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.

Pennsylvania hospitals may be able to resume elective procedures and surgeries in the near future.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania's governor is calling for mandated race and ethnicity data collection in COVID-19 cases across the state. That’s because…

Stimulus checks are popping up in mailboxes and bank accounts across the Lehigh Valley. Although some may be tempted to splurge — WLVR’s Brittany Sweeney spoke to a financial expert about smart ways to make it last.

The Lehigh Valley will not be among the first areas of the state to reopen next month. Governor Tom Wolf outlined more details on the plan for Pennsylvania on Wednesday, April 22 and as WLVR’s Tyler Pratt reports, it will move forward in three phases: red, yellow and green.

Pennsylvania’s liquor control board is ramping up operations to try and meet demand for online orders.

In many ways, Dr. Rachel Levine has become the face of the COVID-19 crisis in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania has new mandatory protections for workers employed at essential businesses with in-person operations.

As coronavirus cases spike in nursing homes across the Lehigh Valley, state health officials are reporting that about half of all COVID-19-related deaths are in Pennsylvania’s long term care facilities.

Reports of child abuse and neglect have fallen significantly in the Lehigh Valley and across the state but it’s not a good sign for children in a time of social distancing.

State officials say Pennsylvania seniors should stock up on their medications now -- and should have them delivered to avoid going out.

A patient with coronavirus in the Lehigh Valley has died. This marks the first death in Pennsylvania.

Telemedicine companies across the country are reporting unprecedented volumes of patients wanting to use their remotely accessible services. Health officials are encouraging patients with suspected coronavirus symptoms to audio or video call rather than possibly infect others by physically visiting a doctor’s office or emergency room.