Kentucky was well represented at the four-day Rx and Illicit Drug Summit in Nashville
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Following a panel featuring several Kentucky congressmen, Attorney General Russell Coleman delivered a keynote…
Melissa Patrick
Read More
With just days left in KY’s legislative session, here’s a roundup of health-related bills awaiting final passage
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News With just days left in the General Assembly’s short, odd-year session, many health-related bills…
In bitter cold, here how to protect yourself and loved ones from hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News As Kentucky faces bitterly cold weather as part of the first major winter storm…
Nationwide, youth e-cigarette use drops to the lowest level in a decade
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A half million fewer young people vaped this year than last, according to an…
New state health laws in effect; Beshear says lack of funding leaves Kratom in limbo
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A number of new state health laws took effect July 15, ranging from measures…
Cigarette tax collections in KY dropped after last two tax increases; smoking rate declining
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Increasing state cigarette taxes has proven to be an effective policy to decrease smoking…
Whooping cough cases continue to rise across Kentucky; ten cases now confirmed in NKY
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Fayette County continues to experience a whooping cough outbreak, part of a statewide year-to-year…
Early data show KY OD deaths dropped 7.9% in 2023, much more than national decline, but remain high
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest provisional overdose-death data say drug-overdose deaths…
General Assembly passed dozens of health-related bills — here’s the summary so far; today is last day
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News In its 2024 session the Kentucky General Assembly has passed dozens of health-related bills…
Legislature, Beshear pass law to protect independent pharmacies in Kentucky from commercial PBMs
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A bill to address an unfair playing field between commercial pharmacy-benefit managers and independent…
‘Momnibus’ bill aimed at lowering state’s maternal mortality rate, awaiting vote of full House
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A bill aimed at decreasing the state’s high maternal-mortality rate was approved by the…
Respiratory illness in state keeps declining but it still elevated; more kids are in hospitals
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News While emergency-department visits and hospital admissions related to respiratory illness were again less numerous…
First Opioid Abatement meeting under new leader draws big crowd, largely to support ibogaine study
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Nearly 130 people attended the first Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission meeting under the group’s…
Legislators expect session to address youth vaping, maternal mortality, insurance, maybe abortion
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News State legislators expect to address youth vaping, workplace violence, data collection, maternal mortality, and…
Leapfrog Group ranks 61 acute-care KY hospitals; St. Elizabeth Healthcare-Ft. Thomas among 4 getting As
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Most of the Kentucky hospitals graded on a nonprofit group’s twice-a-year report card for…
Kentucky again 43rd in America’s Health Rankings, scoring lowest in behavior and health outcomes
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News After not ranking states for two years due to the pandemic, America’s Health Rankings…
New 988 behavioral-health crisis hotline number goes live July 16; Ky. plans large-scale rollout in 2023
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Starting Saturday, July 16, the new behavioral-health crisis hotline number will be 988, much…
Ticks are active in Ky. year-round, but this is prime time and they are getting more active and dangerous
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Public-health officials say ticks are emerging earlier and staying active longer because of changes…
Report shows Kentucky had second highest increase in deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide in 2020
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News In the first year of the pandemic, the United States experienced the highest-ever combined…
Kentucky lawmakers discuss ways to help families struggling through baby formula shortage
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News As Kentucky families struggle to find baby formula for their infants and no immediate…
FDA chief says baby formula shortage to remain through late July as impact in Kentucky worsens
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The baby formula shortage continues to worsen in Kentucky, with the state’s out-of-stock rate…
Appalachian counties continue to dominate lowest level of County Health Rankings in Kentucky
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The annual County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report, showing how the health status of…