Any day now the Health Resources and Services Administration, the federal agency that oversees the system by which deceased people’s donor organs are allotted for transplant throughout the country, is expected to issue new rules that will, quite literally, be making life-and-death decisions. But that is not the only direction from which the current system…
While Georgians may not yet know who will occupy the Governor’s Mansion in January, there is something Georgians know for sure: They want Medicaid expansion. A recent AJC poll found that 73 percent of Georgians, including 51 percent of Republicans, support expanding Medicaid. Georgians know that expanding Medicaid will allow those without insurance to finally get the…
Imagine a potentially deadly bacteria that infects about 1 million Americans every year. Vaccines exist to prevent it, but the CDC is potentially considering changing an important recommendation helping older people to get vaccinated against it. That bacteria is streptococcus pneumoniae. It causes pneumococcal disease, which is spread through coughs, sneezes and close contact. Pneumococcal disease…
Recently, two of my colleagues and I spent the day at Gilmer High School in Ellijay talking to students about the dangers of vaping. Addiction treatment agencies like ours have been increasingly involved with the issue because there are many more addictive compounds available for vaping devices than just nicotine. And some of those compounds…
Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization, severe health complications and even death. The best protection against contracting the disease is getting the flu vaccine. Last year, influenza-like illness activity began to increase in November. Since it can take about two weeks after vaccination for the body’s immune system to develop antibodies…
People living with disabilities in Georgia face many obstacles, including higher-than-average unemployment rates, lower-than-average incomes and costly medical expenses. It is little wonder that food insecurity disproportionately affects such people. Food insecurity refers to a lack of reliable, consistent access to nutritious food. In many cases, that means people are unable to afford all the…
Among babies born in the United States each year, approximately 1 in 10 are born prematurely. And Georgia is in the group of states with the highest rates of preterm and low-birth-weight babies. Now, new data from the federal government show that the health of pregnant women and babies is only getting worse. The chances…
While some are adamant in saying that the problem of violence is not guns, it’s mentally ill people, all have failed to put their money where their mouth is on the national level. We are pleased to say that Georgia is an exception. Dr. Derril Gay, retired head of the former state agency overseeing mental health services, said the increase in…
Summer is here, providing an ideal time for people in Georgia to get active. While some people may talk about getting a “beach body,” fitness is more than just a matter of aesthetics – it can mean the difference between a long life and premature death. Studies show 80 percent or more of premature chronic…
Big Pharma has argued for decades that documented higher drug prices in the United States are required to support their research and development (R&D) efforts for the benefit of all Americans. Their oft-stated position is clearly disingenuous and misleading at best. Scandalous examples of corporate greed (remember the recent conviction of Martin Shkreli, also known…