New MAHA Laws Require Nutrition CME for Doctors

New “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) laws in Louisiana and Texas will require physicians to complete continuing medical education (CME) in nutrition.

The new mandate in Louisiana was touted in a recent announcementopens in a new tab or window from HHS, and the Texas action was signed into lawopens in a new tab or window last month.

Starting in 2026, physicians and physician assistants in Louisiana will be required to complete a minimum of 1 hour of continuing education on nutrition and metabolic health every 4 years, according to the new lawopens in a new tab or window. The state’s medical board will adopt rules to determine the specific content of the continuing education.

The 1-hour minimum will be included in — not in addition to — the total number of hours required by the board.

“Our physicians do believe that 1 hour every 4 years is more than sufficient,” Jeff Williams, executive vice president and CEO of the Louisiana State Medical Society, told MedPage Today in an email. “Physicians, particularly those who are younger, have been receiving nutrition in school and already discuss nutrition with their patients. For them, the challenge may be finding a course that qualifies and is new information.”