A team of faculty members from the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy has received an almost $1.2 million grant from the Georgia Opioid Crisis Abatement Trust to address the opioid epidemic in rural Georgia. Specifically, the team will equip pharmacists in smaller communities with the tools, training, and support necessary to provide life-saving resources, reduce stigma, and establish essential support networks for individuals at risk for overdose.
Jordan Khail, a faculty member in the department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy (CAP) and the lead in this two-year pilot program, said opioid statistics are alarming. “Since 2000, opioid-related drug overdoses have taken the lives of more than 650,000 individuals in the U.S. In Georgia, the effects of opioids are even more staggering. The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that drug overdose deaths in the state increased by about 56% from 2019-2021 and was the leading cause of death among young Georgians.”
Colleagues from the College of Pharmacy working with Khail on the project include Smita Rawal, CAP post-doctoral associate, and Henry Young, Kroger professor and CAP department head. The team is collaborating with Dawn Randolph, CEO of the Georgia Pharmacy Association (GPhA), to forge working relationships with rural community pharmacists across the state.
During the two-year pilot program, Khail and his team plan to partner with at least 50—and possibly up to 100 or more—rural community pharmacists to provide training, support, and compensation for distribution of naloxone, education, and connecting patients to local resources. In addition, the team will generate data that researchers will use as they seek future solutions. “This pilot program represents not only a meaningful step forward, but also a vision for sustainable, community-driven solutions to the opioid crisis,” said Khail.
Khail added that most drug overdose mortalities involve opioids—particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl. In fact, deaths from fentanyl use increased by 218% from 2019-2021 in Georgia. The crisis worsens in rural populations due to the lack of accessibility of healthcare and treatment options.
In 2021, a nationwide settlement was reached to resolve opioids litigation brought by states and local political divisions against the three largest pharmaceutical distributors, McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen, along with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson. Collectively, the settlements provided $26 billion nationwide to combat the epidemic. Georgia received approximately $638 million from the settlement agreement, which is managed and distributed by the state’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
GPhA’s Randolph, who has 24 years working for mental health and substance use disorder organizations, emphasized the program’s potential to prevent overdoses and create pathways to recovery by leveraging the unique accessibility of independent pharmacies, especially in rural areas. “At the heart of our plan is the belief that community pharmacists can be catalysts for change,” she said. “Through education and outreach, rural pharmacists can empower individuals struggling with addiction and their families by increasing their understanding of drug use, harm-reduction strategies, and treatment options while connecting them to life-saving resources. It’s a real game changer for patients across the state.”
Said Khail, “By equipping community pharmacists with the tools to offer life-saving interventions, this project aims to reduce the stigma surrounding addiction and connect individuals to the resources they need. Through collaboration with the Georgia Pharmacy Association and local community stakeholders, the program will establish a network of harm-reduction hubs, making essential support and education more accessible to those who need it most. This project is just the beginning. It has the potential to transform the way rural Georgia tackles opioid addiction, while helping individuals navigate their path to recovery, ultimately saving lives.”
