Italy weighs bill to let anti-vax medics return to work

A bill approved in October in the lower house of parliament would let healthcare workers who were struck off their professional registers during the pandemic return to duty. These workers faced penalties for serious violations related to anti-vaccination beliefs, such as promoting treatments lacking a scientific basis. The measure is championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party and backed by its far-right allies. Medical experts have raised alarms over the legislation, arguing that while the number of affected workers is small, the measure risks further eroding public trust in vaccines. Recent studies indicate widespread vaccine hesitancy across Italy, driven heavily by misinformation and declining institutional trust rather than safety fears.