In the lead is the nursing profession, with 1,023 reports of illegal activity made by the Nas carabinieri to the judicial authority (out of a total of 2,783), followed by doctors (725) and dentists (679). Pharmacists are in fifth place, although, together with doctors (23), they have seen the highest number of arrests (20). The data refer to the two-year period 2010 and 2011 and were presented by Paolo Belgi, commander of the Nas in Milan, in a press conference. In fourth place among the professions with the most abusers are veterinarians (105 reports), followed by pharmacists (101), physiotherapists (98), dieticians (35) and psychologists (17). The largest number of arrests was made among doctors and pharmacists. As regards the organizational and structural aspects of medical studies and surgeries, the activity of the Nas in 2011 led to 2,199 inspections and 117 controls at analysis laboratories, finding a total of 2,644 violations of sector regulations. The irregularities concerned the authorization and the hygiene of the structure, the safety conditions, the conservation of the medicines, the legitimacy of the healthcare activity. The infringements ascertained led to the reporting of 1,235 people, of whom 989 reported to the prosecutor, 15 arrested, in addition to the seizure of 141 structures (including 5 analysis laboratories, 45 medical offices, 91 illegal dental offices). Most of the seized structures, 141, are in southern Italy, 27 in the center and 3 in the north. «Abusiveness» explained Belgi «is a widespread phenomenon among all health professions and throughout Italy. Like Nas, we have activated a collaboration with all the orders at a national level, but it is also very important that citizens, if they have any doubts, carry out the checks, consulting the website of the professional order, or reporting their cases to us too ".
March 29, 2012 – DoctorNews
