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Thermo Fisher Scientific settles with family of Henrietta Lacks, whose HeLa cells uphold medicine

BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 70 years after doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital took Henrietta Lacks’ cervical cells without her knowledge, a lawyer for her descendants said they have reached a settlement with a biotechnology company they sued in 2021, accusing its leaders of reaping billions of dollars from a racist medical system. Tissue taken from the Black woman’s tumor before she died of cervical cancer became the first human cells to be successfully cloned. Reproduced infinitely ever since, HeLa cells have become a cornerstone of modern medicine, enabling countless scientific ...

UPMC, regional EMS donate to Lyco police

WILLIAMSPORT — A community partnership between UPMC, the Lycoming Regional Police Department (LRPD), Susquehanna Regional EMS (SREMS), and Susquehanna Health Foundation is helping improve the health and safety of the community through the donation of 10 fully-equipped medical emergency ...

How to garden safely

Gardening can be a great way to stay active, enjoy the outdoors and cultivate a beautiful space. However, gardening can also be physically demanding and pose certain challenges for people of all ages. Whether you are young and just starting out with gardening or are older and looking to ...

Geisinger 65 Forward Health Centers promote fitness, fun

DANVILLE — Patients at Geisinger 65 Forward Health Centers in Buckhorn, Scranton and State College recently enjoyed activities designed for fun and socialization while promoting health and fitness for older adults. The Buckhorn group met in spacious Bloomsburg Town Park where they started ...

Gene therapy eyedrops restored a boy’s sight. Similar treatments could help millions

MIAMI (AP) — Dr. Alfonso Sabater pulled up two photos of Antonio Vento Carvajal’s eyes. One showed cloudy scars covering both eyeballs. The other, taken after months of gene therapy given through eyedrops, revealed no scarring on either eye. Antonio, who’s been legally blind for much of his 14 years, can see again. The teen was born with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition that causes blisters all over his body and in his eyes. But his skin improved when he joined a clinical trial to test the world’s first topical gene therapy. That gave Sabater an ...

We’ve got your back

Back pain isn’t just uncomfortable – it can impact your productivity and keep you from doing things you enjoy. As of 2019, 39 percent of adults have reported back pain, which is most commonly located in the lower back area. When you lift, reach or twist, it is possible to hurt anywhere ...