Therapy

Federal Judge Upholds Controversial Kentucky Law, Denies Inmate’s Access to Hormone Therapy Amid Ongoing Gender Rights Debate

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FRANKFORT, Ky. — A federal judge has dismissed a Kentucky inmate’s challenge against a state law that prohibits the use of public funds for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in prisons. Maddilyn Marcum, who has been undergoing HRT since 2016 to address gender dysphoria, filed the case arguing that the law violates constitutional protections by denying essential medical care. Gender dysphoria, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association, is a condition characterized by significant psychological distress stemming from a mismatch between one’s assigned sex at birth and one’s gender identity. Marcum’s case hinged on a Kentucky … Read more

Patent Battle Erupts in Europe: ToolGen Sues Lonza Over CRISPR Technology Infringement Amidst Gene Therapy Breakthroughs

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SEOUL, South Korea — ToolGen, a prominent player in genome editing, has initiated legal proceedings against Dutch manufacturer Lonza Netherlands B.V. The lawsuit, filed in The Hague, alleges that Lonza infringes on ToolGen’s patent rights while producing CASGEVY, the first authorized CRISPR-based gene therapy for treating sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. According to the claims, Lonza’s production processes at its Dutch facility violate ToolGen’s European patent (EP 4 357 457), which is centered on the CRISPR-Cas9 RNP technology. CASGEVY, developed collaboratively by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, has gained regulatory approval in multiple regions, including … Read more

Illinois Takes Action: New Laws Target Rogue Towing Practices and Ban AI in Therapy

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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has enacted two significant bills aimed at improving public safety and mental health services in the state. The first piece of legislation addresses the growing issue of rogue towing companies, which have been the subject of investigative reports highlighting their unscrupulous practices. The second bill prohibits the use of artificial intelligence in mental health therapy. The new towing law aims to close loopholes that have allowed illegal towing operators to evade penalties by re-registering under different business names. This legislation grants state police the authority to impound tow trucks that violate … Read more

Transgender Inmate Challenges Kentucky’s New Law Limiting Hormone Therapy in Landmark Lawsuit

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LEXINGTON, Ky. — A transgender woman imprisoned in Kentucky has filed a lawsuit against the state’s Department of Corrections, challenging a new law that limits her access to hormone replacement therapy. The lawsuit, initiated by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky on behalf of Maddilyn Marcum, contends that the law infringes upon both her Eighth Amendment rights, which protect against cruel and unusual punishment, and her rights under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Earlier this year, the Republican-led Kentucky General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 2, which prohibits the Department of Corrections from prescribing … Read more