Rethinking disability assessment in Italy: innovations and challenges in the medico-legal perspective of type 2 diabetes mellitus

The recent reform of the Italian civil disability assessment system has introduced a new integrated evaluation framework grounded in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0). This person-centered, context-sensitive model aims to transcend the limitations of a purely clinical evaluation. However, adopting new instruments and criteria presents significant challenges, particularly in medico-legal settings. This paper, through a narrative analysis of the paradigmatic case of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), explores methodological innovations, potentials, and critical issues within the reform, emphasizing key concerns in documentation management, regulatory consistency, and the experimental implementation phase.