Health & Wellness News

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 anti-violence program is funded through a $1.28 million grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The program will continue next school year.

From over-the-counter drugs to prescription medications, supply seems to be dwindling for certain meds. A doctor and pharmacist from the Lehigh Valley are explaining what they are seeing firsthand.

Doctors say Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin is awake. But for viewers, watching his collapse on live TV could be leaving a lasting impact. A local psychologist says collective trauma can make people anxious.

Wolf said his request is “a critical step to allow the General Assembly to focus their work on this important, and potentially life-saving, task.”

At the latest hearing for the proposed facility, both witnesses spoke about the need for recovery houses. "There's as much effort being made to get the drugs out there as to keep them also on the down-low, very silenced, so no one really can tell. And they're attacking our young population.” Julissa Pena, a witness for the applicant said.

In December, Northampton County Council adopted an ordinance placing new restrictions on County Executive Lamont McClure's plans for a clinic treating county employees. After Thursday night's vote, it's set to go into effect.

The senator was diagnosed with cancer last month. His father, former Pennsylvania governor Robert Casey, also had the disease before his death in 2000.

The Damar Hamlin emergency showcased the importance of having the right skills and tools on hand and acting as quickly as possible, officials say. Public interest in learning CPR has jumped in the aftermath.

Lehigh Valley Health Network announced Wednesday that they have acquired Venel Institute Medical Education and Research Center in Bethlehem. This will expand LVHN's educational reach.

Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin is in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest on the field Monday night. A cardiologist with Lehigh Valley Health Network explains what that is and how fast-acting physicians on the sidelines may have saved his life.

The World Health organization is changing the name of monkeypox. The current name is thought to be both racist and stigmatizing.

Holiday gatherings threaten to increase the number of COVID cases in the community. A St. Luke's doctor weighs in on what he thinks that will mean for masking in schools after winter break.

The Lown Institute evaluated hospitals across the country. St. Luke’s was ranked third out of more than 300 hospital systems for social responsibility.