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Tag: Medicine

  • New Georgia law expands pharmacists’ role in HIV prevention access

    New Georgia law expands pharmacists’ role in HIV prevention access

    New Georgia law expands pharmacists’ role in HIV prevention access

    A new law takes effect on July 1 that will allow pharmacists in Georgia more flexibility to provide medications to prevent HIV.

    However, several details still need to be worked out before the law can expand access as intended.

    Eric Rangel is the executive director and health navigator at Latino LinQ, a Latinx LGBTQ organization that provides free HIV testing. He said it is still unclear how the policy will work in practice.

    “Which pharmacies are going to participate in this? Is it all pharmacies? Is it particularly with Walgreens? So is it with the Walmart pharmacies?” Rangel said. “How is this looking like exactly? And with each pharmacy, do they have the staffing and the capabilities?”

    The Georgia State Board of Pharmacy will determine many of the implementation details, including training requirements and protocols for the state.

    In Georgia, nearly 67,000 people are living with HIV, and more than 2,400 were newly diagnosed in 2024. Public health officials believe the new law could increase access to prevention measures by 20-fold, especially in rural areas where access to healthcare is scarce.

    Pedro Viloria is the director of community impact and wellbeing with Latino Community Fund Georgia. He said the organization advocated for the law and will remain active in ensuring the policy works for everyone, specifically with language access.

    “Language access is one of our biggest missions,” Viloria said. “We believe having access in language to resources is the biggest hurdle, so we want to make sure that that is something that is prioritized.”

    Advocates are now focused on smooth implementation of the policy and supporting outreach strategies so that communities know what is available.

  • Georgia sees major drop in ACA enrollment after subsidy cuts

    Georgia sees major drop in ACA enrollment after subsidy cuts

    Georgia sees major drop in ACA enrollment after subsidy cuts

    More than half a million Georgians have dropped health insurance coverage after Affordable Care Act plans faced substantial price hikes with recent changes.

    An investigation by The Current and The Georgia Recorder shows that 550,000 Georgians have not signed up for Georgia’s healthcare plan. That is a 37% drop in enrollment compared to January 2025.

    Health insurance policies on Georgia’s healthcare marketplace saw an increase in premiums after the U.S. Congress and President Donald Trump decided not to extend health insurance subsidies from the coronavirus pandemic. The subsidies ended on Dec. 31, 2025, causing the increase in prices.

    “I don’t know what we’re going to do, honestly” Monty Veazey, president of the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, told The Current. “It’s a larger number than I anticipated.”

    The decline in enrollment could cause major issues for Georgia’s rural hospitals that already face challenging financial circumstances and may face more uncertainty as Georgia’s uninsured rate increases after years of progress.

    Emma Wager, a senior policy analyst on the ACA at the health research nonprofit KFF, said a large amount of disenrollment could impact hospitals across the state.

    “A larger uninsured population means that hospitals have to provide more uncompensated care. And we also know that people who are uninsured are more likely to delay or forgo medicare care…they may have severe needs by the time they actually see a doctor.”

  • UCB to invest $2B in Gwinnett biologics facility, creating 330 jobs

    UCB to invest $2B in Gwinnett biologics facility, creating 330 jobs

    UCB to invest $2B in Gwinnett biologics facility, creating 330 jobs

    The first pharmaceutical biologics manufacturing facility in the U.S. is coming to Georgia.

    UCB, Inc., a giant biopharmaceutical company based in Belgium, is planning to invest $2 billion to bring the facility to Gwinnett County at the Rowen Foundation’s science and learning campus creating 330 new jobs.

    “When we met with UCB leadership earlier this year in Belgium, we discussed how the Peach State would be the right partner for their visionary plans in the U.S. that will benefit both patients and hardworking Georgians,” said Gov. Brian Kemp in a news release. “UCB’s announcement is also a significant milestone for our life sciences industry, representing one of the largest investments in state history and establishing both the Rowen facility and Georgia as a true hub of innovation in this field.”

    The company already has its North American headquarters in Smyrna, which supports more than 400 jobs. The new facility will serve as the anchor tenant for the 2,000-acre planned community by the Rowen Foundation.

    “This decision reflects our confidence in UCB’s long-term growth and our deep-rooted commitment to the United States,” said Jean-Christophe Tellier, CEO of UCB, in the news release. “By investing in Georgia, where our U.S. headquarters have been based for more than three decades, we are strengthening our biologics manufacturing capabilities, supporting our innovation pipeline, and creating high-quality jobs in a state that offers outstanding talent, a strong manufacturing tradition, and an ecosystem designed for sustainable, long-term success.”

    Tellier said in the release that the project will generate around $5 billion in total economic impact.

  • Georgia House passes bill expanding medical cannabis program, adding conditions

    Georgia House passes bill expanding medical cannabis program, adding conditions

    Georgia House passes bill expanding medical cannabis program, adding conditions

    A bill passed the state House Thursday that will change laws around the state’s medical cannabis program.

    Senate Bill 220, or the Putting Georgia’s Patients First Act, passed 138 to 21 and is headed back to the state Senate for a vote on the changes.

    The law would rename the program from “low-THC oil” to “medical cannabis,” allow an inhalation option to the medication, prohibit public use and change restrictions around dosing from percent of THC to milligrams, according to GPB News.

    “This isn’t about legalizing recreational marijuana, even though the federal government has now moved it from a Schedule I to a Schedule III at the bottom of the hill,” said state Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell. “This is about helping people, and I hear questions when people talk about adding these illnesses onto this list… When people are hurting, they need relief.”

    The bill also adds new medical conditions to the list, such as lupus and severe insomnia. The program was created in 2015 when the state first passed the legislation.

    Although the bill received positive feedback from most lawmakers, a Republican lawmaker said she was threatened regarding the bill.

    “Earlier this week, I received an email threatening me that if I voted yes on this bill, I would be dinged on a legislative scorecard,” said state Rep. Beth Camp, R-Concord. “As I read that email, frankly, it made me quite mad, and a performance appraisal from a lobbying organization that did not elect me, attempting to tell me how to legislate, is not how I operate. My constituents sent me here to critically think, to evaluate the facts, and make the best decisions possible for the people I represent.”

  • Chatham County nonprofits receive nearly $1M for preventive healthcare

    Chatham County nonprofits receive nearly $1M for preventive healthcare

    Chatham County nonprofits receive nearly $1M for preventive healthcare

    Four nonprofit organizations in Chatham County will receive nearly $1 million in grants to provide preventative healthcare in the area.

    The Chatham County Hospital Authority Trust announced Wednesday that it will grant $964,000 to four organizations.

    The money for the trust came from the 2017 sale of Savannah’s nonprofit Memorial Health University Medical Center. It was sold to the largest for-profit healthcare system, HCA, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting.

    The trust partnered with United Way of the Coastal Empire to administer and facilitate the grant process, according to the announcement.

    Joyce Roche, chair of the trust, told GPB that this is only the second time the trust has given funds.

    “It is for the most vulnerable of our citizen population here in Chatham County,” she said.

    Roche said the trust will make more awards when it has the earnings, which rely on a $25 million initial investment.

    Here are the recipients:

    • Curtis V. Cooper Primary Health Care, Inc. – $250,000
    • Hospice Savannah, Inc. – $214,000
    • J.C. Lewis Primary Health Care Center, Inc. – $250,000
    • MedBank Foundation, Inc. – $250,000

  • Georgia hemp producer welcomes Trump order reclassifying marijuana

    Georgia hemp producer welcomes Trump order reclassifying marijuana

    Georgia hemp producer welcomes Trump order reclassifying marijuana

    President Trump signed an executive order last week to reclassify marijuana, and Georgia hemp producers say it is a step in the right direction.

    The executive order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to move marijuana from a Schedule 1 drug, next to heroin, to a Schedule 3, which recognizes its medical use.

    Although it doesn’t legalize marijuana, Joe Salome, co-founder of Georgia Hemp Company, told News 10 that the move could help reduce stigma for his customers. 

    “This is a win,” he said. “It aligns federal policy closer to science and public opinion. It helps patients with chronic pain, cancer, seizures, all these different things.”

    The hemp industry in Georgia faces new challenges in the next year. The legislation that ended the federal government shutdown in November included a provision that significantly limits the amount of THC in hemp products and would ban most hemp products on the market. The bill has a one year implementation period, giving producers until next November to make the changes.

    The legislation caused hemp growers and producers with a tough decision of whether to keep producing products or wait to see if the legislation changes.

    Although the hemp industry remains under constraints, Salome said the executive order is at least a move in the right direction.

    “But I’ve got to think bigger as an industry and respect and understand that this is progress. This is getting us baby steps toward where we’ve always wanted to get. And that’s access to cannabis for everybody without hurdles,” he said.

    The Drug Enforcement Agency defines drug scheduling in five categories:

    • Schedule 1: No currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse (heroin)
    • Schedule 2: A high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence (cocaine)
    • Schedule 3: A moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence (ketamine, testosterone)
    • Schedule 4: A low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence (Xanax)
    • Schedule 5: A lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics (Robitussin AC)
  • Georgia ACA enrollment drops as subsidy uncertainty drives premium shock

    Georgia ACA enrollment drops as subsidy uncertainty drives premium shock

    Georgia ACA enrollment drops as subsidy uncertainty drives premium shock

    Uncertainty around the Affordable Care Act subsidies expiring has caused people in Georgia to make definitive decisions about their health insurance. 

    The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Georgia’s Affordable Care Act enrollment is down by more than 190,000 policyholders.

    Open enrollment ended Dec. 15 for those who want their policy to start on Jan. 1, 2026. However, Georgians have until Jan. 15 to enroll through Georgia Access for coverage that will start Feb. 1, 2026. 

    For those autoenrolled, if they do not pay their premiums by April 1, they will be disenrolled from the program.

    Premiums are expected to increase by 196% on average, according to the AJC. Analysts have forecasted that Georgia’s program could lose as many as 460,000 policyholders in 2026 due to the sharp increase in premiums. 

    As of Dec. 15, 1.3 million people signed up for Georgia Access insurance for 2026, which is lower than last year’s enrollment of 1.5 million people. 111,000 enrollees are new to Georgia Access, according to the AJC.

    Georgia Access policyholder Amy Bielawski of Tucker spoke with the AJC about rising premiums.

    “I’ve got to pay regular bills,” she said. “I’ve got a $5,000 property tax bill. And $1,000 mortgage insurance. So it’s like, do I want a place to live? That’s kind of where it’s at.”

  • Judge blocks Georgia’s ban on gender-affirming care for incarcerated people

    Judge blocks Georgia’s ban on gender-affirming care for incarcerated people

    Judge blocks Georgia’s ban on gender-affirming care for incarcerated people

    Gender-affirming care for transgender people incarcerated in Georgia will remain accessible for now.

    U.S. District Judge Victoria M. Calvert struck down the Georgia law last week that bans gender-affirming services, but Attorney General Chris Carr’s office appealed the ruling Monday, according to the Georgia Recorder.

    “The Court does not hold that the Constitution requires all inmates receive hormone therapy if they want it. Rather, the Court requires healthcare decisions for prisoners to be made dispassionately, by physicians, based on individual determinations of medical need, and for reasons beyond the fact that the prisoners are prisoners,” Calvert wrote in the ruling.

    Calvert had previously ordered a temporary block on the law in September. That block will now be permanent.

    Senate Bill 185 passed during the 2025 legislative session and went into effect in May. The law required doctors to gradually decrease hormone therapy for transgender, incarcerated people and to provide them counseling. 

    The bill’s author, state Sen. Randy Robertson, R-Cataula, told the Georgia Recorder that they anticipated  the Biden-nominated judge would make this decision.

    “I stand with Attorney General Carr in the belief that, at the end of the day, this will be in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, and it will quickly be upheld, the law will be established as constitutional and right, and we will be moving on to things that are more important in Georgia,” he said.

    Human rights advocates and groups have fought against the bill since it was introduced in the General Assembly.

    Emily Early, associate director of the Southern Regional Office for the Center for Constitutional Rights, spoke at a House hearing in April arguing that the legislation is unconstitutional.

    “These bills directly contravene 8th Amendment U.S. Constitutional protections as well as protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Gender dysphoria is a recognized, medical condition that many transgender people experience,” she said. “If adopted, Senate Bill 185 would impose blanket bans on the provision of gender-affirming care to incarcerated people with gender dysphoria, regardless of needs. These blanket bans have repeatedly been found unconstitutional because they show deliberate indifference to the needs of incarcerated people.”

  • Georgia DPH seeks $8.9M to expand Home Visiting Program to improve maternal, infant health

    Georgia DPH seeks $8.9M to expand Home Visiting Program to improve maternal, infant health

    Georgia DPH seeks $8.9M to expand Home Visiting Program to improve maternal, infant health

    The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) presented its yearly budget requests to the members of the House Appropriations Health Subcommittee Monday.

    Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of DPH, said that half of the department’s funds come from federal sources, and half of its staff is federally funded.

    The department requested to expand its Home Visiting Program, which provides free services for expectant mothers from pregnancy until the first year of their baby’s life. The program is part of an initiative to lower maternal and infant mortality in the state.

    “This program really evolved out of the needs identified at a time when many of you came to me saying, ‘What can we do to address maternal mortality in this state?’” Toomey said. “Many of the things that we are doing within the home visiting really address mother and baby, which was the intention.”

    The program currently reaches 75 counties.Toomey said the goal is to reach all 82 counties that do not have an OB/GYN. She said 108 counties in Georgia do not have a delivery hospital, and according to the DPH website, 60% of pregnancy-related deaths in Georgia were preventable.

    The program costs about $112,000 per county to implement, and the department requested an additional $8.9 million to fund the additional counties, Toomey said.

    “It has such tremendous outcomes already, but it really is very cost effective. It’s a bargain if you look at those outcomes,” she said.

    State Rep. Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus, the House minority leader, asked how the recent changes to vaccine recommendations could impact infant health in the state.

    Toomey said she worked on the initial trials for the Hepatitis B vaccine and feels strongly about its safety. She assured the representatives that the vaccine is still available even though the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention panel changed its recommendation.

    “Our job now is to ensure every parent who is confronted with the shared decision-making about this vaccine gets accurate information about its efficacy, the necessity in their particular case and the safety of it,” she said. 

    The committee heard from other public health agencies in the state about their funding needs and the work they have done this year. The following groups presented at the hearing.

    • Georgia Department of Public Health
    • Georgia Department of Community Health
    • Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
    • Office of Health Strategy
    • Composite Medical Board
    • Georgia Dental Board
    • Georgia Pharmacy Board
    • Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency
    • Georgia Trauma Commission
  • Georgia to provide opioid overdose reversal kits to all public schools

    Georgia to provide opioid overdose reversal kits to all public schools

    Georgia to provide opioid overdose reversal kits to all public schools

    Georgia agencies announced Friday the launch of a program that will provide opioid overdose reversal kits to all public schools in the state.

    The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), in partnership with the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust (GOCAT), announced in a news release that funds from opioid settlement dollars will be used to provide the kits to schools and educate school staff.

    “The opioid settlement funds give us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to turn tragedy into prevention,” said DBHDD Commissioner Kevin Tanner, in the release. “Putting overdose reversal kits in every Georgia school is a practical, compassionate use of those dollars. It means we are giving our educators and communities a fighting chance to stop a preventable death. This initiative is about saving lives before a family or school endures the heartbreak of losing a child.”

    In January 2022, Georgia opted into a lawsuit brought against three large pharmaceutical distributors. Georgia received $636 million from those settlements, and Gov. Brian Kemp established the Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee (GOSAC) in May 2023 to advise the Trustee of the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust about how to allocate the funds.

    More than 2,300 public schools will receive kits that will have naloxone, a drug that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone is more commonly known by the brand name NARCAN.

    Jessica Simon, opioid program analyst for the Coastal Health District of the Georgia Department of Public Health, said she works to educate people about naloxone to try to change the perception around the drug.

    “That was a difficult part in the beginning, too —  just having conversations about naloxone about fentanyl and people not being afraid to have conversations or talking with their kids about these topics,” she said. “So we’ve kind of started to see a little bit of that shift, too, as people are more comfortable asking questions and talking about it or even carrying naloxone.”