Tag: Dr. Rahul Gupta

Medical Cannabis Board Releases Survey Results, Hears From Guest Speakers

A panel charged with helping shape the state’s new medical marijuana law met in Morgantown Thursday, Dec. 14. The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Medical Cannabis Advisory Board heard from guest speakers and announced the results of a recent survey.

One speaker was Pennsylvania state Senator Mike Folmer, who told the board about his state’s progress in bringing the drug to patients there. Folmer led efforts in Pennsylvania to pass a similar medical cannabis bill and identified himself as a “conservative Republican” and a cancer survivor.

The board also heard survey results from potential medical cannabis patients, physicians and others about various issues related to the implementation of the law.

The survey took a look at demographics of those who are interested in medical cannabis, as well as various medical ailments for which they may seek treatment. Of the 6,174 responses, 4,033 identified themselves as “a patient with a serious medical condition” and 1,813 said they had a family member with a serious medical condition. 364 respondents identified as a caregiver, while 611 specified their interest in medical cannabis as “other.”

 

Officials said detailed results of the survey, which included respondents from all of West Virginia’s 55 counties, will soon be available on the Office of Medical Cannabis’ website.

Under the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Act passed during the 2017 legislative session, the DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health can’t issue patients and caregivers identification cards necessary to obtain medical cannabis until July 1, 2019.

Advisory board chairman and state health officer Dr. Rahul Gupta said those results and public comments are helping drive progress, even with so much time until the law allows patients to access the cannabis as treatment.

“We’ve had a lot of recommendations how there needs to be tweaks to this legislation,” Gupta said. “We’re going through that process of understanding what those tweaks might look like and there may be some ideas that may we may push forward to have those tweaks.”

One ongoing discussion among guest speakers, public commenters and the board itself is whether to allow patients to consume “flowered” or plant-based versions of the drug. Current law prohibits cannabis in its natural, flower form. The advisory board could only make a recommendation to include that form in future, updated legislation.

“That’s why this discussion is happening — if the board recommends [this addition of natural, flowered cannabis being used in treatments], then it goes back to the Legislature. So, yes, that is very important and a very pivotal aspect,” Gupta said. “We are so happy that everybody is engaged in that and we’re having a very deliberative process that is evidence-based and data-driven.”

Gupta also said the newly created Office of Medical Cannabis hopes to hire a director before the advisory board’s next meeting, which is scheduled for 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 6, in Charleston.

A public comment period for proposed emergency rules to the legislation will end on Jan. 12, at midnight, just days after state lawmakers begin their annual 60-day regular session.

Gupta acknowledges that the coming session might affect the board’s course of action.

“We have a session that’s upcoming and the Legislature could go back and decide to change things around a little bit. So, there’s a level of uncertainty,” Gupta said. “But every day we are working on this. Not a single day goes by, since the passage of the bill, that we have not worked on moving this program forward.”

 

Drug Overdose Mapping Tool to Be Discussed in West Virginia

A new program that tracks drug overdoses will be discussed this week at Marshall University.

West Virginia health officer Dr. Rahul Gupta and others will lead a presentation of the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program on Thursday at the Memorial Student Center on Marshall’s campus in Huntington.

Jeff Beeson, deputy director of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Agency office for Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, says the program tracks overdoses in real time across jurisdictions and helps mobilize law enforcement and public health officials.

Gupta says the program will enable the identification of specific communities and neighborhoods at increased risk of overdose deaths or outbreaks. He says he looks forward to bringing the program to more counties in West Virginia.

Advisers Named for W.Va. Medical Marijuana Program

An advisory board that will help develop a medical marijuana program in West Virginia has been announced, with state Bureau for Public Health Commissioner and State Health Officer Rahul Gupta serving as chairman.

A dozen others were also named to the board, including physicians, pharmacists, social worker, prosecutor, patient advocate and horticulturalist.

Gupta said in a news release that the West Virginia Medical Cannabis Advisory Board will be part of the process needed to ensure a comprehensive system to help people suffering from debilitating diseases such as cancer.

Gov. Jim Justice signed the medical marijuana measure into law on April 19. The law permits doctors to recommend marijuana be used for medicinal purposes and establishes a regulatory system. The law states that no patient or caregiver ID cards will be issued until July 2019.

Black Lung Clinics Getting $1.3 Million

West Virginia’s U.S. senators say the state will get almost $1.3 million in federal funding for its clinics program to treat black lung disease that afflicts thousands of coal miners who inhaled dust from the rock and coal.

According to West Virginia’s health commissioner Dr. Rahul Gupta, more than 7,900 residents get services from nine clinics across the state.

He says the additional resources from the federal Department of Health and Human Resources help ensure those affected continue to have access to treatment and better quality of life.

Sen. Joe Manchin says every miner who suffers from it should get the best possible medical care.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito says the funding will go a long way toward needed support for critical services like screening, diagnosis, treatment and education.

Flu Outbreak on The Rise in West Virginia

West Virginia’s health officer says the flu outbreak has increased statewide and is expected to peak in a few weeks.

Dr. Rahul Gupta, state health officer and commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health, says flu activity is widespread in the state.

The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the Department of Health and Human Resources monitors flu through reports from selected providers, emergency rooms and labs.

Gupta says it’s not too late to get a flu shot.

As of Friday, the DHHR estimated the percent of people seeing their health care providers for influenza-like illness in the previous week was 3.51, compared to 2.9 percent the prior week. It estimates the number based on reports from selected providers.

Gupta says 3.51 percent is higher than what’s typical this time of year.

Illness After Lawmakers Tip Celebratory Raw Milk Spurs Probe

  West Virginia health officials are investigating whether lawmakers and others became ill from drinking raw milk at the Capitol shortly after passing a law loosening restrictions on drinking it.

So far, state and county health officials say they haven’t received reports of raw-milk-related illnesses. Raw milk may contain dangerous bacteria, including Listeria, Salmonella and E. Coli.

State Health Officer Dr. Rahul Gupta said officials also are probing whether someone illegally distributed it, which could yield fines of $50 to $500.

Delegate Scott Cadle said he brought in raw milk last week and drank it with friends. He said the milk was fine, and an unrelated stomach virus circulating the Capitol kept him from working Monday.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed a bill last Thursday letting people share milk-producing animals and drink raw milk. It maintains selling and distribution bans.

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