The newly approved drug Aduhelm (Add-u-helm) to treat Alzheimer’s has stirred interest in the state but it comes with a hefty price tag. Brooke Thorington has more.
Cut 1 (31) “ …I’m Brooke Thorington.”
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Under a bill signed by Governor Edwards those who have a criminal history but were never convicted of a crime can’t be discriminated against by employers. Matt Doyle has more.
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Catholic High School in Baton Rouge has vacated its 2017 and 2020 state football championships after the LHSAA determined they violated rules that occurred in 2017 as a result of an investigation that began in March. WBRZ-TV sports reporter Matt Trent says he’s learned that inappropriate contact occurred with athletes.
While this punishment stems from numerous recruiting violations, Trent says that more violations could have occurred.
Gabe Fertitta was the head coach of the Bears during their run to four straight championship games in 2017 and 2020. He resigned from Catholic in February and joined the University of Louisville coaching staff. Trent says Fertitta told him he did not know about these allegations…
The LHSAA or Catholic High has not provided details on the violations that occurred.
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Two weeks ago, the FDA approved the first drug to treat Alzheimer’s in more than 15 years, despite an independent committee not endorsing Aduhelm (Add-u-helm). Chair of Neurology at Tulane School of Medicine Dr. Demetrius Maraganore (Mare-ah-gah-nor-ay) says this is the first drug to reduce amyloids in the brain which are prevalent among patients.
Cut 6 (11) “…reverse Alzheimer’s.”
He says this drug will put the reducing amyloid theory to the test.
But with a hefty price tag of $56,000 annually per patient Maraganore says no physician with a good conscience is going to recommend a medication with uncertain benefits that are not cost-effective.
Maraganore says however patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s could still possibly benefit from the medication and he’s recommending that his patients look at participating in a study.
It’s estimated that 92,000 residents over the age of 65 suffer from Alzheimer’s in Louisiana.
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Governor Edwards signs legislation that should help prevent employment discrimination against those who were charged but never convicted of a crime.
New Orleans Representative Matthew Willard says under his bill a business cannot request a background check for an applicant if it did not lead to a conviction.
Willard says his legislation also attempts to help out convicted felons who are out of jail and seeking a job.
The bill also calls for businesses to consider the nature of a convicted felon’s offense and how long it has been since the offense was committed.
Willard says his legislation started as an attempt to outright ban private-sector employers from asking if an applicant has a felony record. While that was a bridge too far this year for the business community…
Currently, state agencies have “banned the box” and do not require applicants to note whether they are a convicted felon.
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The CDC reports a higher-than-expected number of cases of myocarditis in people who received their second dose of mRNA covid vaccines. LSU Health Shreveport infectious disease professor Dr. John Vanchire says cases have been the highest amongst men under the age of 18 and the heart inflammation symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, and chest pains
The vaccines that fall under this category include Pfizer and Moderna. Dr. Vanchire says that while myocarditis can be fatal, the inflammation is treatable and shouldn’t scare patients from getting vaccinated…
Contracting myocarditis is more likely after getting the vaccine but is still a rare event with 20 to 30 cases out of a million. Dr. Vanchire says the risks involved with getting covid versus getting myocarditis isn’t comparable…