Health Check

Vaccines: A tale of the unexpected


Listen Later

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 understanding despite scientists documenting this curious biological phenomenon more than 100 years ago.

One of the earliest vaccines to be studied was the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine for Tuberculosis, better known as the BCG. Professor Christine Stabell-Benn gives us a history lesson and brings us up to date with her team’s research at the Bandim Health Project in Guinea-Bissau, Western Africa.

Also in the programme we hear about a new device for fixing bones being trialled in Gaza and Sri Lanka – and already in use in Ukraine. We hear from surgeons about what kind of patients they are treating and from UK researchers on hopes it will offer a low-cost, easy-to-make alternative in countries where there are shortages of these fixators.

Our studio guest this week is BBC News health and science journalist Philippa Roxby who talks us through the latest after an 11-year-old girl in Cambodia died from the H5N1 strain of bird flu. Plus, we look at new studies on long Covid and how much exercise we should be aiming to do each day.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond

Producer: Gerry Holt and Emily Knight

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Health CheckBy BBC World Service

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

79 ratings


More shows like Health Check

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,913 Listeners

The Archers by BBC Radio 4

The Archers

1,086 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

863 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,067 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,576 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,808 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,729 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,018 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

1,952 Listeners

The Food Programme by BBC Radio 4

The Food Programme

259 Listeners

The Food Chain by BBC World Service

The Food Chain

346 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

965 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

410 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

429 Listeners

Inside Health by BBC Radio 4

Inside Health

102 Listeners

The Life Scientific by BBC Radio 4

The Life Scientific

227 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

331 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

363 Listeners

All in the Mind by BBC Radio 4

All in the Mind

62 Listeners

Health Report by ABC Australia

Health Report

131 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

471 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

240 Listeners

Sliced Bread by BBC Radio 4

Sliced Bread

143 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,245 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,010 Listeners