The challenge of being able to attract the best brains from abroad “It is a very serious and complex problem that would require serious and long-term strategies on the part of Italy, but unfortunately these strategies have never been implemented by any of the governments that have followed one another for as long as I can remember. Obviously not I know specifically what the idea of the Italian Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci is.” But Antonio Iavarone, professor of neurological surgery, Deputy Director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami – Miller School of Medicine, is very skeptical about the success of the operation. Again in recent days the minister reiterated: “We are thinking about tax relief also for doctors who want to return” from abroad.
Speaking to Adnkronos Salute to him USA, the top scientist from Benevento, who has been working in the United States for many years now, is very direct. The script has been repeating itself for too long, it is the gist of his thoughts. “These are announcements that come out cyclically, so far just chatter, advertising, but never anything serious. It's clear that the problem is certainly not offering fiscal help. These are things that are said more to satisfy the public in Italy, to give some suggestions to those who do not realize the problems” of healthcare and research. When asked if he would return 'to his homeland' under current conditions, Iavarone replies “no. But – he adds – the issue is clearly much more complex, it goes beyond the individual person. It depends on what the objective is: whether it is to increase the population of doctors “with white coats” even at a poor level, you can go anywhere and you will find people who are not particularly qualified. If instead you want to increase the value of healthcare, which has unfortunately been progressively worsening, the issue is much more complicated”.
And the crux for Iavarone is that we need a drastic systemic revolution that makes “meritocracy” the beacon to follow and increases the attractiveness of the country. “For many years I myself have tried without any success to create important structures in Italy that were supposed to be poles of attraction for the best doctors, the best Italian scientists. But all this was never wanted to be done. The problem remains the fact that there is a system within Italian healthcare and universities that is widespread and accepted by everyone and does not always reward meritocracy.” There are situations “especially in the South where healthcare is lacking, and many situations in the field I deal with, i.e. tumors, where people receive inadequate treatment. I often receive requests for help from Italy to which I obviously cannot give answer, because perhaps the innovative clinical trial was opened in Paris or London and instead there is no local structure” in our country.
“We are trying, again and again”, assures Iavarone. But, he points out, in general the best doctors and scientists “do not go where there are no serious projects that allow the creation of that scientific community that occurs in the best international centres. A single person cannot succeed in changing a reality, unless until a strategic project is set up, with large funding and management completely freed from the patronage system. Until now, no one has ever wanted to do all this, there has never been any government of the right, left or center that he wanted to do it and all the political parties are in complete agreement on this. Then every now and then these little announcements arrive. And I find myself answering the same things in a repetitive manner”, he smiles.
Iavarone has received several proposals from Italy. And from the USA he also followed the news that has followed one another over the years on large scientific projects. Only in a couple of cases did his skepticism waver. One of these was the Human Technopole in Milan. A project “which was potentially what should have been done” and “into which a lot of money was put”. But then the direction he took had not fully convinced the expert. “People ask me when I would return to Italy, for what. Well, I would return to do a serious Human Technopole. It should be done not only in Milan, but in Rome, in the South, throughout Italy, if there was a serious desire to change the things”.
Therefore, he concludes, “I cannot be optimistic. All the attempts that have been made have not been successful. I could give about ten examples. I have tried for 20 years. And I certainly would have come to Italy to carry out projects important that would have represented points of reference for the international community of scientists. But I did not find the will to do this neither in the North, nor in the Center, nor in the South. I had many wonderful interactions, kisses, hugs, dinners, speeches with politicians and institutions of all kinds, all ended in nothing. And I fear that we will face this issue again in the coming years and it will always be the same. The problem is not the brain drain – he comments – but the absence of brain circulation, and I don't it's clear: it means attracting the best people in a given field in Italy, regardless of nationality.”
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