Health & Wellness News

Legislators worked to establish penalties for xylazine use and trafficking in an attempt to lessen its presence in Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply. Some say doing so made way for a new, unclassified veterinary tranquilizer to take its place — medetomidine.

Nearly a year after the Biden administration designated xylazine as an "emerging threat" to the United States, Gov. Josh Shapiro classified it as a schedule III drug, making unauthorized possession a crime in Pennsylvania. Experts say the move has partly served to clear the way for new illicit substances to enter the drug market.

Proposed federal budget cuts would impact programs such as the free summer meal program for children in the Allentown School District.

The $2.75 million payment to the federal government resolves allegations that a pharmacy technician stole controlled substances on about 40 occasions and the health network failed to institute proper controls.

Despite not being approved for human consumption, veterinary tranquilizers are infiltrating the illicit drug supply in Pennsylvania. Harm reduction specialists and health care professionals say these overdoses can't be approached solely with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal drug.

A generous donation from a Lehigh Valley native and others funds free swim lessons for children and adults in the River Crossing YMCA's Safety Around Water, or SAW, swim education program.

The bill would limit the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firefighting foam containing PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, beginning in 2026.

Xylazine, an animal-grade tranquilizer that's not approved for human use, has taken Pennsylvania's illicit drug supply by storm. Known on the streets as "tranq," it accounted for almost 1 in 4 overdose deaths in Pennsylvania by 2023. Last year in Lehigh County, it was a contributing cause of death in 20 of the 112 deadly overdoses, or 17.9 percent of cases.

The funding comes from the commonwealth’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program, a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Known as "tranq" on the streets, an animal tranquilizer named xylazine infiltrated drug supplies throughout Pennsylvania since 2019. Its presence in the Lehigh Valley has grown, with deadly consequences.

With the Lehigh Valley under an extreme heat warning through Wednesday, area doctors are urging residents to keep hydrated and stay cool.

The U.S. Senate could vote on the proposed One Big Beautiful Bill Act this week. If passed, millions of Americans would lose access to Medicaid and SNAP benefits in order to fund border security and tax cuts to wealthy Americans.

Dr. Rachel Levine said she would continue to promote science and fact-based COVID-19 guidance if confirmed to be Assistant U.S. Secretary of Health during a hearing before a U.S. Senate committee Thursday.

Thanks to an additional shipment of the Pfizer vaccine, the Bethlehem Health Bureau is adding first-dose appointments to its Wind Creek clinic to be given on Feb 26.

Weather delays and a mixup on the state level have caused second doses of the COVID vaccine to be canceled across Pennsylvania. The Allentown Health Bureau is just one location in the Lehigh Valley rescheduling patients at the last minute.

Mental health conditions continue to skyrocket during the pandemic, leaving many feeling hopeless. But a Lehigh Valley psychiatrist says there are ways to combat the mental health crisis.

A Lehigh Valley organization is teaming up with a local health network in an effort to boost access to the vaccine in communities that may need it most.

Some Lehigh Valley healthcare providers are scrambling to see if they can still hold vaccine clinics next week because of a statewide shortage of Moderna shots.

Healthcare providers across Pennsylvania will have to follow new rules from the state on vaccine distribution or face serious consequences.

More than 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Pennsylvania so far. To celebrate the hard-won milestones, some social media users have been sharing photos of their vaccination cards.

COVID-19 cases at Northampton and Lehigh County jails are dwindling after months of concern about high case numbers. But lockdowns will remain in place.

Marshmallow lovers can rest easy today. After coronavirus caused a nine-month hiatus the locally-made Peeps are making a comeback.

In the wake of concerns about getting vaccines from the state next week, Lehigh Valley Health Network says it’s keeping its vaccination appointments for next week, as it feverishly lobbies the state for more doses.

Lehigh Valley Health Network may not get the vaccine shipment it was counting on for next week. Network leaders are scrambling to find out where the doses are for scheduled shots.