Health Check

Many people with infertility use in vitro fertilisation (IVF), however the probability of having a baby following IVF is only approximately 30-40% per cycle and decreases significantly with age. It can be a lengthy and expensive process. Providers sometimes offer ‘add-ons’, additional treatments that they claim could help patients conceive, which are themselves also usually expensive. In Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom more than 70% of patients pay for at least one of these add-ons. A new review published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health journal has found that evidence on the benefits of these add-on treatments is unclear. Claudia Hammond speaks to Dr Sarah Lensen, Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Newborn Health at the University of Melbourne. Joining Claudia from Ghana is genito-urinary consultant and HIV expert, Vanessa Apea. Claudia and Vanessa discuss a draft African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values, which claims that comprehensive sex education, as well as a range of sexual and reproductive health rights, are a threat to African families from foreign ideologies. They also discuss a report from the Office of Inspector General of US Agency for International Development (USAID) which reveals that President Donald Trump’s administration has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in storage and transportation costs for $9.7 million worth of contraceptives that are being stored in Belgium rather than distributed to the various low-income countries they were intended for. Many of the withheld contraceptives are now expired or unusable due to their removal from temperature-controlled storage. We also hear from Health Check reporter Jane Chambers in the Chilean city of Valdivia, where wetlands are part of everyday life—and increasingly, part of people’s health. And we hear how faecal-microbiome transplants could improve the efficacy of some antidepressants in patients with major depressive disorder. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Jonathan Blackwell & Georgia Christie

The WHO has conducted their first global assessment of food contamination in over a decade and found that more than 1.5 million people are killed by food poisoning every year. Dr Ann Robinson joins Claudia Hammond to discuss the common causes of foodborne illness. Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis which can cause sudden and severe joint pain. Claudia is joined by Professor Nicola Dalbeth an academic rheumatologist at the University of Auckland in New Zealand to discuss misconceptions about the disease. Reporter Tony Vinyoh then brings us to Cameroon, where Mbingo Baptist hospital is creating its own compressed oxygen supply to address the shortages and high costs of life-saving medical interventions. We also discuss a new wearable ultrasound patch which could detect pregnancy complications in real-time, and we hear about a weekly 5 kilometre run in a park which has grown to become a global phenomenon - with over one million events across 5 continents and 23 countries - promoting regular exercise and well-being. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Georgia Christie

How does reading shape our mind and spirit? Why do novels make us feel more human? In front of a live audience at the Hay Festival of Literature & Arts in Wales in the UK, Claudia Hammond looks at the science of what reading does to the mind and explores the profound impact it can have on our lives and well-being. She is joined on stage by award-winning novelist and travel writer Joanna Kavenna; Dr Paula Byrne, Jane Austen biographer, writer and co-founder of ReLit: The Bibliotherapy Foundation and Ben Alderson-Day, Professor in Psychology at Durham University and lead researcher on ReaderBank, an ongoing research project studying reading, imagination and wellbeing. With these leading experts in psychology and the literary world, she examines the range of imaginative experiences that fiction readers have, whether novels can deepen our capacity for empathy and the therapeutic effect of reading on our minds. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Helena Selby

From heat exhaustion to dengue fever - monitoring public health risks at the biggest tournament in football history. With millions of fans travelling to the USA, Canada and Mexico for the men’s football World Cup, Claudia Hammond speaks to Professor Rebecca Katz from Georgetown University in Washington DC who is the Director of the newly set up Health Security Operations Center, a surveillance hub to track threats to health, monitoring the risk of diseases such as measles, dengue and chikungunya. With the World Cup coinciding with rainy season in Mexico, which also means mosquito season, our reporter Rogelio Navarro in Guadalajara brings us the latest on efforts in Jalisco state to prevent outbreaks of dengue which is transmitted by mosquitoes. And the potential for health issues due to extreme heat has caused concerns amongst players, spectators and scientists. At the men’s FIFA Club World Cup in the USA last year Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez spoke out about the difficulties of playing in high temperatures. We hear from Norwegian international midfielder Morten Thorsby and Douglas Casa, CEO of the Korey Stringer Institute and Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut, who have written to tournament organisers, FIFA, calling for stronger heat protection measures for players and spectators. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Jonathan Blackwell Image: Aziz Behich and Mathew Leckie of Australia drink water during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group D match between Australia and Denmark at Al Janoub Stadium on November 30, 2022 in Al Wakrah, Qatar

With shipping still paused through the Strait of Hormuz, we find out about the 20,000 sailors trapped on board with dwindling resources and minimal health provision. News from the World Health Assembly where WHO member countries come together for form health policy. Global Health journalist Andrew Green reports. Lots of us love a video game, but for a few the games can start to take over their lives, and the impact of a gaming disorder can be very serious – especially for children. Our reporter Kate Ferguson reports from a specialist clinic in Western Australia to find out how they have been tackling the issue One in four surveyed doctors thought preservation was likely to work in the future, but how might we be preserved and why would we want to be? We unpack the reality of what’s possible now and what might be next. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins

An Ebola outbreak that started in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading in the region and has been declared a health emergency. Health Check’s Claudia Hammond has the latest with BBC reporter Emery Makumeno in Kinshasa, Heather Kerr, Country Director for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in the DRC, and Professor Trudie Lang, head of the Global Health Network at Oxford University. Claudia is joined in the studio by BBC health reporter Laura Foster. They discuss the call for more testing of drugs with under-represented groups, after a study of Black African Americans, smokers, and people with complex health conditions in the US showed that an asthma drug, Tezepelumab, led to 70% fewer asthma attacks in people with severe asthma. They also hear about new hearing technology which can read peoples’ brainwaves to help people to pick out the single voice they want to listen to in a noisy room. Claudia speaks to Nima Mesgarani, Associate Professor at the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University in New York. And Claudia and Laura discuss why some cancer patients would fancy a pre-consultation with an AI avatar before a consultation with their real-life doctor? Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Jonathan Blackwell & Clare Salisbury Image: A Congolese health worker checks the temperature to screen a traveller at the Grande Barrier border following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, at the border crossing point between Congo and Rwanda, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo May 18, 2026

Global health reporter Dorcas Wangira joins Claudia Hammond to discuss how renaming a common health condition affecting millions of women worldwide hopes to improve understanding, treatment and diagnoses. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). Dorcas also brings Claudia Hammond news of a controversial AI algorithm being used by the Kenyan Government to work out how much people should be charged for healthcare costs. We hear from Peru where researchers have been mapping pesticide use and cases of people getting cancer in a major new study. And from the USA where a study on our disease-fighting T cells shows that they become more effective after we’ve eaten a meal. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins, Georgia Christie and Jonathan Blackwell

We bring you the latest on the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise liner MV Hondius with BBC health reporter Smitha Mundasad. Endometriosis, where cells similar to the lining of the womb grow elsewhere in the body, can take up to a decade to get diagnosed despite leaving some women in debilitating pain. A new scanning technique hoping to speed up that diagnosis. Dr Tatjana Gibbons, from Oxford University, who developed the test, explains how it works. We unpack how the way operations are schedules affects patient outcomes with transplants. How electricity is improving treatment for patients with a heart rhythm disorder. Professor Oussama Wazni explains how it works. And how seven rings can translate sign language into text. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins & Georgia Christie

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just awarded fast track status to three companies developing psychedelic drugs as a treatment for addiction and other mental health issues. It comes after President Trump directed $50million dollars to increase their availability. Claudia Hammond is joined by BBC Brazil reporter Camilla Mota to discuss what claims are made for the effectiveness of these drugs. A novel house design, called “Star Homes”, which promote airflow, block insects, and feature rainwater collection systems, can reduce child mortality, demonstrated by a randomised controlled trial in Tanzania. We hear from Professor Lorenz Von Seidlein from the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok about what makes these homes effective in lowering rates of malaria, diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections. We hear that the Russian health minister has called for 1 in 3 Russians to be tested for HIV annually. Russia has long had high rates of HIV, but it now has the highest prevalence in Europe, with particularly high rates among Russian troops since the beginning of the Ukraine war. We also hear from David Méary, associate professor at the Université Grenoble Alpes, about whether infants have a sense of beauty. And Claudia and Camilla discuss habits that drive salt consumption in older people. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins and Jonathan Blackwell

We learn about a new injectable microgel to help reduce bleeding in infants who require surgical care. In a mice model, it reduced bleeding by at least 50%. Ashley Brown, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at North Carolina State University and UNC Chapel Hill tells presenter Claudia Hammond more about this new material her team has designed. Joined by Professor of Global Health and Epidemiology at Boston University in the US, Dr Matthew Fox, Claudia hears about a mystery illness that is being investigated by health officials in Burundi, which has caused five deaths and sickened thirty-five people. So far lab analysis of the illness - which causes fever, vomiting, and diarrhoea - has been negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses, Rift Valley fever, and others. We hear about influential analysis from Cochrane which has concluded that "breakthrough" Alzheimer's drugs are unlikely to benefit patients. Researchers said the impact was "well below" what was needed to make a difference to dementia patients' lives. However, their report has also provoked a vicious backlash from equally esteemed scientists who label it as fundamentally flawed. We’re joined by health journalist Katie Silver in Mexico, who brings us the news that the President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced the details of a plan to introduce universal healthcare – no mean feat in country of 130 million people. And we hear about an experiment that was done by academics to see if they could trick AI chatbots into believing in an entirely fake disease. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

A minority of patients requiring blood transfusions are increasingly requesting ‘unvaccinated’ blood in the United States, per a new report published in the journal Transfusion. Our studio guest today, genito-urinary consultant Vanessa Apea, explains how this can lead to potentially dangerous delays and higher risks. Presenter Claudia Hammond speaks to Dr Angela Wu, from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and Oxford Tobacco Addiction Group at the University of Oxford, about a new overview of the best available evidence worldwide for smoking cessation. The study, published in the journal Addiction, has found that nicotine‑containing e‑cigarettes appear to be more effective for stopping people smoking than other interventions. We hear how metabolic liver disease could affect nearly 1.8 billion people by 2050, according to new research published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology journal. The growing number of cases means that many people are at risk of developing serious complications, however, the study also found that although more people are developing the disease, the overall impact on health has remained stable due to advances in treatment and care. We also hear from BBC World Service reporter Sen Nguyen in Vietnam as Hanoi plans to pilot a new low-emission zone from July to tackle air pollution. We hear what the proposed changes are and with the prevalence of diesel motorbikes in the city, how prepared are residents, workers and businesses for this change? And Claudia and Vanessa discuss whether living with friends may quietly be altering your gut bacteria, following new research published in the journal Molecular Ecology. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Jonathan Blackwell and Hannah Robins

As the Artemis II crew return to Earth, we uncover the health benefits of the feeling of awe with world-renowned expert, Dacher Keltner. We also discuss how we might find more awe in our everyday lives. What impact is the Iran war having on global health? Journalist Andrew Green unpicks the ramifications of shipping restrictions, ‘black rain’ in Tehran and hacking attacks on medical suppliers. How two boyhood friends have helped developed a new kind of prosthesis with a programme based in Guadalajara. Our reporter Rogelio Navarro has the story. Progress on our understanding of Noma, a severe gangrenous disease of the mouth and face. Plus, how some blind people are using echolocation to help them detect objects in their environment. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins and Jonathan Blackwell Image: NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman peers out of one of the Orion spacecraft's main cabin windows, looking back at Earth, as the crew travels towards the Moon April 2, 2026. NASA/Handout via REUTERS.

In Australia last year, it was discovered that hardly any sunscreen products actually offered the protection listed on the bottle. Now the Australian regulator has finally proposed sweeping reforms in the country known to be a skin cancer hotspot. Dr Michelle Wong, chemist and science communicator of LabMuffin Beauty Science explains what impact the changes might make. Northern Cyprus is one of the cheapest places to get IVF treatment. However, a British couple have recently discovered their children, conceived at a clinic in the country, are not biologically related despite the couple requesting the same sperm donor for both children. We find out more about what happened and how IVF clinics are regulated globally. How mosquitoes could be used to vaccinate bats against rabies and nipah, and the potential benefit to human health. In Ghana, Pakistan, Rwanda, and South Africa more than half of patients with serious injuries failed to reach medical care within an hour of being injured according to new research. Dr Leila Ghalichi, Senior Researcher at Department of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Birmingham explains what could be done to improve the situation. And, how sperm behaves in space, and what that means for colonising other planets. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

For the last few weeks, the news has been dominated by the situation in the Middle East. Joining Claudia Hammond is BBC Health Correspondent James Gallagher who speaks with Dr Antoine Abou Fayad, a microbiologist and medicinal chemist based in Beirut, Lebanon. He reveals that war, just like the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, provides the perfect storm to accelerate the spread of multidrug-resistant infections. And nobody is safe. Following the recent meningitis B outbreak in the UK which has killed two people and led to the rollout of vaccines and preventative antibiotics, Claudia and James discuss how meningitis outbreaks are dealt with in the ‘meningitis belt’ - an area stretching across 26 sub-Saharan African countries and talk about a new vaccine aiming to stop deadly meningitis epidemics which has been confirmed to be safe following analysis of vaccination campaigns in Nigeria and Niger. And India's snakebite crisis is killing near sixty thousand people every year, about six people every hour. Journalist Chhavi Sachdev joins us to discuss the progress of India’s National Action Plan to tackle snakebite envenoming which launched two years ago. Also, what time of day do you exercise? Well, a new study using Fitbit-derived heart rate data has found that people who regularly exercised early in the morning were significantly less likely to have coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or obesity compared with people who exercised later in the day. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Jonathan Blackwell

North Korean defectors and lifelong South Korean residents have significantly different cancer rates, despite their genetic similarities; new research finds. Presenter Laura Foster unpacks this study, explaining what it tells us about how upbringing and environment contribute to different cancer rates, and how migration can change these risks. A new study has found GLP-1s – drugs typically used to treat diabetes and obesity – could have an unexpected benefit for patients dealing with substance abuse disorders. Laura speaks with Ziyad Al-Aly, a clinical epidemiologist and Veterans Affairs physician at Washington University in St Louis to understand what this could mean for treating drug and alcohol addictions, and what questions still need answers before this treatment can be rolled out. Last weekend, Kenya’s National Environment Management Authority rolled out new waste management rules to better dispose of products containing plastic, but the new laws are expected to increase the price of sanitary pads by 20%. Global health reporter based in Nairobi, Dorcas Wangira joins Laura to unpack what these policies mean for the accessibility of sanitary products, and what alternative solutions are needed to balance access with environmental impact. They also discuss how a drug to treat Parkinson’s disease can be made from waste plastic bottles using a pioneering method. And Jane Chambers reports from Peru about the growing prevalence of anaemia, speaking to local healthcare workers about what steps families can be taken to help their children recover. Presenter: Laura Foster Producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Georgia Christie

New research from Yale shows that aging doesn’t have to result in mental and physical decline. In fact, they found that nearly half of older adults actually improved in cognitive or physical ability over a 12-year period. Dr Graham Easton, a family doctor, discusses what this can teach us about what we can and can’t control when it comes to aging. Brain tumours can be notoriously difficult to treat because many therapeutic drugs are not allowed through the blood-brain barrier – an extremely selective system that controls access in and out of the brain. Now, researchers at the University of Southern California have shown that laser-induced tumour heating can open blood-brain barrier, improving the effectiveness of immunotherapy in brain cancer. Erica Benke reports from Finland, where the Winter Swimming World Cup is underway, looking at why winter swimming is growing in popularity and what researchers say about its real health effects and risks. A once‑rare form of organ donation is now transforming transplant care in the U.S and other countries, offering hope to thousands on waiting lists. These new techniques are allowing doctors to keep organs in good condition for longer, even after the donor’s heart has stopped beating. Plus, researchers in Hungary are training AI to better identify mosquitos by their sound, with hopes to accurately monitor populations of the deadliest animal on Earth. Presenter: Laura Foster Producer: Anna Charalambou Assistant Producer: Georgia Christie

Collagen supplements have become increasingly popular over recent years. However, a new review has revealed that although taking collagen may rejuvenate the skin, it won’t stop you from getting wrinkles. Dr Ann Robinson, a family doctor, discusses findings on what collagen is actually doing for your skin. The world is short of nearly a million midwives, a new report in Women and Birth warns. Daniela Drandić, the Head of Advocacy & Communications at the International Confederation of Midwives, is one of the authors of the study and breaks down the reason for this shortage and what could be done to increase numbers. Plus, we hear from Sarah Namyalo, a midwife in Uganda, who is doing her best to serve her community under difficult working conditions. A protein derived from a tick could lead to new therapies for conditions such as MS and certain cancers. Known as ‘evasins’, these proteins produced by parasites such as ticks block the inflammatory response and could prevent the immune system from overreacting and develop certain diseases. Gout is a common type of inflammatory arthritis that causes joint pain and swelling but often goes untreated. Journalist Tony Vinyoh was recently diagnosed and treated for gout, and reports on how the disease is managed and perceived in Cameroon. Plus, scientists have developed the first ever fart measuring underwear, revealing that we break wind almost double the amount previously estimated. Presenter: Laura Foster Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Georgia Christie and Anna Charalambou

A universal nasal spray vaccine that could block nearly all viruses, and possibly also bacteria and allergens has been successful at early stages of research. By leaving immune cells ‘on alert’, they become ready to jump into action no matter what infection tries to get into the body. Dr Matthew Fox, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Global Health at Boston University, explains what this could mean for the future of disease prevention. Four years into the Ukraine war, the founder of global initiative ‘Think Equal’ Leslee Udwin explains the programmes currently in place to help children to grow through their traumatic experiences. Plus, a teacher in Kharkiv, Violetta Kaleda, as well as some of the children within the programmes, describe the impact of bringing social and emotional learning into education. Prevention campaigns are resuming after the cholera outbreak in Mozambique has now been declared an epidemic by the country’s national director of public health. Reporter Jose Tembe give the latest on the outbreak after the years-long shortage of cholera vaccines begins to rebound. As commercial spaceflight grows and human fertility in space becomes a more pressing concern, embryologist Giles Palmer explains the current understanding of the effects of spaceflight on human reproductive systems. Plus, a new study on ultra-endurance marathon running shows it may accelerate aging and the breakdown of red blood cells. Presenter: Laura Foster Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Georgia Christie and Anna Charalambou

How a patient survived for 48 hours without lungs. Too ill to receive a lung transplant straight away, the man relied on an artificial lung while his body recovered from an infection. As he prepares to repeat the procedure for the first time, Dr Ankit Bharat, Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine explains the groundbreaking technique. Radiotherapy for abdominal cancers can severely damage the uterus and ovaries, causing infertility. However, a team have developed a technique where the uterus is moved out of harm's way during treatment, and now the first baby has been born to a recipient in Europe. Our studio guest today, genito-urinary consultant Vanessa Apea, explains how it worked and what it might mean for patients. Measles cases are on the rise in many parts of the world with more and more countries losing their elimination status. Rogelio Navarro reports on a particularly significant outbreak in Guadalajara, Jalisco State in Mexico. Condom use is in decline in Ghana. Will a government intervention on Valentine’s Day make any difference? Plus, a new map for deadly scorpions’ habitat – would you know what to do if you were stung? Presenter: Laura Foster Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Jonathan Blackwell, Georgia Christie, Anna Charalambou

Statins are one of the most prescribed drugs in the world as they are highly effective at reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol that causes cardiovascular disease. A new review in the Lancet has found there are far fewer side effects associated with their use than previously thought. New Nipah cases have been reported in India and Bangladesh. Trudie Lang Professor of Global Health Research at the University of Oxford explains the significance and how worried we should be. A team in Cardiff, Wales have designed a reusable sanitary pad that cleans in sunlight. As a trial of the product begins in Nepal, we find out what the participants think of the idea and how it works. What does air pollution do to our bodies? James Gallagher reports. Plus, does pink noise actually help us sleep? Presenter: Laura Foster Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Jonathan Blackwell, Anna Charalambou