HIV prevention drug Lenacapavir recommended by WHO
Lenacapavir has been incredibly promising in trials and now the World Health Organisation have officially recommended the drug for HIV prevention. Smitha Mundasad explains the difference this bi-annual injection could make in the fight against HIV.We hear how Malawi is trying to stop mpox from entering its borders. Reporter Carrim Mpaweni investigates the measures in place to keep the disease at bay.A skin swab test could detect Parkinson’s disease 7 years ahead of symptoms developing. We find out how it’s all thanks to a woman who can smell the disease.In the UK, Claudia meets the Cycling Together group which teaches women who are experiencing anxiety, depression or abusive relationships how to ride a bike. A woman in Guadeloupe went for a routine blood test and 15 years later discovers she has a unique blood type. But what does this mean for her health, and actually is a blood type anyway?Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Studio Managers: Searle Whittney and Neva Missirian
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First malaria treatment approved for newborns
Until now there has been no approved treatment for malaria in newborns and infants weighing less than 4.5kg. We hear from families and clinicians firsthand what this new formulation, due to be approved across eight African countries, means for them.We are joined by Professor Damian Bailey as we become pickle juice detectives to find out why it is becoming more common for athletes to drink the briny solution in a bid to tackle cramps.Gastric cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer have predicted that the bacteria Helicobacter pylori may be responsible for over 11 million future gastric cancer cases in people born between 2008 and 2017. How can we prepare for a future where socially assistive robots are integrated into healthcare and the home? Professor Helen Meese joins us to explain some of the practical and ethical concerns that accompany the rise of helpful robots in clinical and home settings.Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Katie Tomsett
Studio Managers: Searle Whittney & Duncan Hannant
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Can bacteria-eating viruses be used to fight superbugs?
Phages are viruses that only infect bacteria. How might they help us tackle antimicrobial resistance? Franklin Nobrega and Esme Brinsden from the University of Southampton explain how their citizen science project that collects samples from around the globe is building a library of these bacteria-fighting viruses. How can ultrasound find new targets to treat apathy in Parkinson’s disease? Tom Gilbertson and Isla Barnard from the University of Dundee explain all. Also on the show, EntangleCam is using quantum physics to improve what we can see inside the human body and how breast cancer is diagnosed. Plus, surgical gloves with special sensors that improve precision and sensitivity in obstetrics and surgery. Carmen Fernadez fills us in on the engineering behind them and Dawn Parris tells us about her research into their use in practice. Join us for a special episode of Health Check from The Royal Society’s annual Summer Science Exhibition in London. Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC health and science correspondent James Gallagher to take a look and compete in scientific games to see who this year’s champion is. Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Hannah Robins
Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett
Studio Manager: Phil Lander
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Childhood vaccination coverage stalls worldwide
There has been immense progress on childhood vaccination since 1974, with over four billion children vaccinated worldwide. So why now are we seeing vaccination rates stall, and decline? We look at what is driving this stagnation that is putting millions of children at risk. The psychological impacts of war can persist for long after the events themselves. Reporter Stephanie Tam talks to the therapists aiming to break cycles of intergenerational trauma in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Being diagnosed with ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome, can be a long process that requires ruling out other conditions first, we discover how researchers are working towards identifying blood biomarkers of chronic fatigue syndrome. Also, on the show we hear from Dr Adele Goman who has unexpectedly found hearing interventions reduce the risk of falling. Finally, Dr Phil Silva the founder of the Dunedin Study has died. We take a look at some of the key achievements of this landmark study that has been running for half a century. It follows the same group of almost 1000 people, all born within 12 months of each other in the early 1970s. Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Katie Tomsett & Hannah Robins
Studio Manager: Sue Maillot(Image: Doctor injecting a vaccine. Credit: Karl Tapales via Getty Images)
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Future thinking
Thinking about the future comes so naturally to most people that we do not realise what a complicated and essential skill it is. Claudia Hammond and an expert panel of psychologists look into our ability to mentally travel to the future. Catherine Loveday, professor of cognitive neuroscience at the University of Westminster, explains how our ability to mentally time travel into the future is useful for everyday tasks as well as fundamental to shaping our identity. Daryl O’Connor, professor of psychology at the University of Leeds, discusses how thinking about the future motivates us in the present. And Peter Olusoga, senior lecturer in psychology at Sheffield Hallam University, describes how professional sportspeople use visualisation and future thinking to improve sporting success.Together they discuss how we hold ideas of the future in mind, whether unbounded optimism is the best way ahead – or not, and how to science-proof our goal setting and future planning. If you are suffering distress or despair and need support, including urgent support, details of health available in many countries can be found at Befrienders Worldwide at befrienders.org. Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Lorna Stewart
Sound engineer: Emma Harth and Sue Maillot
Production co-ordinators: Siobhan Maguire and Andrew Rhys Lewis
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