---
title: O.C.G.A. § 26-5-56. Confidentiality of patient information; operation of central registry.
collection: code
id: 26-5-56
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 26-5-56 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-56
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-56.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-56/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t25-t26-(v21)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=82f520c4_0#page=98
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-55.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-57.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: Effective January 1, 2026.
in_force: true
other_versions:
  - version: Effective until January 1, 2026.
    in_force: false
    md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/26-5-56.md?version=until+January+1%2C+2026
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: FOOD, DRUGS, AND COSMETICS / DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS / NARCOTIC TREATMENT PROGRAMS ENFORCEMENT
extraction_warnings:
  - bound_version_dropped:None
---

# O.C.G.A. § 26-5-56. Confidentiality of patient information; operation of central registry.

(a) For the purpose of providing more effective treatment and rehabilitation, the records and name of any drug dependent person who seeks or obtains treatment, therapeutic advice, or counsel from any program licensed under this chapter shall be confidential and shall not be revealed except to the extent authorized in writing by the drug dependent person affected. Any communication by such drug dependent person to an authorized employee of any licensee shall be deemed confidential; provided, however, that, except for matters privileged under other laws of this state, the records of such person and information about such person shall be produced in response to a valid court order of any court of competent jurisdiction after a full and fair show-cause hearing and in response to a departmental request for access for licensing purposes when such request is accompanied by a written statement that no record of patient identifying information will be made.

(b) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to prevent the department from operating a central registry pursuant to Code Section 26-5-60, and nothing in this Code section shall prevent or inhibit narcotic treatment programs from providing the department with requested information for the purpose of maintaining such central registry or for maintaining any other registry or database as required by federal law or regulation.

## History

Code 1981, § 26-5-56, enacted by Ga. L. 2017, p. 307, § 1/SB 88; Ga. L. 2025, p. 177, § 1-10/HB 584, effective January 1, 2026.

## Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective January 1, 2026, designated the existing provisions of this Code section as subsection (a); in subsection (a), substituted “affected. Any communication” for “affected; furthermore, any communication” and substituted “any licensee” for “any holder of a license”; and added subsection (b).

## Delayed Effective Date

Code Section 26-5-56 is set out twice in this Code. This version is effective January 1, 2026. For version effective until January 1, 2026, see the preceding version.