The Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines pose no threat to male fertility, a finding experts hope will prompt more men to get vaccinated. Researchers noted that the original clinical trials of the two mRNA vaccines didn’t assess how they might affect fertility. “Vaccine hesitancy is a barrier to ending the COVID-19 pandemic, and we believe…  read on >  read on >

Smoking pot appears to affect teens’ brain development, altering it in ways that could diminish their reasoning, decision-making and memory skills as they age, a new study reports. Brain scans of about 800 teenagers found that those who started smoking pot tended to have increased thinning of the cerebral cortex — the outer layer of…  read on >  read on >

Aiming to deliver a one-two punch to the herpes virus, animal research on an experimental drug found it tackled active infections and reduced or eliminated the risk of future outbreaks. Existing treatments, such as Zovirax, Valtrex or Famvir, are only effective at the first task; they can help treat cold sores and genital eruptions once…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. fast-food industry has boosted spending on ads targeting kids, especially Black and Hispanic youth, new research shows. For the study, the researchers analyzed data on ad spending and TV ad exposure for 274 fast-food restaurants and found that annual spending hit $5 billion in 2019, up more than $400 million between 2012 and…  read on >  read on >

When depression strikes teachers, they can suffer mightily, but a new study suggests their students’ ability to learn might also be harmed. Researchers found a correlation between teachers’ depressive symptoms and math skills in early learners enrolled in Head Start programs. Head Start is a U.S. government program providing early education, nutrition, health and parent…  read on >  read on >

Researchers say an extra dose of two-dose COVID-19 vaccines may improve immune system protection for organ transplant patients, a group that’s so far responded poorly to two-dose vaccines. “Our findings suggest clinical trials are warranted to determine if transplant recipients should receive COVID-19 vaccine booster doses as standard clinical practice, similar to what is currently…  read on >  read on >