Axios

A unanimous panel of federal drug advisers on Monday concluded that Eli Lilly's experimental Alzheimer's drug donanemab benefits patients with early stages of the disease and that its benefits outweigh its risks.

Why it matters: The pair of 11-0 votes could pave the way for the antibody to become the second drug of its kind to win Food and Drug Administration approval and concurrent Medicare coverage, based on evidence it can slow Alzheimer's progression by about a third.

Louisiana lawmakers approved a bill to remove the state's total ban on raw milk sales, joining the majority of the country where the product is already available, if and when Gov. Jeff Landry signs the legislation.

Why it matters: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that consuming raw milk comes with big health risks, and that concern is growing as avian flu infects America's dairy cows.

Gun suicides consistently outstrip gun homicides in the U.S., despite drawing less attention than other forms of gun violence.

Why it matters: Suicide rates have increased in the U.S. over the past few decades and become a leading cause of death among young and middle-aged Americans.

There are growing warnings about a potent animal tranquilizer that's showing up in more of the illegal drug supply.

The big picture: Medetomidine has been linked to recent overdose deaths in the Midwest and Northeast, and is the latest example of how street drugs are becoming deadlier as more substances are mixed into illicit fentanyl and other opioids.

The outlook for the latest experimental drug shown to delay Alzheimer's disease will come into focus Monday, when Food and Drug Administration advisers review an application from Eli Lilly that's been held up by questions about the design of clinical trials and safety risks.

Why it matters: Their conclusions could influence how the FDA treats future drugs that target proteins in the brain known as amyloid plaques that are believed to contribute to the development of the dreaded neurological condition that afflicts nearly 7 million people in the U.S.

The wave of state abortion restrictions that began after the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 has led Democratic-leaning doctors to become an organizing and political force against such laws.

Why it matters: Doctors driving the backlash say many of the new state laws jeopardize patients' health and restrict their ability to practice medicine.

Half the states have imposed limits on abortion in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a federal right to the procedure.

Why it matters: The severity of those limits varies significantly; in general, the harshest restrictions are in the South and the Midwest.

Democrats hope the backlash to the recent blitz of state abortion restrictions will continue to give them a boost in November. But the bigger question is how much it will help President Biden in the battleground states likely to decide the election.

Why it matters: Since the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Democrats consistently have won midterm and state elections in which abortion has been on the ballot.

Republicans and anti-abortion groups worked in lockstep for decades to dismantle the nationally protected right to abortion in the U.S. — but their unity has frayed since the Supreme Court struck down abortion rights two years ago.

Why it matters: After the beating they took in 2022 midterm and state races that focused on abortion, many GOP leaders — joined by former President Trump — have embraced protecting in vitro fertilization (IVF) and leaving abortion regulations to the states.