Health Check

MPox vaccines are finally arriving on the African continent, but are they getting to the places that need them most? We look at what the situation is, and why it can take so long for vaccines to get where they are needed.Also on the show, can you catch up on missed weekday sleep on the weekends, and the test that shows promise for new snakebite treatments.

In 2017, Adam Tjolle accidentally discovered he had a brain tumour. At the time, presenter and close friend Claudia Hammond followed him on his journey before, during and after undergoing life-changing surgery. Meeting up now in Malawi, Adam and Claudia listen back to the old recordings and reflect on what has changed for Adam since his operation. Adam still lives in Scotland, but his new life after brain surgery sometimes brings him to Malawi, where he works with the Lilongwe Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA). Claudia joins Adam and Dr Tino Razemba at one of the LSPCA’s ‘spay days’, neutering local dogs in underserved communities. As well as getting involved, Claudia has a chance to see Adam’s passion first-hand. Prior to his surgery, Adam’s prognosis was a life expectancy of seven years. That time period has now passed. So what does life mean to Adam now? And today, as one in two people born after 1960 will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point, what can the rest of us can learn

The World Health Organisation has officially declared the spread of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern. Health Check has been following the spread of the disease across the Democratic Republic of Congo and now internationally in recent weeks, and Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC health journalist Philippa Roxby to discuss the latest developments.Claudia and Philippa also look at the doctors strikes taking place across India following the rape and murder of a female doctor in Kolkata. Hundreds of thousands of doctors have refused to work, with hospitals and clinics turning away non-emergency patients.We also find out how prescription drugs get given their names, with Professor Caleb Alexander from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health telling us about the risks of getting it wrong.Claudia also hears how personal objects can help us form links in our brains and remember our loved ones. And the study that suggests we age dramatically in two bursts – at the ages of 44 and 6

More than four years after the start of the Covid pandemic, the virus is showing no signs of fading away. This week, the World Health Organisation warned, in fact, that coronavirus is making a comeback, with 84 countries reporting an increase in positive test rates.For an in-depth look at how the world is coping with the disease, Claudia Hammond speaks to immunologist Professor Danny Altmann from Imperial College London to ask what the future might hold.Claudia is also joined by global health journalist Andrew Green to discuss whether Covid conspiracy theories are leading to a rise in AIDS denialism.We hear the latest developments on the spread of the mosquito and midge-borne Oropouche virus, as cases of the disease are confirmed to have been found in Europe for the first time.And as many of Europe’s major football leagues prepare to get underway again this week, we hear about the tobacco product snus that’s proving to be particularly popular with footballers, and whether it could give them an edge or pose a

Across the African continent cases of MPox have surged 160% this year. What is behind the spread, and what can be done to stop it? Also on the programme: the prescription of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy is increasing as more health benefits are discovered, but what does that mean for supply issues? And there is a lot of talk about lactic acid and the Olympics, but does that word mean what you think it means?(Photo: A mother checks the progress of her son after recovering from Mpox - an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 18 July, 2024. Credit: Arlette Bashizi/Reuters)

The world’s first deaths from the mosquito-borne Oropouche virus have been recorded in Brazil. Two women have died from the illness in the state of Bahia in the northeast of the country.Claudia Hammond is joined by Dr Ayan Panja to discuss the implications of outbreaks of Oropouche across South and Central America.We also hear about the latest developments with Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab as it’s rejected for use by the EU’s health regulator. The European Medicines Agency says the benefits of the drug don’t counterbalance the risk of serious side effects, despite it being approved in the US earlier this year.Claudia and Ayan also look at both the psychology of languishing and whether loneliness leads to a higher risk of having a stroke.And we look at the research suggesting cycling to work can lead to an almost 50% lower risk of dying.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Dan Welsh

Systemic racism affects our wellbeing long before we ever see a doctor. How can the health community address it? Also on the programme, a new malaria vaccine is rolled out in the Ivory Coast, we take a closer look at the story behind it. And while we have long been cautioned against heavy exercise before sleep, it turns out that light intermittent exercise may be the secret to getting a bit more sleep.

In the last two years, online searches for ‘toxic positivity’ have spiked. In this discussion from the Cheltenham Science Festival, we find out what toxic positivity is, and how it can hurt you and people around you.In front of a live audience, Claudia Hammond is joined by psychologist Dr Linda Blair, GP and educator Dr Anisha Patel, and wellbeing consultant and content creator Benjy Kusi.Linda has been interested in the rise in the use of the term ‘toxic positivity’ and has noticed how it’s having an impact on our wellbeing. She reveals why it is important for us not to suppress ‘negative’ feelings and emotions.Anisha was diagnosed with bowel cancer when she was 39. She authored the book Everything You Hoped You’d Never Need To Know About Bowel Cancer, where she speaks about her diagnosis and treatment journey. She experienced first-hand the harm that toxic positivity can do.Benjy works with many different companies to help improve their inclusion and wellbeing practices. He’s the author of the book Hope Thi

A new medication offers a potentially revolutionary disruption in HIV transmission – just as a leading global program to fight the disease gets hit with funding cuts.Also on the program, what can the recent heat wave in India teach the rest of the world about heat adaptation, and how health care systems can deal with rising temperatures world wide.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins

A special episode from this year’s annual Royal Society Summer Exhibition in London, with Claudia Hammond joined by BBC health and science correspondent, James Gallagher, to take a look at a range of new health research. The exhibitions include a look at how special forms of UV light might be able to cut away cancerous cells in brain tumours, with the possibility of light emitting bandages also being used to target cancer treatments. Claudia and James also look at research from The Francis Crick Institute into whether a simple blood test can help work out how to quickly identify patients who are most likely to deteriorate when they have a virus. We also hear how much brain devices we can buy online really tell us about our brain activity, as well as research into how the way babies wriggle may help identify future developmental issues. Claudia and James also compete in a number of scientific games to see who is this year’s Summer Exhibition champion. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Dan Welsh

This week on Health Check, we get an update on a new and concerning strain of MPox that is spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Also on the program, it has been two years since the United States overturned the constitutional right to an abortion with the Dobbs decision. What effect has this had on the global picture of abortion? And could arts-based strategies help doctors to cope with burnout and patient communication. Doctor Graham Easton joins Claudia Hammond to discuss these stories and more. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins(Photo: Test tubes labelled "Monkeypox virus positive" are seen in this illustration. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

This week, Health Check takes a deep dive into the evidence on the relationship between exercise and mental health. Not just whether getting moving can make a difference, but why. Claudia Hammond laces up her running shoes and goes for a jog at the seaside with a group of people who are running for their mental health. Claudia meets the founder of 'Run Talk Run', Jess Robson, and talks to other members of the group about why they find exercise helpful.Back in the studio, Claudia speaks to Jonathan Roiser, Professor of Neuroscience and Mental Health at University College London in the UK. He’s about to embark on a major piece of research that should help us understand a lot more about what exercise does for people with depression. As well as explaining what they’re hoping to discover, he tells her about the latest research into exercise and mental health. Why does it work for some people and not others, and what’s the best exercise for your brain?Then there’s the commonly held belief that exercise is good for

Many of the discussions around how we use the internet focus on its potentially negative impact on our wellbeing, but is that actually the case? A new study of more than 2 million people says being online may actually improve things such as our life satisfaction and sense of purpose.Claudia Hammond is joined by Professor Matt Fox from the Departments of Epidemiology and Global Health at Boston University to look at what this might tell us about the effects of being able to access the internet.We also speak to Dr Edgard Camarós from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, to hear about his study looking at ancient Egyptian skulls that’s found signs doctors at the time may have performed cancer surgery.Claudia and Matt also discuss the latest on a combined vaccine for flu and Covid, as a single shot jab passes an important part of final-stage scientific checks.And we hear about the ‘bug bounty’ programme paying researchers to find errors in published scientific papers.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Produ

A third human case of bird flu has been reported in the US in a farmworker in Michigan who experienced respiratory symptoms. It follows a recent rapid spread of the virus among dairy cows across the country.Claudia Hammond is joined by public health consultant Dr Ike Anya to discuss the latest developments, as half of the nation’s stockpile of the H5N1 vaccine is made ready to deploy.We also hear from the women who’ve posted on social media that they’ve become pregnant after using GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic for weight loss. Claudia speaks to Dr Charlotte Moffat from the University of Ulster about whether the drugs could be interfering with birth control and boosting fertility.We also hear from author David Robson about his new book ‘The Laws of Connection’, which explores the science and health effects of our social connections, and discuss what social strategies we can all take to improve how we socialise.And Claudia and Ike take a look at a competition in South Korea trying to raise awareness of stress where

Life expectancy is expected to increase by almost five years around the world by 2050, according to new research. The Global Burden of Disease Study says countries with lower life expectancy are expected to see the biggest increases.Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC Africa health correspondent Dorcas Wangira to hear how public health measures are behind the predicted increases.We also hear about how negotiations at this week’s World Health Assembly to secure a global deal for countries to prepare for pandemics have fallen through.Claudia and Dorcas discuss new research in Kenya into the time of day mosquitoes are biting children in school, and what it tells us about whether the insects are getting smarter.We also hear about the project twinning hospitals in Mexico and the US to try to improve the survival chances of children with leukaemia.And new research from Australia suggests having a baby takes much more metabolic energy than previously thought. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Dan Welsh Editor: Holly

This week, we’re looking at examples of innovative thinking in medicine. A new, non-invasive device could help people with paralysis to regain movement. And as Namibia passes a critical milestone, we look back on one of the biggest developments in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.Also on the programme, an update on the Korean doctors’ strike, and a summit looks to tackle the often-overlooked problem of indoor air pollution.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins Editor: Holly Squire

We look at the reasons behind a recent surge in Whooping cough cases in Europe and Asia. Also on the program: why are women more susceptible to heat-related mortality, the small patches that could revolutionise vaccines, and the recent Northern Lights sightings have us looking at the psychology of awe.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Panellist: Smitha Mundasad Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins

A research center in Sudan had brought hope for neglected disease mycetoma, we hear from a mycetoma expert how the conflict has affected research. Also on the show, have researchers discovered a genetic form of Alzheimer’s, and for the first time an orangutan is seen making a medicine to treat its own wound – what can this tell us about the history of human medication? Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins

There's been a lot of coverage in the media around the world about the mental health difficulties facing boys, but looking at figures for mental health problems in children and teens, there's clearly something going on with girls too. For some years, research has shown more girls are experiencing problems than boys, with a troubling spike in difficulties showing up in the late teens.On today's programme, Claudia Hammond explores the issue with a variety of guests. She visits King's College London's (KCL) Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience to speak to Gemma Knowles, a lecturer in epidemiology and youth mental health; Craig Morgan, professor of social epidemiology and co-director of ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health; and Valeria Mondelli, a clinical professor of psychoneuroimmunology - about their work with young people, trying to uncover the deeper causes and to find new solutions.She also hears from some of the young people involved in a major study into mental health, conducted by t

After a number of incidents around the world so far this year that have left dozens of flyers needing hospital treatment, we look at how a rise in air turbulence because of global warming is leading to more and more injuries to passengers.Professor Paul Williams from the University of Reading in the UK tells us why turbulence is so hard to plan for, how new technology might be able to help solve the problem, and how despite an increase in incidents it’s still incredibly rare to experience extreme turbulence./Claudia Hammond is also joined by Monica Lakhanpaul, Professor of Integrated Community Child Health at University College London, to look at how a shortage of HPV vaccines is leading to millions of girls across Africa missing out on receiving the shots.Monica also tells us about her new research on the barriers children with epilepsy are facing being able to exercise.We also explore what it’s like for people that don’t have an inner monologue and can’t imagine sounds – a phenomenon known as anauralia.Pres