State broadcaster RAI parliamentary
watchdog chief Roberto Fico said Wednesday that suspending news
show Report over a controversial segment on the adverse
reactions to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine would be "an
unacceptable subversive act".
"If they suspend Report they should suspend the payment of
the license fee," said Fico, who added that his 5-Star Movement
(M5S) "urges all Italians to support Report, because Italy needs
independent journalism that provides quality information".
He said "we are ready to go outside RAI HQ with a full-blown
picket if RAI shuts down Report".
RAI President Monica Maggioni responded by saying no one had
ever thought, "for one second," of shutting down Report.
She told the RAI parliamentary watchdog: "I have heard the
most fanciful reconstructions. No one, for one second, ever
thought of closing Report".
M5S leader Beppe Grillo and M5S members have frequently
appeared to side with vaccine skeptics.
Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin, the Higher Health
Institute and the Italian Society of Virologists all accused
Report of "serious disinformation" in highlighting the adverse
effects of the HPV vaccine reported by a number of women, while
not stressing the scientific consensus that, while some mild
side effects are inevitable, the vaccine saves millions of
people a year from cancers of the cervix, anus, vagina, vulva
and penis.
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