For some communities in South Africa coming-of-age initiations are a hugely significant moment, but there have been rising concerns over the safety of the circumcisions at the heart of this ritual. Forty-eight young men died last year and the government are now introducing measures to tackle the issue. BBC’s southern Africa correspondent Pumza Fihlani reports on the latest.

Research suggests our hair does not grow by pushing up and out but by being pulled by a coordinated network of moving cells. Our studio guest Graham Easton, professor of clinical communication skills and former family doctor discusses the significance.

What is the best way to encourage more people to give blood? New research from China evaluates system where donors were offered incentives such as free access to public bus services. Professor of Health Psychology Eamonn Ferguson puts this in the context of different approaches used worldwide.

And should doctors use emojis in communications with patients? A new paper analyses how many are used and which ones by clinicians and patients in Michigan, USA. We discuss the pros and cons of their use.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond

Joined by BBC Brazil reporter Camilla Mota, presenter Claudia Hammond discusses new research from the U.S. that has found that people who have had a vaccine against shingles seem to be aging more slowly.

We hear from James Tibenderana, Chief Executive of Malaria Consortium about research from Brazil that shows that as deforestation expands, mosquitoes are increasingly using humans as a blood source instead of wildlife. What does this mean for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases?

Plus, why does Brazil have a particularly high number of supercentenarians? And could swearing make you stronger?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond

We are often told exercise is good for boosting your mood, but a new Cochrane review has looked at what the evidence says about how much difference exercise can really make when treating depression.

Many patients with chronic conditions fail to take medications as prescribed. We discuss a novel pill casing that can send a signal once it has been broken down in the stomach. Prof Giovanni Traverso, gastroenterologist and director of the Laboratory for Translational Engineering at MIT, explains how it works.

A year on from the USAID freeze, global health journalist Andrew Green unpicks America’s radically different influence on world health today.

In Malawi’s townships, many families can no longer afford charcoal or gas. Instead, they turn to burning plastic waste as cooking fuel. This keeps food on the table but fills kitchens and markets with toxic smoke, contributing to respiratory illness, pregnancy complications, and environmental damage. We hear from our reporter, Carrim Mpaweni.

And we look at auto-brewery syndrome as researchers search for why some people’s gut microbes produce high alcohol levels.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond

China has just brought in taxes on contraception including condoms in a bid to increase the nation’s birth rate. What impact could this have when considered alongside other “fertility-friendly” policies? Global Health reporter Dorcas Wangira gives her verdict.

Could RSV vaccination dramatically reduce childhood asthma? Professor Bart Lambrecht from Ghent University shares his latest research suggesting just that.

How school-based vaccination programmes for HPV may provide cancer protection through herd immunity.

Plus, BBC reporter Erika Benke takes us to a Finnish sauna to understand what we do, and don’t know about the impact the ancient practice has on our health and wellbeing.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond

In the past decade there has been little progress in lowering malaria cases, with over half a million people still dying from the mosquito-borne disease every year. We look at the big ideas and innovations of the future that could help us eliminate malaria once and for all.

What would happen if we got rid of the insect responsible for spreading the malaria parasite? Claudia heads to Imperial College London where she is joined by Dr Federica Bernardini and their 120 colonies of mosquitos to find out how revolutionary genetic technologies are aiming to do just that.

Picking up on Imperial’s work in the field is Principal Investigator at Target Malaria in Uganda, Dr Jonathan Kayondo. His job is to understand what it would mean to release these modified mosquitos into the wild.

Looking at the existing tools that need levelling up is Dr Rob Moon, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Dr James Tibenderana, Chief Executive at the Malaria Consortium. Alongside Claudia they look at the next generation of vaccines and the importance of accessible rapid diagnostic tests.

But is all this going to be enough to eliminate malaria?

Presenter: Claudia Hammond

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 patients

And could we ever eliminate malaria completely? Next week, we consider the big ideas hoping to do just that.

With thanks to Karina Igonikon

Presenter: Claudia Hammond

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

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

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

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