Health Check

This week on Health Check, polio makes an unwelcome return to the African continent and measles cases are soaring among children in Afghanistan. We hear from WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris and Médecins Sans Frontières’ Sarah Vuylsteke and Maxime Pirard who are based at Herat Regional Hospital in western Afghanistan. We also hear how the pandemic has impacted children worldwide, from disruption to routine vaccination services to studies suggesting high mortality rates among children with Covid-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. Now Covid-19 has exposed gaps in health care systems and inequalities in societies around the world. We discuss how the pandemic has galvanised calls for healthcare independence for African countries, and Dr Yen Lam Minh and Dr Louise Thwaites tell us about the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit programme which will develop high-quality intensive care in Vietnam. Our guest is public health expert Dr Tabitha Mwangi who managed the Cambridge Africa programme at Cambridge University. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Samara Linton and Ilan Goodman(Picture: Afghan internally-displaced children stand outside their mud house at Shaidayee refugee camp in Herat province in February 2022. Photo credit: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images.)

People die waiting for replacement hearts, lungs and kidneys. Could genetically modified pigs be the solution to a worldwide shortage of organ donors? We meet the teams that have had impressive recent successes transplanting pig organs into people. We’ll explore the huge leaps of genetic engineering that are making 'xenotransplantation' possible and ask if it’s even ethical to try. In the studio with Marnie Chesterton, Dr Graham Easton guides us through the science of getting pig organs to work in human bodies. We also hear from transplant surgeon Dr Devagourou Velayoudam and Professor Nadey Hakim, on how these breakthroughs might benefit India and Nigeria, and other countries which don’t have the same medical and research resources of the US. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Ilan Goodman (Picture: Two pigs on a farm. Photo credit: Charity Burggraaf/Getty Images.)

Breast cancer makes up a third of all cancer diagnoses for black women and for those with the most common type of cancer, ER-positive (estrogen or oestrogen positive) cancers, black women are 42% more likely to die of the disease than white women. The reasons for these disparities are complex and include socio-economic factors and racism. There is also a historical absence of samples from black women in research databases and lack of inclusion in clinical trials. Researchers at Stanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute at La Jolla, California in the US have discovered significant differences at the molecular level which could explain some of the disparities. In research published in the journal, Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology, Dr Svasti Haricharan and her team found significant differences in black women in the all-important DNA damage repair genes, the proteins which form our body’s first line of defence against damage to our DNA. Dr Haricharan tells Marnie Chesterton that these findings have real-world implications for the treatments black women should be offered and when. GP Dr Ann Robinson joins Marnie to discuss a new study which suggests people with high blood pressure who take paracetamol on prescription, could be increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes. University of Edinburgh researchers published in the journal, Circulation, trial results which suggest that although taking the painkiller for headaches and fever is safe, doctors should think twice about the risks and benefits to patients taking it over many months. The trial tracked volunteers, two-thirds of whom were taking drugs for high blood pressure, or hypertension. Paracetamol, the results showed, increased blood pressure, which is one of the most important risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Group B Streptococcus is an infection which causes almost 100,000 new-born deaths, at least 46,000 stillbirths, and significant long-term disability for babies around the world. The bacterium is harmless for most pregnant women who carry it but it can be extremely serious when it passes to babies during pregnancy, childbirth or in the early weeks of life. James Gallagher reports on the merits of testing for Group B Strep and talks to Dr Kate Walker, Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Nottingham in the UK about a large, randomised controlled trial she is leading which will provide much-needed evidence about how best to protect babies from this dangerous infection. And Dr Ann Robinson shares with Marnie new research which focuses on the best ways to avoid and treat gout and how playing games on your mobile could help you to quit smoking. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Paula McGrath and Fiona Hill (Picture: A senior woman looking through a window. Photo credit: FG Trade/Getty Images.)

The pandemic has caused many people to die alone in hospital intensive care units - whilst others have died at home without the support and pain relief they needed. The Lancet Commission on the Value of Death is calling for a radical change in how we approach death. Co-author Dr Libby Sallnow explains what makes a good death, and palliative care consultant Dr M R Rajagopal shares how communities have transformed palliative care in Kerala, India. Mixed messaging around Covid vaccines for pregnant women have resulted in a low uptake, leaving mothers and babies at risk of infection and serious complications. Dr Sarah Stock, an Honorary Consultant and Subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, reassures us that vaccines are safe in pregnancy. Following the Spotify misinformation row, Marnie Chesterton asks how should streaming platforms respond to false claims about Covid-19? Professor Matt Fox from Boston University says they have a responsibility to tackle misinformation but warns that censorship may do more harm than good. Also, how a new scan is revealing hidden lung damage in long Covid, and should our chocolate treats come with picture warnings of clogged arteries?Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Paula McGrath and Samara Linton(Picture: A senior woman being comforted by a doctor in a hospice. Photo credit: Pornpak Khunatorn/Getty Images.)

Positive results for a handful of patients on a trial in the United States offers hope for the millions of people around the world living with sickle cell disease. Doctors say the gene-editing therapy literally 'turns back the clock' by reducing the number of red blood cells that are sickle-shaped and increasing the type that a baby has, which can carry more oxygen around the body. Other cheaper, more widely-available medications can work, but we hear how the health of sickle cell patients depends on where they live. After two years of caring for patients with Covid-19, many healthcare workers are exhausted. This week’s guest, Graham Easton, who is Professor of Communication Skills at Barts and The Royal London Hospital, explains how mistakes can happen when doctors carry out repetitive tasks when they are tired. Could changing your asthma inhaler be better for you and the planet? We hear from Caroline and her son Sebastian, who found that switching to dry-powder inhalers transformed their lives.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Paula McGrath and Samara Linton(Picture: Scientist analysing a blood sample in a laboratory. Photo credit: Krisanapong Detraphiphat/Getty Images.)

As Omicron spreads across the US, Claudia Hammond is joined by Professor Matt Fox from Boston University to discuss the latest Covid-19 news, including President Biden’s pledge to make high-quality masks available across the country.Wheezing and feeling breathless is a fact of life for the 262 million people around the world who have asthma. Some worry that exercise will worsen their asthma symptoms. But UK researchers say that evidence shows that all people with asthma can exercise safely – even if that’s just walking across a room. Lung specialist Andrew Wilson says that the risks are low as long as the symptoms are controlled with medication. Health psychologist Leanne Tyson recommends setting small goals and regular rewards to help keep up the habit. Asthma patient Bill Day, who’s in his 50s, says now that his asthma is under control, he can swim two miles a day to keep fit and healthy. Yellow and green boxes on social media feeds mean that your friends have been sucked into the world of Wordle, the increasingly popular free online word game. Guessing a new five-letter word every day sounds simple, but Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster, explains just how much work the brain does to help solve the puzzle.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Paula McGrath and Samara Linton(Picture: A young jogger using an asthma inhaler on the beach. Photo credit: Westend61/Getty Images.)

Tabitha Mwangi, programme manager at Cambridge Africa at Cambridge University, joins Claudia to discuss the latest on the rapid spread of Omicron across Europe and the factors behind the waves of Covid-19 infections in Kenya.In light of the controversy surrounding Novak Djokovic’s participation in the Australian Open Tennis tournament, Dr Maggie Wearmouth explains the rare instances where people can be medically exempt from having a Covid vaccination. Also, what do the lung scans of Covid-19 patients tell us about how the virus gets around the body, and should we be washing our mouths as well as our hands? Dr Graham Lloyd-Jones, a radiologist from the UK, shares his theory.A new South African study shows how women living with HIV are able to keep healthy – but as they get older, they often develop high blood pressure and diabetes. Tabitha says that there are “missed opportunities” when they come into contact with health services where their weight and overall health could be monitored and advice shared. And Claudia finds out how we can make buildings better for people who process their experiences of the world differently. We hear from Jill Corbyn and architect Jean Hewitt.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Paula McGrath(Picture: A crowd of people wearing face masks to stop the spread of Covid-19 walk in Preciados Street, Madrid, on 28 December 2021. Photo credit: Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket/Getty Images.)

As millions of us have had to stay away from our workplaces during the pandemic, Claudia Hammond explores the psychology of working from home versus the office. Some people have loved not having to commute and quietly beavering away at home, but others have missed the buzz of the office, found balancing family and work at home very difficult with lack of space or limited internet access. So in the future when Covid is less of a worry what does the evidence tell us about where it’s best to work?Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Erika Wright(Picture: Father working from home with his son sitting next to him. Photo credit: Marko Geber/Getty Images.)

In the past philosophers and scientists have argued about the nature of animal minds: Darwin thought they differed from us only by degree but Descartes believed they were merely machines made of flesh. Anthro-zoologist from the University of Sussex Dr Karen Hiestand wants to find out if our pets really care about us so she filmed owners pretending to be hurt to monitor the reactions of their dogs and cats. Mental health campaigner Marion Janner says her life was saved numerous times by her support dog Buddy. We hear about the central role animals play in Marion’s life and how she coped when Buddy died last year. On a walk in the park, we hear how a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy called Polly helped her owner Sam to come to terms with the death of her previous dog Margo. And Diane James from the Blue Cross for Pets charity explains how they offer telephone and online support to anyone who’s experienced pet loss. Cats have had a bit of an image problem but Karen Hiestand says their apparent aloofness and accusations of laziness arise because we forget that they are solitary creatures, descended from wildcats.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Paula McGrath(Picture: A young girl enjoying the company of a cat at home. Photo credit: d3sign/Getty Images.)

New research on the Omicron variant unpicked by James Gallagher, BBC health and science correspondent. Plus many people listen to music for hours every day, and often near bedtime in the hope of a good night’s sleep. But if you can’t get the tune out of your head could this be counter-productive? In new research, neuropsychologist Michael Scullin of Baylor University has looked at the rarely studied effect of these so called earworms. And could fish oils one day be used to treat some forms of severe depression? Claudia hears from Alessandra Borsini of King’s College London who has been examining the impact of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the lab and has followed up with a promising trial on severely depressed patients. Plus James Gallagher explains that despite there being no evidence 5G mobile networks are harmful many types of necklaces and accessories claiming to "protect" people from 5G have hit the market. Now the Dutch authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection warns that with long term use such anti-5G products themselves could be harmful due to radioactive concerns.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Erika Wright(Picture: Omicron variant (B.1.1.529): Immunofluorescence staining of uninfected and infected Vero E6 cells. Photo credit: Microbiology HKU/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images.)