BBC World Service - Health Check
Health Check
Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.
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What a Trump presidency means for global health
As Trump is elected to a second term in office, what will his policies mean for U.S. and global health funding, vaccine distribution and international health strategies?
Also on the program, have you ever wondered what health issues we should worry about if humans settle in space? Claudia speaks with the Wienersmiths, a husband-and-wife team who authored a book exploring the possibility of space colonies, sharing insights on the scientific and logistical challenges of sustaining life beyond Earth. And we hear the latest on Pakistan’s smog crisis, examining its persistent impact on communities and its place within the global issue of air pollution.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins and Jack Lee
(Image: President-Elect Donald Trump Meets With Biden, Congressional Leaders In Washington. Credit: Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images)
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Tuberculosis returns as top infectious disease
A new global report has found that tuberculosis is once again the leading infectious disease causing mortality around the globe, as covid cases recede. We find out what can be done to tackle the issue, and what lessons have been learned in the fight against this pernicious, but largely curable, illness.
Also on the show, are we seeing the first cases of locally transmitted Mpox outside of the African continent? And FND, or functional neurologic disorder – the most common disorder you’ve probably never heard of.
Image Credit: KATERYNA KON/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
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Weight loss gold rush
The telehealth industry is booming, but a new investigation reveals a hidden network of medical groups fuelling the rise of online prescriptions for weight-loss drugs. Are patients being put at risk in this rush for GLP-1 medications?
Also on the show, we get an update on how a decade of research into digital avatar therapy is helping patients with psychosis challenge the voices they hear. Plus, how does the experience of egg donation vary around the world?
Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Katie Tomsett and Margaret Sessa-Hawkins
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Organ transplant in HIV+ patients
A new study from America looks at the safety of organ transplants between people with HIV. Its promising results raise the potential for expanding access to life-saving treatments.
This week's show also examines a surprising resurgence of scurvy, a disease often associated with historical poverty. Is the current cost of living crisis contributing to nutritional deficiencies? Plus, an update from the Africa CDC reveals encouraging news about the Marburg virus outbreak, but a grim warning about the spread of Mpox.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Margaret Sessa Hawkins
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Rapid malaria diagnoses
Can rapid diagnostic tests make a difference in the fight against malaria? A new study tries to quantify the real-world difference these tests are making.
Also on the show, what can we learn from a single documented case of a medical anomaly: like the recent study of a break dancer presenting with a thickened skull. And Claudia learns to surf – all in the name of health.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins