The AIFA General Director, Nicola Magrini, In una interview with the press today comments on the recent reform of the Agency approved by the Parliament
Prof. Negrini recounts that immediately after New Year's Eve, he received a letter from Minister Orario Schillaci, who metaphorically kicked him out: spoils system. According to the DG, the spoils system rule should not apply in a technical agency such as AIFA. The risk is to create scientific and organizational discontinuity. In fact, the other European agencies are not subject to the spoils system.
Prof. Negrini does not think that his removal is due to AIFA's attitude towards the Covid pandemic. Remember that more than 200 studies on Covid carried out in Italy have been examined, of which only a third have been approved.
Dr. Magrini then criticizes the method by which this reform was arrived at: "such an important reform, on such a complex matter, cannot be done with an amendment inserted into a decree law".
I fear, continues Magrini, that there is a desire to return to the regulatory perimeter only with the sole aim of getting drugs approved more quickly, without an overall health assessment. There is a risk of losing awareness that there are medicines that are more important and innovative than others to which access must be guaranteed 
timely throughout the country.
Furthermore, Dr. Magrini fears that the "new" AIFA will be less capable of independently resisting market pressures. "After all, it seems to me that the reform has received the approval of the pharmaceutical industry"
Continuing Dr. Magrini, he hopes for greater integration between the State and the Regions and a strengthening of personnel. I fear, concludes Dr. Magrini, that a stronger AIFA would have frightened many.
