Business
First Blood Test to Help Diagnose Alzheimer’s Goes on Sale
Published
6 years agoon
ST. LOUIS, Mis. (AP) — A company has started selling the first blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, a leap for the field that could make it much easier for people to learn whether they have dementia. It also raises concern about the accuracy and impact of such life-altering news.
Independent experts are leery because key test results have not been published and the test has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — it’s being sold under more general rules for commercial labs. But they agree that a simple test that can be done in a doctor’s office has long been needed.
It might have spared Tammy Maida a decade of futile trips to doctors who chalked up her symptoms to depression, anxiety or menopause before a $5,000 brain scan last year finally showed she had Alzheimer’s.
“I now have an answer,” said the 63-year-old former nurse from San Jose, California.
If a blood test had been available, “I might have been afraid of the results” but would have “jumped on that” to find out, she said.
More than 5 million people in the United States and millions more around the world have Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia. To be diagnosed with it, people must have symptoms such as memory loss plus evidence of a buildup of a protein called beta-amyloid in the brain.
The best way now to measure the protein is a costly PET brain scan that usually is not covered by insurance. That means most people don’t get one and are left wondering if their problems are due to normal aging, Alzheimer’s or something else.
The blood test from C2N Diagnostics of St. Louis aims to fill that gap. The company’s founders include Drs. David Holtzman and Randall Bateman of Washington University School of Medicine, who headed research that led to the test and are included on a patent that the St. Louis university licensed to C2N.
ABOUT THE TEST
The test is not intended for general screening or for people without symptoms — it’s aimed at people 60 and older who are having thinking problems and are being evaluated for Alzheimer’s. It’s not covered by insurance or Medicare; the company charges $1,250 and offers discounts based on income. Only doctors can order the test and results come within 10 days. It’s sold in all but a few states in the U.S. and just was cleared for sale in Europe.
It measures two types of amyloid particles plus various forms of a protein that reveal whether someone has a gene that raises risk for the disease. These factors are combined in a formula that includes age, and patients are given a score suggesting low, medium or high likelihood of having amyloid buildup in the brain.
If the test puts them in the low category, “it’s a strong reason to look for other things” besides Alzheimer’s, Bateman said.
“There are a thousand things that can cause someone to be cognitively impaired,” from vitamin deficiencies to medications, Holtzman said.
“I don’t think this is any different than the testing we do now” except it’s from a blood test rather than a brain scan, he said. “And those are not 100% accurate either.”
ACCURACY CLAIMS
The company has not published any data on the test’s accuracy, although the doctors have published on the amyloid research leading to the test. Company promotional materials cite results comparing the test to PET brain scans — the current gold standard — in 686 people, ages 60-91, with cognitive impairment or dementia.
If a PET scan showed amyloid buildup, the blood test also gave a high probability of that in 92% of cases and missed 8% of them, said the company’s chief executive, Dr. Joel Braunstein.
If the PET scan was negative, the blood test ruled out amyloid buildup 77% of the time. The other 23% got a positive result, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the blood test was incorrect, Braunstein said. The published research suggests it may detect amyloid buildup before it’s evident on scans.
Braunstein said the company will seek FDA approval and the agency has given it a designation that can speed review. He said study results would be published, and he defended the decision to start selling the test now.
“Should we be holding that technology back when it could have a big impact on patient care?” he asked.
WHAT OTHERS SAY
Dr. Eliezer Masliah, neuroscience chief at the U.S. National Institute on Aging, said the government funded some of the work leading to the test as well as other kinds of blood tests.
“I would be cautious about interpreting any of these things,” he said of the company’s claims. “We’re encouraged, we’re interested, we’re funding this work but we want to see results.”
Heather Snyder of the Alzheimer’s Association said it won’t endorse a test without FDA approval. The test also needs to be studied in larger and diverse populations.
“It’s not quite clear how accurate or generalizable the results are,” she said.
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Business
Addition Financial Foundation Awards $175,000 to 10 Central Florida Nonprofits
Published
5 days agoon
September 10, 2026
Fifth annual Community Giving Celebration recognizes organizations serving families, students and communities across the region
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Addition Financial Foundation honored 10 Central Florida nonprofit organizations Wednesday during its fifth annual Community Giving Celebration, awarding $175,000 in unrestricted grants and providing recipients with year-round organizational support.
The breakfast and awards ceremony was held at Addition Financial Arena on the University of Central Florida campus, bringing together representatives from the nonprofit, government, education and business communities.
Established in 2021, the foundation is the philanthropic arm of Lake Mary-based Addition Financial Credit Union. Each organization selected for the 2026 Community Giving Class was nominated by an Addition Financial team member based on its work in communities served by the credit union.
10 NONPROFITS RECEIVE COMMUNITY GIVING GRANTS
Three organizations — Central Florida Community Arts, Children’s Safety Village and Embrace Health — each received $20,000 grants. Seven additional nonprofits received $15,000 each: Empowered Girls Inc., First Tee Central Florida, Foundation for Foster Children, Gentian Creek Preserve, Prospera, Save a Life Pet Rescue and Tech Sassy Girlz.
The grants are unrestricted, allowing the organizations to direct the funding toward areas they determine will have the greatest impact.
“The Community Giving Celebration gives us an opportunity to shine a light on nonprofit organizations that are addressing important needs and creating meaningful change across our community,” said Cristina Lehman, executive director of the Addition Financial Foundation.
Lehman said the foundation’s involvement extends beyond the grants, including connecting organizations with volunteers, resources and opportunities throughout the year.
ADDITIONAL $5,000 AWARDS PRESENTED
Two additional $5,000 awards were presented during the celebration.
The Greatest Investment Girls Empowerment Program, a previous Community Giving Class participant, received one award. Save a Life Pet Rescue received another following a vote by Addition Financial team members who contribute to the foundation.
In addition to financial support, the 2026 class will receive volunteer assistance from Addition Financial employees, complimentary use of the organization’s community room and workshops on topics including media relations, fundraising and grant writing.
YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
The Community Giving program is designed to build relationships between Addition Financial and nonprofit organizations beyond a single grant cycle.
This year’s recipients work across a range of areas, including arts and culture, child safety, health, youth development, education, foster care, environmental conservation, entrepreneurship, animal rescue and technology education.
Through unrestricted grants and continuing support, the foundation said the program is intended to help nonprofits strengthen their operations while expanding their impact throughout Central Florida.
Business
AdventHealth Recruiting Nurses, Technologists and Clinical Professionals at 8 Central Florida Locations
Published
1 week agoon
September 8, 2026
The Sept. 9 regional hiring event will connect nurses, imaging and laboratory professionals, respiratory therapists and other clinical workers with hiring managers at eight AdventHealth locations.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — AdventHealth will hold a regional hiring event Wednesday, Sept. 9, at eight locations across Central Florida as the health system looks to expand its clinical workforce to meet growing demand for patient care.
The hiring events will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and give nurses, technologists and other clinical professionals an opportunity to meet directly with hiring managers and clinical leaders, participate in on-site interviews and potentially receive same-day job offers for select positions, according to AdventHealth.
The recruitment effort comes as Central Florida’s population growth continues to increase demand for health care services across hospitals, emergency departments and other care sites.
High-Demand Clinical Positions
AdventHealth said career opportunities are available across several high-need clinical areas, including:
- Nursing
- Imaging
- Laboratory
- Respiratory care
- Surgical services
- Other clinical specialties
The regional format allows applicants to explore opportunities at multiple AdventHealth facilities while connecting directly with the people responsible for hiring and clinical operations.
Eight Central Florida Hiring Locations
Hiring events will be held simultaneously at the following locations from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9:
AdventHealth Altamonte Springs
601 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs
Chatlos Classrooms
AdventHealth Apopka
2100 Ocoee Apopka Road, Apopka
Vyas Conference Rooms
AdventHealth Celebration
400 Celebration Place, Celebration
Mangrove Conference Rooms
AdventHealth East Orlando
7727 Lake Underhill Road, Orlando
Precedo Conference Rooms
AdventHealth Kissimmee
2450 N. Orange Blossom Trail, Kissimmee
Woodlands Conference Rooms
AdventHealth Orlando, AdventHealth for Women & Children
601 E. Rollins St., Orlando
Alden Conference Room
AdventHealth Winter Park
200 N. Lakemont Ave., Winter Park
First Floor Conference Center
AdventHealth Winter Garden
2000 Fowler Grove Blvd., Winter Garden
First Floor Conference Rooms
Central Florida Growth Driving Recruitment
AdventHealth said the regional recruitment initiative is designed to strengthen clinical teams as the health system expands access to care throughout Central Florida.
Hiring across multiple hospitals and specialties also reflects the range of health care workers needed to support growing communities — from bedside nurses and respiratory professionals to diagnostic imaging, laboratory and surgical-services teams.
For qualified candidates, the possibility of interviewing directly with hiring managers and receiving a same-day offer for select positions could also shorten the traditional hiring process.
How to Register
Health care professionals interested in attending can register through the official AdventHealth Central Florida Hiring Event page.
Event: AdventHealth Central Florida Regional Hiring Event
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Locations: Eight AdventHealth facilities across Central Florida
FNN Community & Business
The regional hiring initiative represents a significant employment opportunity for Central Florida’s health care workforce while highlighting the continued demand for clinical professionals as the region’s population and health care needs expand.
Business
DOJ, DOT and DHS Launch Nationwide Crackdown on CDL Fraud, Trucking Schools and Unqualified Drivers
Published
1 week agoon
September 8, 2026
Federal agencies say the new Joint Task Force Crossroads of America will target fraudulent CDL training and testing, identity and document fraud, unauthorized employment and suspected criminal activity across the commercial trucking industry.
DETROIT (FNN) — The Justice, Transportation and Homeland Security departments have launched a sweeping federal initiative targeting alleged fraud and public-safety violations in the commercial trucking industry, including questionable driver training, commercial driver’s license testing, identity fraud and suspected criminal activity.
Eight U.S. attorneys joined federal transportation and homeland security officials Aug. 31 to announce Joint Task Force Crossroads of America, a multistate law enforcement partnership initially bringing together U.S. attorney’s offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio with federal, state and local agencies.
The initiative brings together DOJ, the Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other law enforcement agencies.
Among the most immediate actions, FMCSA announced the emergency removal of more than 110 commercial driver training providers associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed federal English-language proficiency requirements. The agency is also proposing removal of more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers.
DHS, meanwhile, announced enforcement activity involving more than 200 driving schools and related businesses across 23 states.
Federal Government Targets CDL Fraud
Federal officials say the initiative is designed to identify fraudulent training and licensing practices while determining whether trucking companies, schools, testing operations or other businesses are circumventing federal requirements.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said DOJ will work with federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute alleged fraud affecting highway safety.
“The safety of American roadways affects everyone across the country,” Blanche said in the federal announcement.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said federal transportation regulators need law enforcement support to pursue suspected fraud involving training schools and other participants in the commercial licensing system.
The government’s announcement also included broader claims by administration officials concerning immigration enforcement and highway safety. Those statements represent the administration’s characterization of the problem; the specific enforcement actions announced by FMCSA focus on compliance with federal commercial-driver training, testing and qualification requirements.
110 CDL Training Providers Face Emergency Removal
FMCSA said it examined roadside inspection records involving commercial drivers cited for failing federal English-language proficiency requirements and compared those records with its Training Provider Registry.
That analysis identified training providers that repeatedly certified drivers who subsequently failed the federal requirement, according to the agency.
FMCSA said it will emergency-remove more than 110 Entry-Level Driver Training providers from its registry. The affected providers must cease federally recognized training operations, including classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction.
The government says those schools are associated with more than 5,000 drivers who failed English-language proficiency tests.
Removal from the federal registry is an administrative action and should not, by itself, be characterized as a criminal conviction or finding of criminal fraud.
40-State Investigation Finds Training Problems
The enforcement campaign extends beyond the 110 providers.
FMCSA said it deployed 175 investigators across 40 states in July to conduct nearly 400 investigations of entry-level driver training providers.
According to the agency, investigators identified problems including instructors who lacked appropriate licenses, inadequate facilities for required driving maneuvers and missing assessment records.
One provider allegedly claimed its classroom operated from a school bus located inside the back of a trailer, according to FMCSA.
The investigations resulted in more than 160 notices of proposed removal from the federal Training Provider Registry.
FMCSA further said drivers certified by those providers have been linked to 239 commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities.
That figure warrants careful distinction: the agency’s release describes the drivers as linked to those fatalities; it does not establish from that statistic alone that training deficiencies caused each crash.
Nationwide Audit of CDL Skills Testers
Federal regulators are also turning their attention to the people and organizations administering commercial driving tests.
FMCSA announced a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight of those testers.
The agency said more than 28,000 commercial drivers have been placed out of service for English-language proficiency violations since June 2025. FMCSA argues that the number raises concerns about whether testing and state oversight are consistently enforcing federal requirements.
States found substantially out of compliance with federal CDL requirements can face corrective action and, eventually, financial consequences.
According to FMCSA, unresolved substantial noncompliance can result in withholding of federal highway funds—up to 4% initially and potentially 8% in subsequent years. Serious deficiencies can also lead toward decertification of a state’s CDL program.
DHS Targets More Than 200 Driving Schools
DHS is conducting a parallel criminal-investigation and immigration-enforcement effort.
Homeland Security Investigations said its initiative is examining suspected CDL fraud, unauthorized employment, identity-document fraud, financial crimes, money laundering and labor exploitation, along with potential connections to human smuggling, drug trafficking and cartel activity.
Those categories describe investigative targets and potential violations identified by DHS; they do not mean every school, trucking company or driver contacted by investigators has committed a crime.
According to the federal announcement, HSI planned coordinated activity involving more than 200 driving schools across 23 states and said more than 1,000 business leads had been distributed to investigators.
Field offices had also issued more than 80 notices of inspection and opened multiple investigations, according to DHS.
Investigations Include DMV Employees, Medical Certifications and Trucking Companies
Federal authorities disclosed several categories of ongoing investigations.
HSI said investigators are examining allegations that some state motor vehicle employees accepted payments to help applicants circumvent driver’s license and CDL requirements.
Other investigations involve suspected misuse of B-1/B-2 visa holders for domestic cargo transportation, potentially improper medical certifications, identity fraud and alleged labor exploitation involving visa holders.
DHS also said investigators are examining possible shell companies, financial crimes and transportation businesses potentially connected to broader criminal activity.
Because many of these matters remain investigations, allegations of misconduct have not necessarily resulted in criminal charges or convictions.
Federal Trucking Enforcement Reaches Florida
The federal initiative also includes activity in Florida.
According to the government’s announcement, DHS’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Miami Field Office coordinated an operation with the Florida Department of Transportation, FMCSA and commercial vehicle enforcement authorities during the week of Aug. 24.
Other coordinated operations were identified in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Michigan and Wisconsin.
DHS also identified several broader enforcement initiatives involving commercial transportation, including Operation ICE Wall, Operation Guardrail and Operation Freightliner.
What It Means for Trucking Companies and CDL Schools
The initiative significantly expands federal scrutiny beyond individual commercial drivers.
Training schools could face removal from FMCSA’s registry, while third-party testers will face a nationwide audit. State licensing agencies could also come under federal review if regulators identify systemic compliance failures.
Trucking companies may face additional scrutiny involving driver qualifications, employment authorization, federal employment records and compliance with commercial vehicle regulations.
At the same time, the government’s actions distinguish between administrative enforcement and criminal prosecution. A provider’s removal from a federal training registry does not automatically establish criminal fraud, while criminal cases require prosecutors to establish violations under applicable law.
Joint Task Force Brings Multiple Agencies Together
Joint Task Force Crossroads of America combines the U.S. attorney’s offices in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio with agencies including FMCSA, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Eight U.S. attorneys participated in the announcement, representing federal districts in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois.
Federal officials say the task force’s goals include reducing highway fatalities and serious injuries, identifying criminal networks, deterring fraudulent trucking practices and improving coordination among federal, state and local authorities.
What’s Next?
FMCSA is expected to proceed with the emergency removal of the identified training providers while continuing proposed-removal proceedings involving more than 160 others.
Federal transportation officials will also conduct the nationwide examination of third-party CDL skills testers and state oversight programs.
DHS and HSI investigations into suspected licensing fraud, unauthorized employment, document fraud and related financial crimes are continuing, while the newly established DOJ task force provides a mechanism for federal prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to coordinate potential criminal cases.
The next major question will be how many of the regulatory investigations ultimately produce administrative sanctions, license actions or federal criminal charges.
For drivers, trucking companies and CDL schools, the announcement signals that federal enforcement is expanding from roadside driver inspections into the broader system responsible for training, testing, licensing and employing commercial drivers.
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