AI models have helped to discover new potential antibiotics to treat drug resistant infections of gonorrhoea and MRSA. We speak to Professor Jim Collins from MIT to understand what’s next for his machine-generated medicines and the role AI could play in the future of drug discovery.
A new report has found high rates of bloodstream infections and antibiotic resistance in central lines used in Indian ICUs. Family doctor Ann Robinson joins Claudia to understand the risks posed to already vulnerable patients. We consider a new review that found no evidence ketamine is effective at helping those with chronic pain, despite it being prescribed off-label for this use in some countries.
Rwandan MPs have approved lowering the age adolescents can access sexual and reproductive health services without parental consent from 18 to 15. We catch up with BBC reporter Dorcas Wangira on what this could mean for the health of adolescents and the fallout of the decision in Rwanda.
Finally, people with diabetes in India have long been told to steer clear of mangoes - Ann and Claudia unpick whether this advice needs to change.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett
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How plastic harms health
As negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty are due to conclude at the United Nations, we check in on whether health is on the agenda with Dr Cressida Bowyer, Associate Professor in Arts and Sustainability from the University of Portsmouth in the UK who is at the conference. We also hear from John Chweya, a Kenyan waste picker, who has seen the impacts of plastic waste firsthand and delve into the scientific evidence about how plastic harms health with Dr Stephanie Wright, Associate Professor in Environmental Toxicology at Imperial College London. 25 years on from the SuperAgers research project being established, we catch up with lead investigator Sandra Weintraub who is Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg Mesulam Institute to find out what factors link these age-defying brains. Claudia and BBC Health Reporter Philippa Roxby have a go at conch blowing as there is new research saying it might help the breathing disorder obstructive sleep apnoea. Plus, research into the relationship between a covid-19 infection and RSV in children.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett
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Malnutrition in Gaza
UN-backed experts – the IPC - say the "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out" in Gaza and that there is mounting evidence that widespread malnutrition is driving a rapid rise in hunger-related deaths among the 2.1 million Palestinians there. Aid worker Olga Cherevko shares what she’s witnessed on the ground and Claudia is also joined by specialist Dr Marko Kerac to understand the health impacts of malnutrition and what interventions are urgently needed.
In a world-first the UK have begun to rollout a vaccine for gonorrhoea, an infection that if left untreated can lead to infertility. We ask what impact this vaccine might have on a global level. The WHO has issued an urgent call for action to tackle mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus that has seen increasing cases since the beginning of the year. Professor Trudie Lang explains how the hardest hit countries are responding. Using virtual reality, scientists have discovered that our immune system kicks into action at just the sight of a sick person. Matt and Claudia look at the unusual methods used to understand how our brains prepare for contact with a pathogen. Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producers: Alice McKee & Katie Tomsett
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Making human blood deadly to mosquitoes
Antiparasitic drug Ivermectin has been shown to reduce malaria transmission by making the blood of treated persons deadly to the mosquitoes that carry the disease. Journalist Layal Liverpool explores the impact this new approach could have.Six months on from President Trump’s dramatic cuts to US foreign aid, the HIV/AIDS relief fund PEPFAR hangs in the balance. We hear how the cuts have impacts one HIV clinic in Thailand and Devex correspondent Andrew Green unpacks the bigger picture.Could a temporary tattoo help combat drink spiking? We hear how it works and consider if anyone would actually wear one. A new neuroscience project is training non-specialists in India and Tanzania to gather brain data using portable headsets. Dr Tara Thiagarajan from Sapien Labs explains how diversifying brain data sets, which are often biased towards western populations, might improve health outcomes. How we sweat and why it matters. Layal and Claudia unpick new research that suggests sweat rises like a tide inside our skin.Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Alice McKee
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Do you really have a penicillin allergy?
Penicillin is the go-to antibiotic for many common infections - but in the UK more than 1-in-15 adults have a penicillin allergy label on their medical record. New research suggests that many with these labels are not actually allergic. Professor Sue Pavitt explains how more accurate allergy labelling might help fight the rise of antimicrobial resistance. Both Burundi and Senegal announced last week that they had eliminated trachoma. Dr Graham Easton walks us through the long road to this milestone.A passionate debate has caused division in Maharashtra, India, over the possibility of homeopaths being allowed to practice and prescribe conventional medicine. Reporter Chhavi Sachdev explains why doctors on both sides are striking. In the UK, eight babies made with the combined genetic material of three people have been born without the hereditary mitochondrial disease. We explore the implications of this breakthrough. Sex at birth might not be as random as we once thought; a new study found that families with three children of the same sex are more likely to have another child of the same sex.Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Alice McKee
Studio Managers: Dyfan Rose and Andrew Garrett
Ireland