Rome, 30 April (beraking latest news Salute) – “Spring is the time when vitamin D is lowest for everyone, because we are further away from the last useful sun exposure, between August and September. From then on, in fact, the ‘full tank of fuel ‘of this vitamin, made in the summer thanks to the sun, runs out. This is the period in which the deficiency is most evident. And since there is a relationship between vitamin D and the immune system, it is time to pay attention . And, if necessary, also integrate to ‘arm’ the immune system “. Sandro Giannini, professor of internal medicine at the University of Padua and president of the Italian Group Bone Interdisciplinary Specialists (Gibis), explains this to beraking latest news Salute.
“The history of vitamin D – recalled Giannini – is obviously centered on the skeleton. In fact, the main health problem that vitamin D is able to manage best is bone fragility. But now there are a number of other scientific innovations. solid, related to other functions. One, for example, which in this pandemic phase is particularly important, concerns the stimulation of the immune system. This vitamin is involved in a mechanism that allows the immune system to be more ready to deal with infections, in particular viral type, such as Covid “.
In Italy, however, in the last 2 years, “the consumption of vitamin D as therapy has decreased. And this is not always appropriate”, explained Giannini. “In 2019 – the expert recalled – with a view to reducing pharmaceutical expenditure, the Italian Medicines Agency issued a note to limit the use of vitamin D. And already then we had raised some concerns, in particular on the need to pay attention to the appropriateness of therapy. In March 2020 there was an AIFA report focused on the high savings obtained and without any mention of the negative effects of the decrease in employment, for example on the elderly population. with an incredible time alignment, the pandemic has started and we have all discovered that the lack of vitamin D favors infection, the onset of the disease and the severity of Covid “.
Giannini therefore reiterates the lack of risk-benefit assessment in AIFA monitoring. “The economic impact was assessed in a very brilliant way, but not a word on any elements to be re-evaluated. And history repeats itself. In recent days, in fact, another Aifa monitoring was published which in many respects is similar to that of last year, with all the explanations on the economic impact and no mention of what this contraction entails as a risk “, says the expert. Which launches an appeal: “it is certainly right to look at the savings and the most appropriate use possible of vitamin D, which has certainly had implications of inappropriateness in the past. But it is also necessary to consider the benefit that we may have missed, these days, with a so high contraction of use “.