Overview

• Fibromyalgia affects an estimated two million Italians, predominantly women aged 20–50, yet remains officially unrecognized as a disease in the national healthcare system.
• Patients have been staging a relay hunger strike for over six months, demanding inclusion of fibromyalgia in the Livelli Essenziali di Assistenza (LEA) for better healthcare access.
• The Senate's X Health Commission advanced a general rheumatology bill (DDL 946) in February 2025, bypassing a specific law for fibromyalgia, frustrating patient advocacy groups.
• While national progress stalls, some regions, like Lombardy, are establishing reference centers and proposing care exemptions to address patient needs locally.
• Fibromyalgia diagnosis relies on clinical observation due to the lack of biomarkers, and treatment requires multidisciplinary approaches combining medication, physical therapy, and psychological support.