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.

The salad, sold by Wegmans, has been found to contain undeclared milk, posing a potential risk to individuals with milk allergies.

The free classes will take place at Cedar Beach and ArtsWalk parks through June, with the Cedar Beach sessions extending through the summer. The classes are a partnership between the yoga studios and the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

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

A new advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General warns of the harmful effects social media can have on the well-being of kids and teens. A psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania has advice for parents.

A Lehigh Valley author is releasing a new self-help book on anxiety. He said he saw the need for more information on the topic following the pandemic.

He is asking state lawmakers to approve $500 million to improve the emotional well-being of youth over the next five years

MOM-n-PA, a free dental clinic, is seeking nurses and physicians to help run its annual tw-day event.

The Lehigh Valley Employment Coalition connects people with disabilities to job opportunities. The connections made do not fill a position but have positive health outcomes for the employees.

A Lehigh Valley woman tells her story about going through two cancer diagnosis' and what she does to pay it forward. She was one of the survivors honored at the Celebration of Champions gala.

Eighty volunteers helped lay 30,000 square feet of sod at the home of retired Marine Corps veteran Daniel Lasko, who lost his left leg in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2004.

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

Baby goats, chickens, and even lizards were met with hugs from the seniors, celebrating nursing home week.