Health Check

Global health reporter Dorcas Wangira joins Claudia Hammond to discuss how renaming a common health condition affecting millions of women worldwide hopes to improve understanding, treatment and diagnoses. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).Dorcas also brings Claudia Hammond news of a controversial AI algorithm being used by the Kenyan Government to work out how much people should be charged for healthcare costs. We hear from Peru where researchers have been mapping pesticide use and cases of people getting cancer in a major new study. And from the USA where a study on our disease-fighting T cells shows that they become more effective after we’ve eaten a meal.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins, Georgia Christie and Jonathan Blackwell

We bring you the latest on the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise liner MV Hondius with BBC health reporter Smitha Mundasad.Endometriosis, where cells similar to the lining of the womb grow elsewhere in the body, can take up to a decade to get diagnosed despite leaving some women in debilitating pain. A new scanning technique hoping to speed up that diagnosis. Dr Tatjana Gibbons, from Oxford University, who developed the test, explains how it works.We unpack how the way operations are schedules affects patient outcomes with transplants. How electricity is improving treatment for patients with a heart rhythm disorder. Professor Oussama Wazni explains how it works.And how seven rings can translate sign language into text.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins & Georgia Christie

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just awarded fast track status to three companies developing psychedelic drugs as a treatment for addiction and other mental health issues. It comes after President Trump directed $50million dollars to increase their availability. Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC Brazil reporter Camilla Mota to discuss what claims are made for the effectiveness of these drugs.A novel house design, called “Star Homes”, which promote airflow, block insects, and feature rainwater collection systems, can reduce child mortality, demonstrated by a randomised controlled trial in Tanzania. We hear from Professor Lorenz Von Seidlein from the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok about what makes these homes effective in lowering rates of malaria, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections.We hear that the Russian health minister has called for 1 in 3 Russians to be tested for HIV annually. Russia has long had high rates of HIV, but it now has the highest prevalenc

We learn about a new injectable microgel to help reduce bleeding in infants who require surgical care. In a mice model, it reduced bleeding by at least 50%. Ashley Brown, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University and UNC Chapel Hill tells presenter Claudia Hammond more about this new material her team has designed.Joined by Professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at Boston University in the US, Dr Matthew Fox, Claudia hears about a mystery illness that is being investigated by health officials in Burundi, which has caused five deaths and sickened thirty-five people. So far lab analysis of the illness - which causes fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea - has been negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses, Rift Valley fever, and others.We hear about influential analysis from Cochrane which has concluded that "breakthrough" Alzheimer's drugs are unlikely to benefit patients. Researchers said the impact was "well below" what was needed to make a difference to dementia patients' lives. Howe

A minority of patients requiring blood transfusions are increasingly requesting ‘unvaccinated’ blood in the United States, per a new report published in the journal Transfusion. Our studio guest today, genito-urinary consultant Vanessa Apea, explains how this can lead to potentially dangerous delays and higher risks.Presenter Claudia Hammond speaks to Dr Angela Wu, from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and Oxford Tobacco Addiction Group at the University of Oxford, about a new overview of the best available evidence worldwide for smoking cessation. The study, published in the journal Addiction, has found that nicotine‑containing e‑cigarettes appear to be more effective for stopping people smoking than other interventions.We hear how metabolic liver disease could affect nearly 1.8 billion people by 2050, according to new research published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology journal. The growing number of cases means that many people are at risk of developing serious complications, however, t

As the Artemis II crew return to Earth, we uncover the health benefits of the feeling of awe with world-renowned expert, Dacher Keltner. We also discuss how we might find more awe in our everyday lives.What impact is the Iran war having on global health? Journalist Andrew Green unpicks the ramifications of shipping restrictions, ‘black rain’ in Tehran and hacking attacks on medical suppliers.How two boyhood friends have helped developed a new kind of prosthesis with a programme based in Guadalajara. Our reporter Rogelio Navarro has the story.Progress on our understanding of Noma, a severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face. Plus, how some blind people are using echolocation to help them detect objects in their environment.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins and Jonathan BlackwellImage: NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon April 2, 2026. NASA/Handout v

In Australia last year, it was discovered that hardly any sunscreen products actually offered the protection listed on the bottle. Now the Australian regulator has finally proposed sweeping reforms in the country known to be a skin cancer hotspot. Dr Michelle Wong, chemist and science communicator of LabMuffin Beauty Science explains what impact the changes might make.Northern Cyprus is one of the cheapest places to get IVF treatment. However, a British couple have recently discovered their children, conceived at a clinic in the country, are not biologically related despite the couple requesting the same sperm donor for both children. We find out more about what happened and how IVF clinics are regulated globally.How mosquitoes could be used to vaccinate bats against rabies and nipah, and the potential benefit to human health.In Ghana, Pakistan, Rwanda, and South Africa more than half of patients with serious injuries failed to reach medical care within an hour of being injured according to new research. Dr L

For the last few weeks, the news has been dominated by the situation in the Middle East. Joining Claudia Hammond is BBC Health Correspondent James Gallagher who speaks with Dr Antoine Abou Fayad, a microbiologist and medicinal chemist based in Beirut, Lebanon. He reveals that war, just like the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, provides the perfect storm to accelerate the spread of multidrug-resistant infections. And nobody is safe.Following the recent meningitis B outbreak in the UK which has killed two people and led to the rollout of vaccines and preventative antibiotics, Claudia and James discuss how meningitis outbreaks are dealt with in the ‘meningitis belt’ - an area stretching across 26 sub-Saharan African countries and talk about a new vaccine aiming to stop deadly meningitis epidemics which has been confirmed to be safe following analysis of vaccination campaigns in Nigeria and Niger.And India's snakebite crisis is killing near sixty thousand people every year, about six people every hour. Journ

North Korean defectors and lifelong South Korean residents have significantly different cancer rates, despite their genetic similarities; new research finds. Presenter Laura Foster unpacks this study, explaining what it tells us about how upbringing and environment contribute to different cancer rates, and how migration can change these risks.A new study has found GLP-1s – drugs typically used to treat diabetes and obesity – could have an unexpected benefit for patients dealing with substance abuse disorders. Laura speaks with Ziyad Al-Aly, a clinical epidemiologist and Veterans Affairs physician at Washington University in St Louis to understand what this could mean for treating drug and alcohol addictions, and what questions still need answers before this treatment can be rolled out.Last weekend, Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority rolled out new waste management rules to better dispose of products containing plastic, but the new laws are expected to increase the price of sanitary pads by 20%.

New research from Yale shows that aging doesn’t have to result in mental and physical decline. In fact, they found that nearly half of older adults actually improved in cognitive or physical ability over a 12-year period. Dr Graham Easton, a family doctor, discusses what this can teach us about what we can and can’t control when it comes to aging.Brain tumours can be notoriously difficult to treat because many therapeutic drugs are not allowed through the blood-brain barrier – an extremely selective system that controls access in and out of the brain. Now, researchers at the University of Southern California have shown that laser-induced tumour heating can open blood-brain barrier, improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy in brain cancer.Erica Benke reports from Finland, where the Winter Swimming World Cup is underway, looking at why winter swimming is growing in popularity and what researchers say about its real health effects and risks. A once‑rare form of organ donation is now transforming transplant c

Collagen supplements have become increasingly popular over recent years. However, a new review has revealed that although taking collagen may rejuvenate the skin, it won’t stop you from getting wrinkles. Dr Ann Robinson, a family doctor, discusses findings on what collagen is actually doing for your skin. The world is short of nearly a million midwives, a new report in Women and Birth warns. Daniela Drandić, the Head of Advocacy & Communications at the International Confederation of Midwives, is one of the authors of the study and breaks down the reason for this shortage and what could be done to increase numbers. Plus, we hear from Sarah Namyalo, a midwife in Uganda, who is doing her best to serve her community under difficult working conditions. A protein derived from a tick could lead to new therapies for conditions such as MS and certain cancers. Known as ‘evasins’, these proteins produced by parasites such as ticks block the inflammatory response and could prevent the immune system from overreacting

A universal nasal spray vaccine that could block nearly all viruses, and possibly also bacteria and allergens has been successful at early stages of research. By leaving immune cells ‘on alert’, they become ready to jump into action no matter what infection tries to get into the body. Dr Matthew Fox, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Global Health at Boston University, explains what this could mean for the future of disease prevention.Four years into the Ukraine war, the founder of global initiative ‘Think Equal’ Leslee Udwin explains the programmes currently in place to help children to grow through their traumatic experiences. Plus, a teacher in Kharkiv, Violetta Kaleda, as well as some of the children within the programmes, describe the impact of bringing social and emotional learning into education. Prevention campaigns are resuming after the cholera outbreak in Mozambique has now been declared an epidemic by the country’s national director of public health. Reporter Jose Tembe give the lat

How a patient survived for 48 hours without lungs. Too ill to receive a lung transplant straight away, the man relied on an artificial lung while his body recovered from an infection. As he prepares to repeat the procedure for the first time, Dr Ankit Bharat, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine explains the groundbreaking technique. Radiotherapy for abdominal cancers can severely damage the uterus and ovaries, causing infertility. However, a team have developed a technique where the uterus is moved out of harm's way during treatment, and now the first baby has been born to a recipient in Europe. Our studio guest today, genito-urinary consultant Vanessa Apea, explains how it worked and what it might mean for patients. Measles cases are on the rise in many parts of the world with more and more countries losing their elimination status. Rogelio Navarro reports on a particularly significant outbreak in Guadalajara, Jalisco State in Mexico.Condom use is in decline in

Statins are one of the most prescribed drugs in the world as they are highly effective at reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol that causes cardiovascular disease. A new review in the Lancet has found there are far fewer side effects associated with their use than previously thought. New Nipah cases have been reported in India and Bangladesh. Trudie Lang Professor of Global Health Research at the University of Oxford explains the significance and how worried we should be.A team in Cardiff, Wales have designed a reusable sanitary pad that cleans in sunlight. As a trial of the product begins in Nepal, we find out what the participants think of the idea and how it works.What does air pollution do to our bodies? James Gallagher reports. Plus, does pink noise actually help us sleep?Presenter: Laura Foster Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Jonathan Blackwell, Anna Charalambou

Many of us can empathise with that feeling of keeping stuff for years and years. We might keep treasured objects with real sentimental value, or we might have items for a long time - and yet we can't really explain why. For those of us who don’t like getting rid of our belongings, life can feel very full of stuff. But when does a tendency to hold on to things become more worrying? It can be difficult to put a figure on just how many people have what's known as hoarding disorder. So what causes this complex and little discussed issue – and is it more than just a problem of too much stuff? Claudia visits a woman who describes how hoarding has taken over her life to the extent that she doesn’t let anyone into her home. We also meet her psychologist to understand what underpins hoarding disorder and how it’s treated. And joining us in the studio is Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster to look at whether our state of mind when we get vaccinated affects how well

For some communities in South Africa coming-of-age initiations are a hugely significant moment, but there have been rising concerns over the safety of the circumcisions at the heart of this ritual. 48 young men died last year and the government are now introducing measures to tackle the issue. BBC’s Southern Africa correspondent Pumza Fihlani reports on the latest.Research suggests our hair does not grow by pushing up and out but by being pulled by a coordinated network of moving cells. Our studio guest Graham Easton, Professor of Clinical Communication Skills and former family doctor discusses the significance. What’s the best way to encourage more people to give blood? New research from China evaluates system where donors were offered incentives such as free access to public bus services. Professor of Health Psychology Eamonn Ferguson puts this in the context of different approaches used worldwide. And should doctors use emojis in communications with patients? A new paper analyses how many are used and whic

Joined by BBC Brazil reporter Camilla Mota, presenter Claudia Hammond discusses new research from the U.S. that has found that people who have had a vaccine against shingles seem to be aging more slowly.We hear from James Tibenderana, Chief Executive of Malaria Consortium about research from Brazil that shows that as deforestation expands, mosquitoes are increasingly using humans as a blood source instead of wildlife. What does this mean for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases?Plus, why does Brazil have a particularly high number of supercentenarians? And could swearing make you stronger?Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Anna Charalambou

We are often told exercise is good for boosting your mood, but a new Cochrane review has looked at what the evidence says about how much difference exercise can really make when treating depression.Many patients with chronic conditions fail to take medications as prescribed. We discuss a novel pill casing that can send a signal once it has been broken down in the stomach. Prof Giovanni Traverso, gastroenterologist and director of the Laboratory for Translational Engineering at MIT, explains how it works.A year on from the USAID freeze, global health journalist Andrew Green unpicks America’s radically different influence on world health today. In Malawi’s townships, many families can no longer afford charcoal or gas. Instead, they turn to burning plastic waste as cooking fuel. This keeps food on the table but fills kitchens and markets with toxic smoke, contributing to respiratory illness, pregnancy complications, and environmental damage. We hear from our reporter, Carrim Mpaweni.And we look at auto-brewery s

China has just brought in taxes on contraception including condoms in a bid to increase the nation’s birth rate. What impact could this have when considered alongside other “fertility-friendly” policies? Global Health reporter Dorcas Wangira gives her verdict.Could RSV vaccination dramatically reduce childhood asthma? Professor Bart Lambrecht from Ghent University shares his latest research suggesting just that. How school-based vaccination programmes for HPV may provide cancer protection through herd immunity. Plus, BBC reporter Erika Benke takes us to a Finnish sauna to understand what we do, and don’t know about the impact the ancient practice has on our health and wellbeing. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett

In the past decade there has been little progress in lowering malaria cases, with over half a million people still dying from the mosquito-borne disease every year. We look at the big ideas and innovations of the future that could help us eliminate malaria once and for all. What would happen if we got rid of the insect responsible for spreading the malaria parasite? Claudia heads to Imperial College London where she is joined by Dr Federica Bernardini and their 120 colonies of mosquitos to find out how revolutionary genetic technologies are aiming to do just that.Picking up on Imperial’s work in the field is Principal Investigator at Target Malaria in Uganda, Dr Jonathan Kayondo. His job is to understand what it would mean to release these modified mosquitos into the wild.Looking at the existing tools that need levelling up is Dr Rob Moon, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Dr James Tibenderana, Chief Executive at the Malaria Consortium. Alongside Claudia they look at the next gene