Fabrizio Gentili, 47-year-old physics and math teacher, has made an appeal to the Minister of Health, Schillaci, and the Minister for Disabilities, Locatelli, asking the State not to leave him alone in his fight for recovery.

Gentili took an antibiotic in July 2022 for a urinary tract infection, prescribed by his family doctor upon the urologist’s recommendation.

However, this antibiotic belongs to the fluoroquinolone family, and in 2019 AIFA issued an alert regarding the serious and disabling adverse reactions it can cause to the musculoskeletal and nervous system.

Gentili, who was previously a super athlete, experienced a series of severe side effects after taking the antibiotic, which led him to become completely dependent on a wheelchair.

Despite his wanderings between hospitals in the Marche region and other regions, no one has ever certified that his health condition is directly related to the unwanted effects of the antibiotic, preventing him from receiving adequate healthcare.

After 17 months of illness and with a reduced income, Gentili is also preparing to face financial problems.

The teacher hopes that the ministers can help him find expensive but potentially effective experimental therapies to heal.

At the moment, Gentili has not taken legal action and hopes that the National Health Service and the institutions will take care of his case, considering that there is a considerable number of people in Italy who are in the same situation as him.

Gentili concludes the appeal by reiterating the hope that the State does not abandon him in his ordeal and that necessary measures are taken to help patients suffering from serious side effects of this antibiotic.