Aifa’s director dismissed

The dismissal of Mr Martini follows a two-year investigation in which police found evidence for fraudulent transactions in return for the falsification of clinical data required for drug licences.

The prosecutors charged Mr Martini for bureaucratic delays in updating the packaging information on the side effects of a few drugs. However, Mr Martini’s supporters claim that his ouster was politically motivated and was partly because of his tough stance on drugs spending and the pharmaceutical industry.

Previously, Mr Martini has won acclaim for his role in limiting Italy’s spiralling drug expenditure to 13% of the total health budget.