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American Press
6 days ago
- Health
- American Press
Jim Beam column:Ivermectin can cause problems
Louisiana state Sen. Mike Fesi, R-Houma, is sponsoring legislation that will make it easier for people to purchase ivermectin, a questionable drug.(Photo courtesy of Facebook). Louisiana's Republican public officials haven't stopped complaining about former Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' handling of the COVID pandemic since he left office. Edwards' actions actually saved many lives, but that has been conveniently overlooked in GOP efforts to promote some of their own weird plans. State Sen. Michael 'Big Mike' Fesi of Houma, for example, is sponsoring Senate Bill 19 that would authorize pharmacists in Louisiana to dispense the ivermectin drug without requiring a prescription from a patient's physician. The Advocate reported that ivermectin is a powerful anti-parasitic drug approved to treat specific infections in humans and was widely used in animals, particularly horses and livestock. Why is Fesi sponsoring such a potentially dangerous drug? 'We were misled during the COVID era, and that's where all this comes from,' Fesi said. 'As a free people, I know we can make our own decisions on what we want to do.' Yes, but shouldn't a doctor have to prescribe a drug as dangerous as this one? Unfortunately, Dr. Ralph Abraham, the state's surgeon general, doesn't think so. He said a lot of people are getting the drug from veterinary supply stores. Abraham said, 'I can pretty much assure you if you asked 10 of your friends, one or two of them are probably taking ivermectin on a periodic or a daily basis.' No surprises there since the drug has seen a surge in off-label use due to internet-fueled claims that it can treat a number of conditions or even cure cancer. The newspaper said actor Mel Gibson in January said on 'The Joe Rogan Podcast' that three friends with Stage 4 cancer got better after taking ivermectin and fenbendazole. Why anyone would take Gibson or Rogan's medical advice is their mistake. The drug is effective against parasites and its developers won the Nobel Prize in 2015. However, large studies have shown no significant benefit for COVID treatment, and ongoing research on its potential role in cancer remains preliminary. The Advocate said experts caution that early promise in preclinical trials rarely translates into effective therapies in humans. OK, here are some of those experts: Dr. Jon Mizrahi said he now fields requests for ivermectin constantly in his New Orleans practice as a cancer specialist. He said his gastrointestinal cancer patients began asking for it during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over two weeks this spring, he said more than half of his new patients asked about the drug. Some hoped to combine it with chemotherapy. Others planned to take ivermectin instead. They had problems. Two patients had to delay chemotherapy because ivermectin elevated their liver enzymes. One patient, newly diagnosed with late-stage cancer, wanted to try ivermectin before chemo or radiation. Two months later, that person's cancer had gotten significantly worse. The newspaper said Mizrahi is one of dozens of cancer specialists in Louisiana raising concerns about Fesi's bill. In a letter signed by 40-plus providers and the Cancer Advocacy Group of Louisiana and Louisiana Oncology Society, opponents of the bill emphasized that standard cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy are grounded in rigorous clinical trials, while ivermectin lacks research. Dr. Mary Maluccio, a surgical oncologist specializing in rare cancers in New Orleans, said she hears about ivermectin upward of a dozen times a week. Two of her patients died of liver failure after adding ivermectin to their regimen without informing the care team. The patients had cancers requiring aggressive chemotherapy that put their livers at risk anyway — but Maluccio suspects ivermectin contributed to the swift pace of decline. The newspaper said for many cancer patients, experimenting with holistic remedies — green tea, turmeric, smoothies — is a way to feel some control. Maluccio said she doesn't fault them for it. But ivermectin, she said, isn't just a harmless add-on. For patients facing advanced or rare cancers, the desire to try anything can be understandable, Maluccio said. But it becomes difficult to treat cancer with proven methods if a drug without known interactions is added to the mix, or there is no protocol for how taking it might impact surgery. It's extremely difficult to understand how 28 of Louisiana's 39 state senators voted for Fesi's bill, and four of them represent this corner of the state. I'm sticking with my physicians, not those who, like Abraham, are touting ivermectin as some kind of wonder drug. Jim Beam, the retired editor of the American Press, has covered people and politics for more than six decades. Contact him at 337-515-8871 or Reply Forward Add reaction
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
The future of LGBTQ+ journalism begins with you
In November 2023, I sat at a bar in Colorado Springs. Survivors of the Club Q mass shooting had gathered with friends and supporters for a night of remembrance before the first anniversary of a night that forever changed their lives. One survivor hosted the night. There were maybe 20 people there in total. There were drag performances, laughter, tears, and memories shared among this group of people who were acquaintances before Nov. 19, 2022, but were forced to become more after the shared traumatic experience. I sat at the dimly lit bar, having been invited by one of the survivors I interviewed for a story on the shooting. When I first got there, an activist from Denver who had become a dear friend and support to many of the survivors took me aside before I even walked in. 'Who are you with?' they asked, protectively. I told them I worked for The Advocate, and I assured them I was just observing, getting contact information from folks, and wouldn't record what was said inside the bar. I drank with them. I danced with them. I listened to them. Mental notes were taken, but something that kept piercing through my mind even then was that this is what journalism should be. It connects. It reveals. It honors. It reopens wounds to let them air out. I wrote in my oft-forgotten notes app: 'An observer reaching for the impossible idea of objectivity will never be privy to this. So, they lack the story. It's listening and talking and being.' All journalists have an ethical duty to uphold the truth, and in queer journalism, we have an ethical duty to report and write factually about LGBTQ+ lives and experiences. Us in queer media — to borrow from my colleague Tracy E. Gilchrist — are authentic in our journalism because we're approaching our work through sympathetic yet informed lenses (we're often queer ourselves). I think about (queer) journalism a lot. Are our sources diverse enough? Would this make a good series? How can we get funding for investigative stories? How do we ensure we can keep doing this work for the next month, next year, next decade? Support queer media. . The Advocate has brought queer news to readers since it was a newsletter in Los Angeles, first drafted after a police raid at a gay bar in 1967. A small group was spurred to act, driven to help LGBTQ+ people in L.A. know what was happening in their community. Our mission remains largely the same since then: To inform the queer community. While we've grown to a national (and international) audience, that focus has stayed on what news our readers need to know to live their best lives — from the latest Supreme Court ruling to what's happening at local Pride events. This is a precarious time for journalism. NPR has sued the Trump administration after the president signed an executive order slashing its funding. CBS News cowered to a lawsuit that experts say it could have won against Trump. The Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty have been decimated by cuts of their federal funding. The Trump White House has repeatedly attacked the press — see the Associated Press debacle over the Gulf of Mexico. It's clearly becoming more risky for journalists to criticize this administration. Just as journalism is under attack, so too are queer lives. The American Civil Liberties Union is tracking 588 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the U.S. this legislative session alone. The right-wing backlash against gay and trans rights has led many corporations to pull back from publicly supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. That includes funding things like Pride events, and yes, advertising in LGBTQ+ publications. Queer media — reported by, reported on, and involving LGBTQ+ people — is needed more than ever. It's a journalism that goes beyond superficial attempts to see the world in binaries and instead accepts the nuances and variety of people and their stories. It's why we're asking you, our readers, for your direct support. Today, we launch a membership program for The Advocate. Your financial support will go directly to the sort of reporting I did in Colorado Springs, and much more. When you become a member, you'll back the community The Advocate created in 1967 – you'll also get special perks like a behind-the-scenes newsletter from me, with exclusive insights into our reporting. If you join at The Advocate's founding level – for $19.67 a month – you'll receive a free print subscription to keep or give to someone, as well as a specially designed enamel pin to show your support of LGBTQ+ journalism. Celebrate this Pride Month by directly supporting The Advocate's work. Become a member today, and let's keep providing our community with the news it needs. I go back to that night in Colorado so often because for me it is what queer journalism is: Empathetic storytelling that reports the real LGBTQ+ experience. It's what we strive for at The Advocate. Since our founding in 1967, the LGBTQ+ community has been our north star. It continues to be. In this moment, we are fighting to keep bringing audiences the best of queer journalism. Thank you for reading, and thank you for supporting The Advocate.
Hindustan Times
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
UP CM inaugurates advocate chambers, parking building at Allahabad High Court
Prayagraj , Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that in the rule of law, the litigant is as important as the bar and bench, a statement said. Adityanath addressed a gathering after the inauguration ceremony of advocate chambers and parking building constructed for ₹680 crore within the Allahabad High Court premises. Chief Justice of India Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai was also present at the event. Adityanath said, "In the rule of law, the litigant is as important as the bar and bench." During the event, Adityanath recalled the 2017 programme organised at the Allahabad High Court where the prime minister had emphasised that the first condition of good governance is the rule of law, the statement read. He expressed empathy for advocates, noting that despite working under difficult conditions such as broken chambers or even under trees they continue to strive for justice. Highlighting the significance of the day, the chief minister said, "Today marks the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar. This year is also the Amrit Mahotsav year of the implementation of the Constitution of India." Adityanath said that once the Integrated Court Complex is constructed, litigants will have access to all judicial services under one roof, including chambers and parking for advocates, as well as housing facilities for judicial officers. Adityanath also said that although multilevel parking structures have been built, they often remain unused. He urged urban bodies to allow commercial use of some parking space to ensure success. "At times, either the chief justice or we did not like the proposed designs. Eventually, we instructed the executing agencies to create a model that could serve as a standard. Along with integrated court complexes, provisions for parking and advocate chambers were included." "Of the proposals we submitted, approvals have been received for seven districts from here, and ₹1,700 crore has already been released for those. Cases of the remaining three districts have also been resolved by the court," he said. He emphasised that this initiative to build quality complexes will become a model. Both the Centre and state governments are committed to providing maximum facilities at district courts and addressing advocates' challenges. The chief minister highlighted that the Advocate Fund amount has been increased from ₹1.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh, and the age limit raised from 60 to 70 years. Additionally, a separate corpus fund of ₹500 crore has been established. In case of an accident involving an advocate, the trustee committee will utilise this fund to support the affected family. New advocates are also receiving assistance for journals, magazines, and books during their first three years. Adityanath recalled the successful Maha Kumbh held in Prayagraj, which attracted over 66 crore devotees from across India and abroad. The Allahabad High Court played a significant role in it. He said that if everyone fulfils their responsibilities in line with the spirit of the Constitution envisioned by Baba Saheb, meaningful results can be achieved. He stated that the multilevel parking and advocate chambers have been constructed excellently. He assured that any funds required for their expansion would be made available soon, enabling even better infrastructure in the land of justice, knowledge, and religion. On this occasion, Supreme Court judges Justice Suryakant, Justice Vikram Nath, Justice J.K. Maheshwari, Justice Pankaj Mittal, Justice Manoj Mishra, Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Justice Arun Bhansali, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, UP Advocate General Ajay Kumar Mishra, and others were present.
American Press
21-05-2025
- Politics
- American Press
Jim Beam column:Ethics, campaigns on hit list
Members of the Louisiana Legislature have decided to make their political lives much easier by weakening the state's ethics and campaign finance laws.(Photo courtesy of WVUE-Fox 8 in New Orleans). Louisiana legislators have obviously decided they don't want to have to worry much about whether they are performing ethically. They also want fewer rules when it comes to receiving campaign contributions. The best evidence about both of those issues can be found in House Bills 160 and 674, both ethics measures, and in HB 693, a 100-page bill dealing with campaign contributions. HB 674 passed the House unanimously and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee. HB 160 is awaiting a final vote in the House. The Public Affairs Research Council said legislators should strengthen, not undermine the state's ethics and disclosure laws. 'That's the wrong message to send in a state riddled with Louisiana's long and sordid political history, particularly when polls show public trust in government is at historic lows,' the non-profit research agency said. The Advocate in an editorial said, 'There's more packed into this bill — from changes to when officials can accept privately paid travel to what amount they can accept as gifts — so you would expect it to have sparked spirited debate on the House floor. Yet not a single Republican or Democrat raised any questions.' The newspaper said government watchdog groups worry that if the bill passes, future investigations could be shut down before they even get off the ground. Rep. Beau Beaullieu, R-New Iberia, author of HB 674 and chairman of the House and Governmental Affairs Committee, said legislators from both parties are frustrated with the ethics board, which has been accused of harassing public officials and lacking transparency. Rep. Kellee Dickerson, R-Denham Springs, is sponsor of HB 160 that would give the subject of an ethics complaint the ability to know the identity of the person leveling the accusations, which is currently confidential. The Advocate reported that Dickerson was the subject of an ethics board investigation that found she improperly hired a teacher for a contract job while she was a Livingston Parish School Board member. Her bill is awaiting final action in the House. Members of the Board of Ethics in a May 12 letter to legislators said, 'House Bill 160 proposes to remove the confidential nature of complaints, which will have a drastic chilling effect on the filing of formal complaints. The ethics administrator said, 'The opportunity to face your accuser comes once the board files public charges.' PAR said of the HB 674 ethics changes, 'The measure clearly aims to make it harder for the ethics board and its administrative staff to bring charges against officials. Are lawmakers trying to make it nearly impossible, though?' The research agency said HB 693, the 100-page campaign finance bill, is 'a similar vast redesign of the laws governing the spending and disclosure of the money candidates, political parties and others raise for politicking.' The agency said that makes it harder to investigate possible campaign finance violations. The bill is awaiting a final vote in the House. The Advocate in an ethics editorial said the campaign finance bill would make numerous changes to campaign finance laws, including eliminating the requirement that money spent to promote or defeat tax propositions or other elections that don't involve candidates be disclosed. 'The state seems to go through cycles where rampant corruption gives way to good government reforms prompted by public outcry,' the newspaper said. 'Then, politicians, weary of the constraints placed upon them, push to weaken ethics rules, hoping the public will have forgotten why they were needed in the first place.' The Illuminator reported one of the unusual aspects of this sudden rush to change the state's ethics laws. It is the fact that Stephen Gele´, an attorney representing Gov. Jeff Landry in his negotiations with the ethics board over his 2023 case, helped to draft the legislation. Although the proposed changes will only affect future ethics cases and not Landry's, it's still an unusual situation to have Landry's attorney involved. If Landry's case ever surfaces, don't look for any possible penalties. The Legislature last year made changes to the ethics board that give the governor more control over appointing its members. Landry took office on Jan. 8, 2024, and legislators have given him an unbelievable number of new powers. And the odds are the power grab won't stop until he leaves office. Jim Beam, the retired editor of the American Press, has covered people and politics for more than six decades. Contact him at 337-515-8871 or Reply Forward Add reaction
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After hearing, Arkansas company commits to timeline to shut down waste lagoon in Van Buren
A dredge works on the Denali waste lagoon in Van Buren. (Photo obtained from Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality files) Russellville-based Denali announced Friday that it will stop depositing waste from chicken processing facilities in its Van Buren lagoon by the end of 2025. The announcement came after dozens of Fort Smith-area residents spoke at a public hearing held by the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality Thursday evening. Both residents and elected officials described how odors from the lagoon, and from Denali's land application operations, had negatively affected their lives and businesses, and the region as a whole. 'Denali will discontinue bringing material to the storage facility this year,' Denali CEO Todd Mathes said in an emailed press release. 'Disposition of the material at the site will be determined after Dec. 31, 2025. Denali is currently executing its long-term plan for alternative storage capacity and long-term infrastructure solutions throughout the region, which will allow for the closure of the open-air facility in Crawford County,' Mathes said. 'Working with regulatory officials to obtain permits and permit modifications are required in order to completely close the storage facility in a timely manner.' Denali told the Advocate earlier this month that 'we have not committed to an exact date,' citing the need to obtain additional storage and permits. Denali said it would provide notifications to local officials before the lagoon is cleaned out. A previous clean-out of millions of gallons of sludge from the lagoon in 2024 led to dozens of complaints about odor to DEQ from Fort Smith residents. However, the waste recycling company emphasized that Sebastian and Crawford counties remained 'important operational areas' for Denali due to the number of food processors in the region. The press release did not address concerns of some critics about the volume of waste being applied to fields in the area nor how land applications were affecting residents living nearby. Crawford County has one of the highest number of land application permits in the state, with at least eight. Most of the Crawford County permits are held by Denali. HydroAg Environmental is another permit holder. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
