[The Italian Immunization Plan 2017: analysis and starting point for the Regional Plans]

Abstract

The National Immunization Plan 2017-2019 has been approved on January 2017. This official document contains the new Italian guidelines to improve vaccination coverage in the country. We conducted an accurate and critical analysis of the document, highlighting its key points and critical issues, in order to offer an practical tool for writing the Regional Plans. The new immunization schedule and the establishment of a restricted panel for the vaccine vigilance are the most significant innovations of the Plan. The Plan addresses also the issues of mandatory vaccination and of penalties for physicians who advise against vaccinations. Together with the presence of qualifying aspects as information about the ethical value and the benefits of vaccination, the Plan contains other interesting proposals, such as the introduction of a computerized vaccination register and the targeted use of new technologies to reach the population extensively. The Plan is set up as a conceptually rich tool, suitable for the development of regional operational plans.