Podcasts by Health Check

How do we know when a mystery illness is serious? from 2023-12-06T21:00

On Health Check we often cover the outbreak of a mystery illness or unusual health event that has occurred somewhere across the globe. But how do we know when these illnesses are serious and how...

New Zealand backtracks on smoking ban from 2023-11-29T21:00

When former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern passed legislation to reduce access to tobacco products, the policy was held up as an international example. So there was shock among hea...

Gene editing treatment approved for sickle cell from 2023-11-22T21:00

The UK has become the first country in the world to approve a gene editing treatment for people with the genetic conditions sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. The news has been hailed as ...

Vaccinating children against chickenpox from 2023-11-15T21:00

The committee that advises on vaccinations in the UK has recommended that chickenpox is added to the standard list of childhood vaccinations; something which the USA and many European countries ...

A drug to prevent breast cancer from 2023-11-08T21:00

This week it was announced in the United Kingdom that women at high risk of breast cancer will be able to take a drug, Anastrozole, which is usually used to treat breast cancer, as a preventativ...

Warnings over antibiotic resistance in children from 2023-11-01T21:00

Antibiotics are becoming increasingly ineffective at treating common childhood infections, according to a new study.

The research, led by the University of Sydney, found some antibiotics ...

A musician’s story of coping with schizophrenia from 2023-10-25T20:00

Talented guitarist, Hamish Barclay, was given steroids when he was a teenager to treat a kidney problem. He then experienced the rare side effect of psychosis and was later diagnosed with schizo...

Cholera cases surge in Zimbabwe from 2023-10-18T20:00

More than 100 people are suspected to have died in Zimbabwe in the most recent outbreak of cholera there. Almost 5,000 possible cases have been reported across the country, with the Zimbabwean g...

US proposes world first policy to reduce STIs from 2023-10-11T20:00

‘Doxy PEP’, or doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis, is where a common antibiotic is given to someone shortly after having unprotected sex to avoid the chance of them getting an STI like chlamy...

Malaria vaccine backed by WHO from 2023-10-04T20:00

A vaccine for malaria that can be produced cheaply on a large scale has been recommended for use by the World Health Organisation. It was developed by the University of Oxford, and is only the s...

The deadly practice of gum lancing from 2023-09-27T20:00

Gum lancing is a tradition practiced on babies in some parts of the world. It’s done with good intentions, and involves extracting the teeth of infants with symptoms such as a fever or diarrhoea...

Could global Aids program be cut? from 2023-09-20T20:00

The PEPFAR scheme was launched by George W Bush in 2003 to provide HIV and Aids relief around the world. Officials say it has since saved more than 25 million lives in 55 different countries. Listen

Do men have a friendship problem? from 2023-09-13T20:00

The author Max Dickins was preparing to propose to his girlfriend when he came to a realisation: he didn’t have anyone he felt he could ask to be his best man. It prompted him to write the book ...

Opioid overdose antidote made available in US from 2023-09-06T20:00

With deaths from opioid overdoses rocketing to more than 100,000 people each year, the US has moved to make the drug Naloxone available to buy in pharmacies for the first time there this week. T...

What happened to babies with Zika virus from 2023-08-30T20:00

In March 2015, Brazil reported a large outbreak of the Zika virus infection. Over the next year, the disease became a global medical emergency. Thousands of babies were born brain-damaged, after...

Disgraced surgeon appeals prison sentence from 2023-08-23T20:00

When former transplant surgeon Paolo Macchiarini first implanted a synthetic trachea into a patient more than a decade ago, it was hailed as a breakthrough. But the person he operated on died, a...

Contaminated cough syrup found in Iraq from 2023-08-16T20:00

Iraq is the latest country to report a batch of contaminated cough syrup according to the World Health Organisation. It’s the latest in a string of health alerts issued by WHO in the last 12 mon...

A closer look at leprosy from 2023-08-09T20:00

In the week that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that leprosy could now be endemic in the South-eastern United States, Claudia Hammond looks at global action on leprosy wi...

Henrietta Lacks’ family settle lawsuit from 2023-08-02T20:00

Henrietta Lacks was only 31 years old when she died from cervical cancer in 1951. While she was in hospital in the USA, her cells were harvested without her knowledge which, since being replicat...

Playing catch up on childhood immunisations from 2023-07-26T20:00

The World Health Organisation and UNICEF say global immunisation services reached 4 million more children in 2022 compared to the previous year, after a huge backslide during the Covid 19 pandem...

A new era for Alzheimer’s drugs? from 2023-07-19T20:00

Just months after the ‘momentous’ announcement of the first drug shown to slow the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, the results of a global trial into another have been published. The antibody me...

Sickle cell disease: Fighting for the future from 2023-07-12T20:00

“Sickle cell is not all that we are – Sickle Cell is solvable.” Lea Kilenga Bey from Kenya founded the non-profit Africa Sickle Cell Organisation to campaign on behalf of people like her who liv...

Drumming for a healthy life from 2023-07-05T20:00

Since early times, the drum has been part of human society. But have you ever considered how drumming might actually improve our physical and mental health? Researchers from the University of Es...

The future of HIV research in Africa from 2023-06-28T20:00

African HIV research now makes up almost a third of total research being conducted into the virus. A new study highlights how it has increased from just 5 per cent in 1986. But there’s still a w...

Healthcare under threat in Myanmar from 2023-06-21T20:00

When the Myanmar military staged a coup d’état in February 2021, many healthcare workers became the first government employees to react, announcing a boycott of state-run hospitals. Today, there...

A step closer to a Chikungunya vaccine from 2023-06-14T20:00

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease which spreads to humans and can cause fever and severe joint pain, sometimes felt long term. It’s most common in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. But just ...

China's Covid-19 lockdown: What happened next? from 2023-06-07T20:00

When China abruptly ended its tough lockdown policy in December 2022, Covid cases in the country rose rapidly. The Government’s official death toll was 121,000, but medical epidemiologist Ray Yi...

Uganda's anti-gay law and healthcare from 2023-05-31T20:00

As Uganda approves some of the harshest anti-LGBTQ legislation in the world, we hear from Dr Chloe Orkin, Professor of infection and inequities at Queen Mary University in London about the impac...

What can we do about back pain? from 2023-05-24T20:00

As new research is released showing that lower back pain is the leading cause of disability across the world, we ask Professor of musculoskeletal health at Sydney university, Manuela Ferreira wh...

Home testing kits for disease screening from 2023-05-17T20:00

Home testing kits for screening people for signs of diseases have become more and more common in recent years. Now a study in the US shows that mailing women from low-income backgrounds tests fo...

Giving small babies a better start from 2023-05-10T20:00

One in four babies around the world is born too small. Either preterm, small for gestational age, or with a low birthweight. We hear from maternal health advocate Ashley Muteti from Nairobi in K...

Keeping hospitals open in Khartoum from 2023-05-03T20:00

Medical professionals in Khartoum tell us how they are managing to continue their work to treat people in hospitals despite the ongoing violence in Sudan. Some hospitals are out of service and d...

Why we need more black doctors from 2023-04-26T20:00

Addressing racial diversity amongst doctors can improve outcomes for people in their local communities. We speak to Dr Monica Peek, Doctor of Internal Medicine and Professor for Health Justice o...

Malaria vaccines approved first in West Africa from 2023-04-19T20:00

More than a quarter of the world’s malaria cases happen in Nigeria according to the World Health Organisation. This week the country became the second, after Ghana to provisionally approve the u...

New way of giving lifesaving drug in childbirth from 2023-04-12T20:00

Researchers in Zambia and Pakistan have shown that a drug which helps to stop bleeding in childbirth is safe to give by injection into a muscle - making it easier to save women’s lives where ski...

Women aren’t being promoted in healthcare from 2023-04-05T20:00

Women do 90% of the work in global healthcare but hold only a quarter of leadership roles. We hear from an American doctor who says patients are missing out on the unique perspective of women be...

Could armpit sweat help tackle anxiety? from 2023-03-29T20:00

Here on Health Check, we’re always sniffing out the best global health research for our listeners – and this week is no different. We’ll hear about a study in Sweden where researchers are testin...

How giving babies peanut butter could cut allergy from 2023-03-22T21:00

Babies, peanut butter and allergies; Psychologist Professor Elaine Fox on how to navigate change; how changing the clocks twice a year affects our health and why misophonia, the strong reaction ...

Obesity drug: New hope for weight loss? from 2023-03-15T21:00

“Diet and exercise” has been the weight-loss mantra for decades but a drug designed for diabetes patients could now offer hope to people who are obese, at a time when researchers are warning tha...

How to cope with earthquake trauma from 2023-03-08T21:00

A month on from the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, we assess what kind of impact the disaster may have had on mental health.

We hear from Professor Metin Basoglu, an expert ...

Vaccines: A tale of the unexpected from 2023-03-01T21:00

We delve into the science of how some vaccines could have unexpected effects beyond their intended target. They are called “non-specific effects” and we are only just at the beginning of our und...

Supporting Ukrainian children from 2023-02-22T21:00

From human milk banks to babies born during conflict, this week we're all about the health of children and newborns.

The most vulnerable premature babies benefit from human milk, but their...

Biting back: The fight against snakebite from 2023-02-15T21:00

Venomous snakebites are responsible for up to 150,000 deaths a year around the world – and they also leave around half a million survivors with life-changing injuries, including amputations and ...

Can heat affect mental health? from 2023-02-08T21:00

Can changes in the weather have an impact on our mental health? We go to Bangladesh in South Asia, a country on the front line of the impacts of climate change, where researchers have been explo...

Back from the brink from 2023-02-01T21:00

This week we’re dedicating the programme to a common medical emergency – one that can be deadly within minutes without the right help to hand. A cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops p...

After the floods from 2023-01-25T21:00

Six months on from the worst flooding in Pakistan’s history, a medic in eastern Balochistan describes what he is seeing daily.

Khalid Saleem, who works for the charity Médecins Sans Fronti...

The ‘Endo-Monster inside me’ from 2023-01-18T21:00

In this week’s episode we hear from two women who talk about what life is like with endometriosis, an incredibly common but debilitating condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb ...

Family’s gene therapy journey from 2023-01-11T21:00

In this week’s episode of Health Check, we meet the Poulin family who live in Thailand. They tell us about their long quest to have their little girl Rylae-Ann diagnosed with an incredibly rare ...

Regret from 2023-01-04T21:00

Claudia Hammond explores the psychology of regret with an audience at the Cheltenham Science Festival. What role do rueful thoughts on "what might have been" play in our lives? Is regret a waste...

Can you knit away your worries? from 2022-12-28T21:00

Many people say that knitting or crochet helped ease their anxiety during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Claire Anketell set up free Yarn for Mental Health courses in Northern Ireland last year and Gem...

Biggest health stories of the year from 2022-12-21T21:00

It’s been another busy year on the BBC’s Health Check, where we’ve brought you the health and science stories that matter to you from around the globe, week in, week out.

In this episode, ...

Liver drug could be repurposed for Covid from 2022-12-14T21:00

We’ve grown used to hearing about potential new treatments for Covid-19 – well here’s another. Researchers in Britain have, by chance, discovered that a tablet used to treat liver disease for de...

How words can save lives from 2022-12-07T21:00

Claudia meets Professor Elizabeth Stokoe author of 'Crisis Talk' whose research shows when preventing a suicide, that words really do matter and can save lives during a crisis. Through analysing...

'Historic' turning point for Alzheimer's from 2022-11-30T21:00

After years of setbacks, the announcement of the first drug to slow the brain's decline in Alzheimer's is being hailed as "momentous". What makes this breakthrough different?

To study the ...

How to make surgery safer from 2022-11-23T21:00

Ask 40,000 surgeons from around the world what they would pick to scientifically investigate and what do they choose? They voted for a new trial to establish whether changing to new surgical glo...

Genetic disorders and US abortion bans from 2022-11-16T21:00

Ayoka from Atlanta, Georgia in the US is desperate to have a baby and her family is helping to pay for her IVF treatment. But Ayoka knows that she carries a serious genetic condition, Fragile X,...

Psychological nudges for HIV treatment from 2022-11-09T21:00

South Africa's anti-retroviral programme to treat HIV infection is the largest in the world with 5.5 million people in treatment. It’s transformed this disease from an automatic death sentence, ...

Livers that live longer than we do from 2022-11-02T21:00

Claudia Hammond discovers that some livers have the potential for extraordinary longevity and after a long life in a transplant donor, can survive for many more years in a transplant recipient. ...

Long Covid – the latest from 2022-10-26T20:00

Health-threatening fungal infections are on the rise and the World Health Organisation identifies the pathogens which pose the greatest risk to human health. Dr Graham Easton, family doctor and ...

Women and children’s health hit by disasters and Covid from 2022-10-19T20:00

After decades of progress – how can we stop the pandemic, climate change and conflict around the world from turning back the clock when it comes to women and children’s health? We hear from UNIC...

Can a new star system help us to eat healthily? from 2022-10-12T20:00

If you’re trying to work out what’s healthy to eat and what to avoid – there’s a new five star rating system. Researchers in the US have looked at previous studies which examined how much certai...

'Historic' claims for new Alzheimer’s drug from 2022-10-05T20:00

There’s encouraging news about a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease following years of disappointing drug trials. The drug lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody which is designed to remove...

Floods spreading disease in Pakistan from 2022-09-28T20:00

Waterborne diseases are on the rise in Sindh province in Pakistan where water levels are still high after record floods. BBC Urdu’s Riaz Sohail visited the region and tells us about the conditio...

Egypt’s hepatitis C success story from 2022-09-21T20:00

Egypt has almost eliminated the 'silent killer' hepatitis C – less than a decade after having the highest number of cases of the virus in the world. A new report from the World Economic Forum de...

Malaria vaccine effective from 2022-09-14T20:00

The trial of a malaria vaccine in Burkina Faso has revealed promising results, protecting young children from being infected by the parasite for a second season. Most malaria deaths are in child...

China approves first inhaled Covid vaccine from 2022-09-07T20:00

China has approved the first nasal Covid vaccine inhaled up the nose. James Gallagher, BBC Health and Science correspondent explains how a sniffed vaccine primes the immune system. Plus Claudi...

Statins rarely cause muscle pain from 2022-08-31T20:00

Statins save lives by lowering the level of 'bad' cholesterol in our blood, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But warnings about potential aches and pains in our muscles has put of...

Deaths cut with recommended Ebola treatments from 2022-08-24T20:00

In the week that a case of Ebola has been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the WHO calls for support to help at-risk countries to make lifesaving drugs available in case the virus ...

Transplant hope as kidney blood groups swapped from 2022-08-17T20:00

A new Covid vaccine – which targets both the original virus and one of the latest Omicron variants – has been approved for use in the UK. About half of the 26 million older and vulnerable adults...

“Virtual” hospital visits cut relatives’ distress from 2022-08-10T20:00

In the pandemic when intensive care units were full and visitors were not allowed some families kept in touch using phones and tablets. A new study in the UK shows that this “virtual” visiting d...

Can you be a kind boss? from 2022-08-03T20:00

In the cut throat world of work, can bosses be kind? Claudia Hammond unpicks the psychological evidence from around the world to find out if it’s possible for managers to be both kind all the ti...

Pure kindness from 2022-07-27T20:00

What can the latest research tell us about whether there is any such thing as pure kindness? Claudia Hammond meets a man who has done an exceptionally altruistic act for someone who was serious...

Marburg virus cases confirmed from 2022-07-20T20:00

As Marburg virus cases are confirmed in Ghana, Dr Graham Easton discusses the importance of a swift response.

BBC Africa correspondent Charles Mgbolu reports from Nigeria on the relations...

New Covid booster recommendations from 2022-07-13T20:00

As Covid cases rise new recommendations from European health agencies back over 60s to get boosted. Professor Monica Lakhanpaul from University College London explains that this is before the ro...

Handy third thumb from 2022-07-06T18:30

Claudia Hammond is at the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition in London looking at the latest medical research. Claudia speaks to Professor Tamar Makin and designer Dani Clode to find out wh...

Polio misinformation from 2022-06-29T20:00

Online misinformation about polio has gone global after the detection of so called vaccine-derived poliovirus in London sewage. BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher explains what...

Poor Covid immunity after Omicron from 2022-06-22T20:00

New research reveals a poor immunity boost after infection with the Omicron variant. Might this explain why getting Covid again has been more common with this wave? BBC News health reporter, Smi...

Next generation Covid vaccines from 2022-06-15T20:00

News about new next generation Covid vaccines that target specific variants is discussed with studio guest, Dr Ann Robinson. Professor Russell Foster talks to Claudia about the science of circa...

What brain scans tell us from 2022-06-08T20:00

Brain scans can reveal new ways to diagnose and potentially treat psychiatric, psychological and neurological conditions. But why has the promise been so slow to turn into reality? Claudia Hammo...

Monkeypox misinformation and stigma from 2022-06-01T20:00

Claudia discusses concerns about monkeypox misinformation and stigma with Andy Seale, Senior Strategic Advisor, department of HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections at the World Heal...

Monkeypox in central Africa from 2022-05-25T20:00

Monkeypox is spreading in more than 20 countries where previously it has not been seen, but BBC Health reporter Smitha Mundasad explains that this is not a new disease.

Presenter Claudia ...

Healthcare provision in North Korea from 2022-05-18T20:00

Reports from North Korea have suggested a scarcity of data on healthcare provision but Claudia hears from Professor Hazel Smith who has researched North Korea for over thirty years that there is...

New trial results of a fourth Covid booster from 2022-05-11T20:00

Brand new results of a fourth Covid booster trial, with a mix and match approach including half doses, reveals good news for global vaccine rollout. BBC Health and Science correspondent James Ga...

Combined protection of Covid vaccination and prior infection from 2022-05-04T20:00

Claudia is joined by Matt Fox, Professor of Global Health at Boston University to discuss evidence investigating a hybrid combination of Covid vaccines and prior infection.

Dr Vineet Aror...

New Covid Research from 2022-04-27T20:00

Update on the latest global research into Covid-19 with BBC Health Reporter Smitha Mundasad and Claudia talks to the authors of a new study charting brain development over the human life span. C...

Are we kinder to people like us? from 2022-04-20T20:00

Using the results of the Kindness Test, which 60,000 people took part in, Claudia Hammond asks whether we are kinder to people who we think are like us? And what happens once we move beyond fam...

More cases of Covid in Africa than official figures suggest from 2022-04-06T20:00

Claudia Hammond talks to Chris Gill, Associate Professor at Boston University School of Public Health and co-author of a new paper revealing the devastating impact of Covid in Zambia. By conduct...

Treating stress and anxiety in Ukraine from 2022-03-30T20:00

Claudia Hammond talks to an Ukrainian psychotherapist about the increased demand for her services since Russia invaded her country.

Is multiple sclerosis caused by a virus? Health Check lo...

What should Hong Kong do about Covid-19? from 2022-03-23T21:00

The number of new Covid-19 infection cases worldwide has jumped by 10%. Tabitha Mwangi, Programme Manager at Cambridge Africa at Cambridge University, gives us a rundown of how that overall incr...

The kindness test: The results from 2022-03-16T21:00

Although the world might not feel like a very kind place at the moment, this might be just the time when acts of kindness matter the most.

This week, Claudia Hammond reveals the results ...

Helping children cope with headline anxiety from 2022-03-03T00:32

Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.Hundreds of thousands are fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, and not all of them are Ukrainians. The country has a sizeable population of...

Why measles is sweeping through Afghanistan from 2022-02-23T21:00

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...

Pig organs for transplant patients from 2022-02-16T21:00

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 rece...

Black women and breast cancer from 2022-02-09T21:00

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% m...

Bringing death back into life from 2022-02-02T21:00

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 Val...

Gene therapy hope for sickle cell patients from 2022-01-26T21:00

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 ther...

Are people with asthma who exercise healthier? from 2022-01-19T21:00

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...

Omicron set to infect half of Europe from 2022-01-12T21:00

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 C...

Home working versus the office from 2022-01-05T21:00

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...

Do our pets care about us? from 2021-12-29T21:00

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 fl...

New research on the Omicron variant from 2021-12-22T21:00

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 ...

Omicron update from 2021-12-15T21:00

Omicron update from James Gallagher, the BBC Health and Science Correspondent. And as New Zealand announce plans to ban cigarette sales to the next generation born after 2008, Claudia reviews the p...

Omicron variant news from 2021-12-08T21:00

News update on the new Omicron variant now in many countries across the world. Plus Hannah Fisher reports on the science of smell and conditions other than Covid where it can be lost. Holly Bradsha...

Omicron Covid variant – what do we know? from 2021-12-01T21:00

Omicron Covid variant – what do we know? Claudia examines key questions about the new variant with Professor of Molecular Virology, Jonathan Ball. Plus growing evidence that pollution has a negat...

Covid cases across Europe from 2021-11-24T21:00

James Gallagher, BBC health and science correspondent, examines Covid case rates across Europe. A report on a new study documenting the incidence of Typhoid in three capital cities - Blantyre, Mal...

T-cell Covid protection before the pandemic from 2021-11-17T21:00

New research on how some people had a level of Covid immunity before the pandemic started. Blood samples showed hospital staff being monitored in the first wave already had protective ‘killer’ T-ce...

New antiviral pills to treat Covid from 2021-11-10T21:00

New antiviral pills to treat Covid are coming thick and fast. Pfizer have just announced their new antiviral Paxlovid in the same week UK’s MHRA was the first country in the world to approve Molnup...

Hunt for rare resistance to SARS CoV-2 from 2021-11-03T21:00

An International team of scientists has launched a global hunt for rare people who may be genetically resistant to SARS CoV-2 infection. Individuals who’ve been exposed to the virus living in famil...

Mix and match Covid vaccines from 2021-10-27T20:00

New evidence from Sweden and France on the benefits of mixing and matching doses of different types of Covid vaccine. The impact misinformation around treating Covid with Ivermectin is having on th...

New Covid vaccine from 2021-10-20T20:00

New Covid vaccine from Valneva produces stronger immune response when compared to AstraZeneca, the French company reports, with no severe cases of Covid-19 seen in either group. And new positive re...

The legacy of Henrietta Lacks from 2021-10-13T20:00

Henrietta Lacks died in 1951 from a virulent cervical cancer. A sample of those cancer cells was taken at the time, and the way they behave has changed medical science forever, contributing to ever...

New antiviral Covid pill from 2021-10-06T19:32

Trials stopped early of a new Covid antiviral pill, Molnupiravir, as it may cut numbers of people in hospital by about a half. Claudia Hammond discusses the ethical questions of who should be given...

Reducing mental health stigma from 2021-09-22T20:00

Many people have struggled with their mental health during the pandemic, but still don’t always feel free to discuss it, especially at work. Stigma remains a problem and discussing your difficultie...

Covid in Vietnam from 2021-09-15T20:00

In 2020 Vietnam ran a successful track and trace system, with very few coronavirus infections and for a long time no deaths at all, while other countries had thousands. In 2021 things haven’t gone ...

Art, gardening and wellbeing during Covid from 2021-09-08T20:00

How art and gardening has saved some people’s mental health during the pandemic. Claudia visits the most wonderful allotment to find out how one community in the UK has benefited. Nightmares and h...

The Kindness Test from 2021-09-01T20:00

When was the last time you did something really kind for someone or someone else did something really kind for you? Claudia Hammond and guests are looking at the place of kindness in today’s worl...

Antibody cocktails against Covid from 2021-08-25T20:00

Trials have shown that cocktails of antibodies are effective against Covid, and one called Ronapreve has just been approved for use in the UK, following in the footsteps of Japan and the US. Claudi...

The psychology of courage and bravery from 2021-08-18T20:00

The adventurer and ultra-runner Alex Staniforth talks about his survival on Everest following the devastating Nepalese earthquake in 2015. Rachel Manning from Buckingham University considers why we...

Impact of wildfires from 2021-08-11T20:00

Claudia Hammond and her studio guest global health journalist Sarah Boseley discuss the health impact of the fires that are raging in many places including Southern Europe and the US. Lizzie Crouch...

Twisties and sporting mental health from 2021-08-04T20:00

Spatial awareness in sport: USA gymnast Simone Biles won Olympic bronze but withdrew from earlier events due to ‘The twisties’ and resulting mental health issues. Family Doctor Graham Easton looks ...

Covid vaccination in prisons from 2021-07-28T20:00

New research on Covid vaccination in prisons. Plus can financial incentives like free tuition or free cruises encourage people to get the jab? Samara Linton reports on some surprising examples, whi...

Could the flu vaccine protect against severe Covid-19? from 2021-07-21T19:32

A really intriguing finding on flu vaccines - that they might offer some protection not just against flu, but against the most serious effects of Covid-19 – even though it is of course a completely...

Mental health recovery stories from 2021-07-14T20:00

Claudia Hammond presents three stories where people have helped someone who’s going through mental health difficulties. Dale had spent his childhood playing basketball at an elite level, and when...

Lambda variant of Sars-Cov-2 from 2021-07-07T20:00

The lambda variant of coronavirus, first seen in Peru and Chile, has now spread to 27 other countries and new research just out suggests it’s better than other variants at escaping the antibodies p...

Lambda variant of Sars-Cov-2 from 2021-07-07T20:00

The lambda variant of coronavirus, first seen in Peru and Chile, has now spread to 27 other countries and new research just out suggests it’s better than other variants at escaping the antibodies p...

Mixing Covid vaccines from 2021-06-30T20:00

New evidence on whether mixing Covid vaccines and spreading doses out gives better results. Plus, has five years of food labels in Chile warning of high fat, sugar or salt made a difference to obe...

Tanzania joins Covax from 2021-06-23T20:00

As Tanzania joins Covax, Rhoda Odhiambo discusses the challenges ahead and says 'joining' makes it sound simple but the requirements that need to be put in place are far from simple. Also,results f...

New treatment for Covid from 2021-06-16T20:00

Good news that a new treatment for Covid could help one in three people in hospital. Results are from the Recovery trial in the UK using an infusion of two antibodies made in the laboratory which b...

FDA approves new Alzheimer’s drug from 2021-06-09T20:00

Aducanumab the controversial new drug for Alzheimer’s disease, just approved by the FDA in the US is the first approved breakthrough in nearly 20 years. But, as Sarah Boseley explains, scientists ...

Black Fungus epidemic in India from 2021-06-02T20:00

Could over the counter Steroids be driving the Black Fungus epidemic in India? Claudia talks to Dr Awadhesh Singh from the GD Hospital and Diabetes Institute in Kolkata who explains the link betwee...

Is kindness contagious? from 2021-05-26T20:00

The kind boss who transformed their employee's mental health – Natalie and Gillian share their amazing story with Claudia Hammond. And new research finds kindness really is contagious - Alison van ...

When to have your second vaccine dose? from 2021-05-19T20:00

New evidence for when to have your second Covid vaccine dose; Plus the long awaited results of a 20 year trial into Ovarian Cancer screening and whether picking the disease up early with a simple b...

Is BMI an outdated risk measure? from 2021-05-12T20:00

New research from The Lancet Diabetes&Endocrinology journal shows current body mass index [BMI] guidance is outdated and dangerous for people from different ethnic groups. The study’s principal inv...

Tanzania's new Covid prevention measures from 2021-05-05T20:00

As Tanzania announces new Covid prevention measures after the new president instigates a change in response to the pandemic, correspondent Rhoda Odhiambo discusses the implications for the country....

India’s Covid-19 surge from 2021-04-28T20:00

As India surpasses 200,000 Covid deaths Claudia asks why the surge has been so steep and hears the latest from health reporter Anoo Bhuyan in Delhi. And there's good news of a new Malaria Vaccine s...

Medical mysteries with neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan from 2021-04-21T20:00

Claudia Hammond hears stories of medical mysteries from author of Sleeping Beauties and consultant neurologist Suanne O’Sullivan. From the refugee children in Sweden who slept for months to the US ...

Chile’s vaccine roll out from 2021-04-14T20:00

Claudia and guest Professor Matthew Fox from Boston University discuss the latest Covid-19 research this week – and there’s plenty of it! There’s new data on the variant first found in the UK, plus...

Mental Health and the long term implications of Covid from 2021-04-07T20:00

Mental Health and Covid; Claudia examines a large new Lancet Psychiatry study showing that one in three people develop anxiety, depression or a neurological problem in the six months after they wer...

Can we eradicate leprosy? from 2021-04-01T14:00

Despite the myths and fear which surround leprosy it can be treated and prevented with a short course of antibiotics. The disease is spread by a bacteria which is easily killed with these drugs. Al...

Covid vaccines for children from 2021-03-31T20:00

Vaccine hesitancy and Covid vaccines for Children. Claudia talks to paediatrician Dr Robert Jacobson of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA about issues of Covid vaccine hesitancy and why th...

Working with disability from 2021-03-26T14:00

In Senegal there are a range of measures to help people living with disabilities enter the workforce, however overcoming attitudes is still a major issue. And we look at the impact of shoes on our...

Can the common cold prevent Covid? from 2021-03-24T21:00

Claudia talks to her guest Dr Ann Robinson about a new study from the University of Glasgow in the UK that suggests the virus that causes the common cold can effectively boot the Covid virus out o...

Combatting mental illness from 2021-03-19T16:39

In Nigeria we meet someone who finds that swimming can help alleviate her depression and we discuss how self-esteem as well as diet can impact a new mothers’ ability to breastfeed. With Pricilla N...

Vaccine and blood clots from 2021-03-17T21:00

As further European countries announce precautionary suspension of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine over fears it may have caused blood clots in a very small number of people, Claudia talks to BBC He...

Covid-19 vaccination in Africa from 2021-03-12T14:00

As the roll out of vaccines across Africa gathers pace we look to the future, how vaccination may help ease travel restrictions and ways to convince those still reluctant to get vaccinated. We also...

Do vaccines cure Long Covid? from 2021-03-10T21:00

A significant proportion of sufferers of Long Covid are reporting that their symptoms lessen or disappear completely after receiving a coronavirus vaccination. At the moment, the evidence is just a...

Modern medicine versus the spirits from 2021-03-05T12:15

When it comes to mending broken bones or rectifying the eye problems caused by the disease Trachoma, what place does traditional medicine have? Many people would choose traditional medicine practit...

Pregnancy and Covid-19 vaccination from 2021-03-03T21:00

Health Check looks into issues around Covid-19 vaccination and pregnant women. Harvard researcher Julia Wu has just done a global survey of attitudes of pregnant women about being vaccinated again...

Africa’s blood shortage from 2021-02-26T17:00

We’re looking at why levels of blood donation in Africa are so low compared with other parts of the world. From Nigeria we hear about hospitals having to ask patients and family members to give blo...

Long Covid: solving the mysteries from 2021-02-24T21:00

Health Check discusses Long Covid with Nishi Chaturvedi, professor clinical epidemiology at University College London, and Dr Shamil Haroon, family doctor and public health researcher at the Univer...

Sexual health, Covid-19 vaccines from 2021-02-19T14:56

We’re looking at a health issue that disproportionately affects black women - Uterine fibroids. These are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the womb. There is little research on what ...

Covid surge in Mozambique from 2021-02-17T21:00

Claudia talks to Dr Lucia Chambal at the Central Hospital of Maputo in Mozambique. She is helping to coordinate the response of the country’s largest hospital to an ongoing surge in new Covid patie...

Superbugs and superfoods from 2021-02-15T18:31

Infections caused by germs which have become resistant to the medicines used to treat them pose a great threat to people’s health, as curable diseases become untreatable. Unregulated medicine dispe...

Covid vaccines: bad news, good news from 2021-02-10T21:00

The South African government has decided to pause its roll-out of the Astrazeneca-Oxford vaccine because of disappointing results of the vaccine’s effectiveness against the most common variant in t...

Vaccinating Africa against Covid-19 from 2021-02-08T13:52

So far five African counties have begun vaccination campaigns, with vaccines gifted to them by wealthier countries. For many of the continent’s 1.2 billion people Covid -19 vaccinations will come t...

Covid-19 vaccines prevent 100% of deaths from 2021-02-03T21:00

Claudia Hammond discusses the latest influx of excellent Covid-19 vaccine results with Sarah Boseley, health editor of The Guardian. Dr Samara Linton reports on efforts by black doctors in the U...

Brazilian city’s Covid crisis: ‘It’s like Hell’ from 2021-01-27T21:00

The Brazilian city of Manaus remains in a state of crisis as its second surge of Covid-19 cases continues to overwhelm its hospitals and kill hundreds of people every day. Dr Marcus Lacerda, a clin...

First days of India’s Covid vaccination programme from 2021-01-20T21:00

After the first few days of India’s Covid mass vaccination programme rollout, Claudia talks to medical ethicist and health policy expert Anant Bhan about the issues arising from the lack of efficac...

WHO warns against vaccine rollout unfairness from 2021-01-13T21:00

BBC global health correspondent Naomi Grimley joins Claudia Hammond for a round-up of the latest developments in Covid vaccines and their rollouts – including the World Health Organisation’s Direct...

The first year of the pandemic from 2021-01-06T21:00

Claudia Hammond talks to Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley exactly one year after she and Claudia first talked on Health Check about a mysterious respiratory disease that had appeared in Wuhan i...

How children think about maths and time from 2020-12-30T21:00

Claudia Hammond explores how children think with two psychologists; Dr Victoria Simms from Ulster University who researches how children’s understanding of maths develops and Professor Teresa McCor...

Ambiguous loss: a different kind of grief from 2020-12-23T21:00

Have you lost a loved one who is still a part of your life in some way? Did it leave you feeling confused or frozen about how to continue with life? Claudia Hammond examines the distressing phenome...

In Iran, one in five infected by coronavirus from 2020-12-16T21:00

Iran was one of the first countries to be hit hard by the coronavirus. In the first population wide survey of infection rates in a Middle Eastern country, Iranian medical researchers now estimate t...

Gene therapy for sickle cell disease from 2020-12-09T21:00

Are genetic therapies for sickle cell disease beginning to come of age? Claudia Hammond talks to David Williams and Erica Esrick of Boston Children’s Hospital about their promising results with a g...

Milestone in HIV prevention for women from 2020-12-02T21:00

In the week of World AIDS Day, Health Check looks at what's being described as a milestone in the prevention of HIV infection in women. It is a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) - an injectio...

Another week, another Covid-19 vaccine success from 2020-11-25T21:00

Oxford University and Astrazeneca announced interim results from the phase 3 trial of their coronavirus vaccine. The results are promising with efficacy scores ranging from 70% to possibly 90%, dep...

Measles outbreak threat due to Covid from 2020-11-18T21:00

Global measles deaths were already at a 23 year high in 2019 after several years of inadequate immunisation levels in a number of countries around the world. The coronavirus pandemic looks set to m...

Covid vaccine ‘90% effective’ from 2020-11-11T21:00

Health Check examines the excitement around the preliminary announcement of 90% effectiveness of BioNTech and Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine in its phase 3 clinical trial. Claudia Hammond talks to Profe...

Covid-19 vaccines: Unknowns and dilemmas from 2020-11-04T21:00

Some of the first large scale trials of Covid-19 vaccines may report results to regulators in the next few weeks. These first results will reveal how effective these vaccines are at preventing mild...

Covid-19 plasma therapy trial results ‘disappointing’ from 2020-10-28T21:00

For months now, many people hospitalised with Covid-19 have been given convalescent plasma – donated blood serum from people who’ve already had the illness. The hope has been that transfusing donat...

Coronavirus update from 2020-03-25T20:32

As South Africa goes into lockdown what measures are they taking? Plus big data in Taiwan and a round-up of drug trials, antibody testing and low cost ventilators.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Produ...

Autism: the problems of fitting in from 2019-07-31T20:00

Many people with autistic spectrum disorder learn techniques to overcome their difficulties interacting with others. The first study that has looked at the consequences of these compensatory strat...

Lighting the brain after birth from 2019-07-03T20:00

Claudia Hammond visits the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition. Every year a minority of births goes wrong and the baby is deprived of oxygen, which can lead to long-term brain damage and cond...