Health Check

Malaria is still the third biggest killer on the planet and despite decades of serious investment it’s a disease that is still very much with us. But that investment is starting to pay off - 2025 has been a big year for new ways of tackling the disease.This week we’re reflecting on the progress made in 2025 – but also asking what impact unprecedented cuts to global health funding might have on whether children living in hot and humid regions of the world contract malaria. Our expert guide is James Tibenderana, an epidemiologist from Uganda. He is Chief Executive at the Malaria Consortium, an organisation that advises governments on best practice for tackling malaria as well as delivering their own programmes. We also hear from Nigeria, the country with the highest rates of malaria in the world. Dr Onyinye Echedike-Elekwa at The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital on the south coast of the country tells us how it’s been in the clinic this year. The drug known as GamLun marks a huge breakthrough in the treatment of malaria. Abdoulaye Djimdé is Professor of Parasitology and Mycology at the Malaria Research and Training Centre University of Bamako, Mali. He led clinical trials of the medication and explains how it works.In September, the World Health Organisation announced conditional approval for indoor use of spatial emanators, a device which continually releases a mosquito toxin into the air for up to a year. Epidemiologist Ellie Sherrard-Smith from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the UK explains the potential benefits and concerns for this tool.Plus, we reflect on the progress made in the malaria vaccine roll out this year and how a new formulation of a pre-existing drug is offering hope to the very youngest patientsAnd could we ever eliminate malaria completely? Next week, we consider the big ideas hoping to do just that.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins

James Gallagher joins Claudia Hammond to share his pick for health breakthrough of 2025 – the world's first gene therapy to treat Huntington’s disease.Popular science author Mary Roach joins Claudia to discuss the future of prosthetics.Also on the show, James shares his latest reporting on how sperm from a donor with a cancer-causing gene was used to conceive almost 200 children.We hear from Mohsen Rajabi how teachers in Iran are providing first-line mental health support to refugee students as they cope with settlement traumas.Plus, how an electronic nose could help detect mould in the home.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett

We already knew that the shingles vaccine reduces the risk of developing dementia, but new research has shown that it also slows the progression of the disease. BBC journalist Laura Foster discusses why this might be happening.Can a negative mindset reduce the effectiveness of medical treatments? Claudia speaks with Dr Katharina Schmidt in Essen, Germany to find out about her new research on the “nocebo effect”, and learn what it means for healthcare providers.Peru has one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis in Latin America and it’s a major public health challenge. Reporter Jane Chambers meets one group of health professionals working in Carabayllo who are determined to turn that around.Why the time of day you take your immunotherapy cancer medication might impact its success. Plus, can self-administered hypnosis describing cool, snowy mountains help soothe hot flashes associated with the menopause?Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Georgia Christie

New research shows that 20% of children under five years old in Nigeria have been exposed to skin lightening products, even by parents who know the risks associated with the products. Claudia speaks to Aisha, a mother, to understand why skin lightening can seem appealing, and to dermatologist Atinuke Ajani from Ile-Ife, Nigeria, who explains the growing prevalence of this trend.Epidemiologist Matt Fox joins Claudia to explain the latest breakthrough in HIV immunotherapy treatment and what research is still needed to find a cure. Momentary lapses in attention when exhausted may be your brain’s way of catching up on sleep. Laura Lewis, who is associate professor of medical engineering and electrical engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, explains the latest findings in sleep deprivation neuroscience.Claudia and Matt discuss a recent finding that medical research published by women is less likely to be retracted and the simple step that airlines could take to be better prepared for the medical emergency that causes 86% of in-flight mortalities.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Helena Selby and Georgia Christie

A recent meta-analysis finds that childhood hypertension rates (commonly known as high blood pressure) are increasing significantly around the world. Professor of cardiovascular medicine and population health at the University of Oxford, Kazem Rahimi, explains what is driving this trend. Recent changes in hormone therapy labels in the US come after years of lobbying by physicians and activists. Presenter’s friend, Dr Ann Robinson, explains how our understanding of hormone therapy – its risks and its benefits – has changed over time.Can stress during pregnancy impact a baby’s development even after birth? Claudia speaks to associate professor Ying Meng at the University of Rochester School of Nursing in the US to find out more about the surprising impact of cortisol on baby teeth emergence.Can weight loss drugs reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease? A new study sheds light on the answer. And, Health Check hears about an artificial tongue with a taste for spice.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Helena Selby & Georgia Christie