December 30, 2025
Headlines

Adolescents

Marijuana use associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens

Marijuana use associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens

DRRA03 mins

Using marijuana just once or twice a month was associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens, according to a large national study of adolescents led by Ryan Sultán, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The more frequently teens used cannabis, the more likely they were to report emotional distress and other social and academic problems.  “While previous studies have focused on the effects…

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Scientists uncover genetic components linked to bone density in young people

Scientists uncover genetic components linked to bone density in young people

DRRA05 mins

Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) revealed important genetic components that affect bone density in children and adolescents. This information could help identify pediatric patients who may benefit from strategies to help improve their bone health at an early age, helping them maintain healthy bones and prevent fractures in adulthood. Many children experience fractures…

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Year-long adherence to buprenorphine sharply reduces overdose risk in young people

Year-long adherence to buprenorphine sharply reduces overdose risk in young people

DRRA03 mins

New research from Mass General Brigham finds that adolescents and young adults who stayed on the medication buprenorphine for at least a year had markedly lower risks of opioid overdose and hospitalization compared with peers who discontinued medication early or took it inconsistently. The results, published in Pediatrics, are especially relevant as youth overdose death…

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COVID-19 vaccination linked to lower long COVID risk in adolescents

COVID-19 vaccination linked to lower long COVID risk in adolescents

DRRA02 mins

Adolescents who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were less likely to develop long COVID after their first SARS-CoV-2 infection than unvaccinated peers, finds a new study. The study, led by the NIH-funded RECOVER Initiative, is the first to examine the potential benefits of COVID vaccination in adolescents beyond lowering the severity of initial COVID symptoms.  “These…

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Researchers highlight ethical implications of clinical trial terminations

Researchers highlight ethical implications of clinical trial terminations

DRRA04 mins

The termination of thousands of federal grants that fund clinical trials threatens to reverse substantial progress in understanding and treating the health challenges of marginalized populations, particularly children and adolescents who are already underrepresented in research.  A new commentary in the medical journal Pediatrics raises important concerns about the ethics of stopping clinical trials before…

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