Health & Wellness News

Prescription drug middlemen are being blamed by independent pharmacies for revenue decline, under-reimbursement, and financial strain. As more of the smaller shops shutter, local pharmacists are calling for reform.

Medical students across the country found out where they are headed for their residencies on Match Day on Friday. For the first time, St. Luke’s Katz School of Medicine held a ceremony in Bethlehem along with partner school Temple University in Philadelphia.

WLVR's Megan Frank talks with journalists Stephanie Sigafoos and Brittany Sweeney.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Health care companies across the Lehigh Valley are giving a voice to colorectal cancer patients and their care givers to raise awareness.

About a million Pennsylvanians have medical debt, but a proposal in the Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2024-25 budget could help alleviate those debts. State Rep. Josh Siegel, who represents parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township, is an advocate for the proposal.

More than two dozen residents showed up at a zoning meeting last month to speak against Ripple's plans in Allentown to build so-called medical respite rooms, but none got the chance.

Most of America “springs forward” Sunday, March 10, 2024, for daylight saving time and losing that hour of sleep can do more than leave you tired and cranky the next day. It also could affect your health.

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Technology called cold capping helps people retain their hair during chemotherapy. A mother shares her experience using it while fighting cancer.

A ribbon cutting for Lehigh Valley Hospital Macungie was held Friday. The neighborhood hospital is a small scale emergency department.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey got a mention during President Biden's State of the Union address but U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Lehigh Valley, did not. Politics reporter Tom Shortell provides a post-mortem on the SOTU.

The medication used to treat COVID-19 is widely available, but underused for treatment. Although it’s no longer free through the government, most insurances still cover the drug.

The United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation have launched a $500,000 fundraising campaign to strengthen food access and deliver rapid relief to families in need.

In the Lehigh Valley, 105,000 people rely on SNAP benefits for food assistance. One in four of them is a child. When federal safety nets falter, the charitable food network becomes the community’s last line of defense. It requires collaboration, leadership and shared purpose.

About 400 Allentown families came to The Salvation Army for The Give Back resource event Wednesday, where they received shelf-stable food, daily necessities, and more, just as federal assistance benefits are about to be cut off.

The move announced Monday affects patients at LVHN hospitals and offices in the Lehigh Valley – those properties that were providing care before Jefferson Health’s acquisition of LVHN last summer.

The St. Luke’s D&L RaceFest signups are open, offering participants a chance to qualify for the prestigious Boston Marathon.

The Lehigh Valley International Airport on Friday debuted GoodMaps, a smartphone-driven, audio guidance app for passengers with physical and emotional challenges.

The Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley held groundbreaking ceremonies for its facility expansion on Wednesday in South Whitehall Township.

The Bethlehem data of St. Luke’s recently completed triennial Community Health Needs Assessment was released at Nitschmann Middle School on Monday.

The Nazareth branch of the River Crossing YMCA announced a $9 million renovation project that will begin in April 2026. The project is $1.5 million short of its goal.

The Philadelphia-based health system will lay off 1% of its staff, citing "financial headwinds." Jefferson Health completed its acquisition of Lehigh Valley Health Network in August 2024.

"Behind Closed Doors: Opening Conversations That Matter" brought panelists to the Northampton County Courthouse to discuss domestic violence and the role the law plays.

The findings from St. Luke’s University Health Network’s recently completed triennial Community Health Needs Assessment revealed a host of medical-related conditions and concerns of Allentown residents.