanumeric code daily in order to prescribe certain class C drugs, such as non-reimbursable medications like tachypirin or cough syrup. This process is part of a new security measure, but Pesaresi argues that it is overly cumbersome and unnecessary.
What has raised eyebrows is the fact that this stringent procedure is not required for the prescription of benzodiazepines, which are considered to be more potent and potentially dangerous drugs. For these drugs, the traditional paper prescription sent directly to pharmacies suffices, leading to confusion and frustration among general practitioners.
Pesaresi has likened the situation to having access to a nuclear suitcase only to find a blowpipe inside, highlighting the absurdity of the new prescription procedure.
The new “electronic tax” is part of the wider problem of the computer file system supplied to general practitioners, which has been a topic of discussion and contention in medical circles. The added layer of complexity in the prescription process has only exacerbated these existing issues.
Overall, the new prescription procedure has been met with skepticism and frustration from the general practitioners’ union, with Pesaresi suggesting that it only serves to hinder and complicate the work of general medicine.