Xavier University of Louisiana’s College of Pharmacy (COP) has, for almost the past 100 years, produced pharmacists with the goal of eliminating health disparities and improving the quality of health in their communities. Much of the COP’s work has centered around health education, advocacy and policymaking in the Greater New Orleans area and the state of Louisiana at large. Dr. George Nawas, a COP Clinical Associate professor who has helped mold students into health professionals and leaders in their communities, was recently selected as one of the pharmacists on the Louisiana Expert Advisory Panel for Pharmacists-Initiated HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to continue Xavier’s mission of creating a more just and humane society.

Established by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Bureau of Infectious Diseases, the Louisiana Expert Advisory Panel for Pharmacists-Initiated HIV PrEP and PEP is a new panel that will oversee the implementation of a bill recently enacted into law by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. The new legislation enables certified Louisiana pharmacists to dispense and administer HIV PrEP and PEP to improve access to preventive HIV care statewide. The panel will be comprised of seven people: a representative from the Louisiana Department of Health, Bureau of Infectious Diseases, an infectious disease physician selected by the Louisiana Department of Health, a primary care physician with expertise in managing HIV medications, a representative from the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, a representative from the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, and two pharmacists appointed by the LDH. Dr. Nawas, a clinical associate professor in the Division of Clinical and Administrative Sciences at Xavier, is one of those two pharmacists.

“I am honored to serve on the panel and look forward to collaborating with fellow experts to advance public health initiatives in Louisiana,” said Dr. Nawas. “By advocating for equitable healthcare access and promoting public health policies, I embody Xavier University’s values of serving the community and upholding social justice principles.”

The LDH selected Dr. Nawas after his active involvement and expertise during the legislative process where he presented updated scientific data and conducted educational sessions for elected officials. Dr. Nawas also did this type of work as a commissioner on the Louisiana Governor’s Commission on HIV and Hepatitis C Education, Prevention, and Treatment, which was significant to the adoption of the bill into law. Dr. Nawas also contributed to the COP’s Louisiana Can campaign, which focuses on HIV awareness and prevention through policy, advocacy, and education. Due to his staunch advocacy and engagement, Dr. Nawas was invited to join the expert panel.

“I aim to establish robust regulatory frameworks while advocating for patient-centered approaches to healthcare delivery and public health,” said Dr. Nawas. “Learning from the successes and challenges of other states that have implemented similar initiatives, my goal is to leverage this knowledge to ensure that pharmacist-initiated programs have a significant impact on increasing the uptake of HIV PrEP and PEP, making them more accessible to individuals at high risk of acquiring HIV.”

The panel will be responsible for establishing protocols for testing and best practices that ensure statewide standards of care. They will also develop guidelines for training programs that will train and certify Louisiana pharmacists on the use of HIV PrEP and PEP, including strategies for accessing state and federal resources, conducting patient assessments and HIV lab tests, and educating about financial assistance programs. With his specific expertise as a clinical pharmacist, Dr. Nawas will provide input into these regulatory guidelines, assess strategies from other states with similar laws, and ensure alignment of these guidelines with the best practices in HIV care.

“The COP’s Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education launched a new initiative this spring to end the HIV epidemic in Louisiana through education, advocacy, and policy changes.  With Dr. Nawas background in infectious diseases, he has been instrumental in the efforts to advocate for prescriptive authority for pharmacists to provide PrEP and PEP for all, but particularly to our underserved communities,” said Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, the dean of Xavier’s College of Pharmacy,  “I am so proud of his leadership in these efforts along with other colleagues in the COP to get this legislation passed.  With his selection to the expert panel, he will continue to shape the future of pharmacy practice in the state of Louisiana, demonstrating the impact that pharmacists can make on our goal of achieving health equity.”

Through advocacy, policy, and education, Xavier’s College of Pharmacy has tackled the HIV epidemic, working to ensure the end of its spread and prevention. Dr. Nawas and the others on the Expert Advisory Council’s work will ensure that HIV care and prevention is more accessible to those who may not have been able to get treatment before. Dr. Nawas’s contributions to advocating for equitable healthcare access and promoting public health policies are just a few of the ways professors at Xavier University of Louisiana embody its values of serving the community and upholding principles of social justice.