Associazione Italiana Endometriosi returns to the Senate

9 MAY 2007

Associazione Italiana Endometriosi (AIE) presents a proposal to the Italian Health Minister for a law to safeguard the rights of women affected by endometriosis.

So far, more than 13,000 signatures have been collected to support this proposal – a historic time for women in Italy with endometriosis.

Italian Health Minister Livia Turco and AIE President Jacqueline Veit

A special invitation was extended to the President of the Associazione Italiana Endometriosis (AIE), Jacqueline Veit, by Senator Laura Bianconi to take part in a press conference she held, reserved for journalists and a few chosen guests from the field, along with the Italian Minister of Health, Livia Turco, Senator Ignazio Marino, President of the Permanent Commission on Health and Hygiene and Senator Tiziana Valpiana.

Jacqueline Veit was thus able to present the proposals put together by the Associazione Italiana Endometriosi for a law that really safeguards the rights of women affected by endometriosis, directly to the Minister of Health.

The AIE’s proposals are the result of the work the Association was able to bring about thanks to the effort of the members of its board, chiefly in the last two years: starting from the findings presented to the Health Institute (June 2005), to the 12th Permanent Commission for Health and Hygiene of the Senate (June 2005-January 2006), culminating in the latest suggestions added by members on the ‘news’ section of their website a little more than two months ago.

At the beginning of March we launched through our web-site and newsletter, an initiative to collect signatures to support the issuing of a new law regarding endometriosis, which would confront the many implications for sufferers of this complex condition. The replies were manifold. Up until now we’ve received 13,000 signatures – a real record in such a short time,

said Veit, and continued:

We take the opportunity now to thank everyone who recognises our cause and for the solidarity that this demonstrates. 13,000: A number that needs to increase. We encourage everyone to continue to collect signatures. Together we will demonstrate that there are hundreds of thousands of us out there, who strongly believe that endometriosis can only be really confronted with a serious commitment at an institutional level.

Jacqueline Veit, in the name of women affected by endometriosis, has passed the results obtained so far straight into the hands of Minister Livia Turco, who emphasised:

Senator Tiziana Valpiana, Senator Laura Bianconi, Health Minister Hon. Livia Turco, Senator Ignazio Marino, President of the Permanent Commission on Health and Hygiene

Mother and Child health is a great priority. Investing in women is an act of prevention and an investment in the health of the population.

To which she added,

We have already made an action plan available, which we will transmit to the Senate, and which already contains some of the points noted by the 12th Commission. For the others, “we will welcome and evaluate them with close attention”.

It is very important to have had the approval of the Minister.

Senator Bianconi said.