Health · Public Health & Disease · 4 hrs ago
Mattarella urges equal cancer care and warns against anti-vaccine claims
President Sergio Mattarella spoke at a cancer research event at the Quirinal Palace in Rome on 28 October.
He said cancer research has made major progress and that people should not face stigma after a diagnosis.
Mattarella said people must be able to get cancer screening and treatment regardless of where they live or how much money they have.
He pointed to patients travelling from southern Italy to central and northern regions for cancer care as a serious problem.
He also warned that anti-vaccine claims and false information can put lives at risk.
His remarks came a day after Italy’s lower house approved a bill provision that could allow doctors struck off for opposing vaccines during the Covid pandemic to return to practice.
Mattarella called on institutions and society to reduce inequalities, while cancer research and access to care remain central concerns.
President Sergio Mattarella said economic hardship and regional disparities must not prevent people in Italy from accessing cancer care.
He called on institutions and society to reduce regional gaps, including patients’ need to travel from southern Italy to the Centre-North for cancer treatment.
Mattarella said access to prevention, screening and timely diagnosis should not depend on a person’s social or territorial circumstances.
At the Quirinale event “I Giorni della Ricerca,” he praised cancer research and said science has made major progress against the disease.
He also warned that anti-vaccine opposition and destructive fake news can put lives at risk.
- Who
- Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
- What
- He said economic hardship and regional disparities must not block cancer care, and urged action to improve access.
- When
- 28 October 2026.
- Where
- At the Quirinale in Rome, during the “I Giorni della Ricerca” event.
- Why
- Regional differences and financial difficulties can limit access to screening, health services and cancer treatment.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Mattarella spoke at the “I Giorni della Ricerca” event at the Quirinale.
He called on institutions and society to address regional gaps and ensure that economic difficulties do not obstruct cancer treatment.
- Speaker
- Sergio Mattarella
- Event
- I Giorni della Ricerca
- Venue
- Quirinale, Rome
- Regional travel
- Patients travel from the South to the Centre-North for cancer treatment
- Cancer survivors
- 3.5 million people in Italy live fully after an oncology diagnosis
2 sources
What people are saying
Le difficoltà economiche si trasformino in ostacoli o, addirittura, in impedimenti alle cure.
La ricerca e la scienza salvano vite umane, in numero sempre maggiore, eppure dobbiamo tuttora constatare che si diffondono credenze irrazionali e fake news distruttive
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