Inside Health

More than 30,000 people are being contacted in the Canterbury area regarding the outbreak of bacterial meningitis in Kent. Two people have died, and others are seriously ill. James Gallagher speaks with immunologist Sir Andrew Pollard about the disease, and finds out what could have caused the outbreak.That’s the major headline from the UK. But more broadly, for the last few weeks the news has been dominated by the situation in the Middle East. James 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. And finally, James finds out about an ongoing trial at the University of Exeter, where interactive computer games are being used by stroke patients to improve their recovery. And, of course, James has a go himself!Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell Researcher: Tom Hunt Editor: Ilan Goodman

Penis fillers were an unexpected talking point at the recent Winter Olympics after claims that male ski jumpers were having them to improve performance.So this week we’re digging into the UK’s penis filler industry.James visits a private clinic in Manchester to hear about about the procedure, which involves hyaluronic acid being injected to temporarily increase penis girth. He meets Jason, who had his first penis filler five months’ ago, and he explains why he wanted it and how he weighed up the risks versus the benefits.James also chats to an NHS surgeon who says increasing numbers of men are seeking out the procedure - and he is dealing with the consequences when it goes wrong.Also this week, why is aspirin in short supply? Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Gerry Holt Editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Sound engineer: Emma Harth The show was made by the BBC’s Audio Science Unit in collaboration with The Open University.

Over 1.5million adults in the UK tried weight loss drugs in 2024-25. Many swear by them, but they have been associated with side effects including nausea and, in some cases, extremely painful gallstones. But what does the evidence actually tell us, and what is the wider impact on the way we view our bodies in society?James Gallagher is joined by Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow Naveed Sattar, Dr Beverley O’Hara, Lecturer in Public Health Nutrition at Leeds Beckett University, and Dr Margaret McCartney, resident Inside Health GP. They discuss what the evidence tells us about the potential known side effects of these weight loss drugs, and the potential impact their use has on our view of obesity as a society. We also hear from Sarah Le Brocq, who has struggled with obesity all her adult life and has been on these drugs for the past 2-3 years about her experiences. Margaret McCartney has no conflicts of interest to declare.Beverley O’Hara has no conflicts of interest to declare. She has 2 roles with the Association for the Study of Obesity (voluntary academic positions).Naveed Sattar has consulted for and/or received speaker honoraria from AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Carmot Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, Gan & Lee, GlaxoSmithKline, Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, Kailera, Mass Medicines, Menarini-Ricerche, Metsera, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, UCB Pharma, and Verdiva Bio; and received grant support paid to his University from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Roche.Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Hannah Fisher Researcher: Tom Hunt Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Content Editor: Ilan Goodman

Most of us have Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) hiding in our bodies. You may know it as the cause of glandular fever or “kissing disease”. But more research is suggesting that it can turn our immune systems against us to cause autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis or lupus. So, what is the virus doing in our bodies - and can we do anything about it? James is joined by Dr Claire Shannon-Lowe, a virologist at the University of Birmingham, and Dr Patrick Kearns from the University of Edinburgh, a neurologist and epidemiologist.And we delve into the world of echolocation. Bats hunt at night by making pulses of sounds and listening to the echoes so they can build a picture of the world around them in total darkness - and it's a technique some people with visual impairment use to explore the world.A team at the University of East Anglia has been testing how well humans can pick up these skills, so James pays a visit to have a go...Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Gerry Holt, Tom Bonnett & Thomas Hunt Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Content editor: Ilan Goodman

James Gallagher stands by four lanes of traffic and inhales exhaust fumes all to see if he can see air pollution in his body. He looks at an intriguing finding that an mRNA vaccine might benefit people being treated with immunotherapy for some cancers and could we be on the cusp of a holy grail in dentistry? A breakthrough could mean we will soon be able to replace the enamel on our teeth. Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Tom Bonnett Researcher: Thom Hunt Editor: Ilan Goodman

In 1964, the future for children born with Cystic Fibrosis was grim - most faced a life cut tragically short. Today, the majority of people living with CF in the UK are adults, a testament to extraordinary medical progress.We meet Annabelle who lives with Cystic Fibrosis, and once believed she might not see her 18th birthday. And we hear from Dr Imogen Felton, a respiratory consultant at Royal Brompton Hospital, with expertise in cystic fibrosis, who tells us about the therapies crucial to this extended prognosis. The EDITH trial (Early Detection using Information Technology in Health) is testing how AI can help radiologists identify breast cancer at an earlier stage, transforming the future of diagnosis. We speak to Professor Sian Taylor-Philips, Professor of Population Health at the University of Warwick and co-leader of the trial.In 2024, participation in Run Clubs across the UK surged by 64%. But does running in a group lead to better performance? To find out, James laces up for a jog around Hyde Park with the Monday Mood Booster Run Club and speaks with Arran Davis, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford, who’s exploring the links between social interaction and physical activity.Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Debbie Kilbride, Minnie Harrop & Tom Bonnett Editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Ishmael Soriano This episode was produced in partnership with The Open University.

More and more parents are using melatonin to help their children sleep - but there is little research on the long-term effects. So, what do we know about the risks and is it ok to give it to children as an aid to help sleep?James chats to Paul Gringras, professor of children’s sleep medicine and neurodisability at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Vicki Beevers, chief executive of The Sleep Charity. Also this week, resident GP Margaret McCartney on the potential promise - and peril - of doctors using AI in the NHS, and should you eat your placenta? We hear from a dietician on whether there’s any evidence it’s good for you.Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Tom Bonnett, Debbie Kilbride & Gerry Holt Editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Ishmael SorianoThis episode was produced in partnership with The Open University.

Exosomes are tiny balls of fat that allow cells to communicate with each other in our bodies. They're being actively researched as an experimental new type of medicine, and they're also being used in the cosmetics industry in serums, as well as being injected into people's skin. Researchers have raised concerns about the safety of this hot new trend in beauty.Presenter James Gallagher meets Dr James Edgar from the University of Cambridge who studies exosomes in his lab, he's also joined by consultant Kamal Kaur who advises the cosmetics industry on regulation around products containing exosomes, and we head to one of the UK's hot spots for beauty clinics and dermatology - the Marlyebone area of London - to meet consultant dermatologist in the NHS and One Wellbeck, Dr Ellie Rashid. Also in the programme, a new physio app is being trialled by the NHS. It's been rolled out to patients in Lothian in Scotland and we meet the people who have been using it, the real-life physio behind it and hear whether apps could be the way many people access physio in the future. Producer: Tom Bonnett with Debbie Kilbride Assistant Producer: Minnie Harrop Editor: Ilan Goodman

As an era-defining summer of women’s sport kicks off, Inside Health looks at the science of sport and the female body. What do we know about how female physiology affects sporting performance? James visits Manchester to meet elite athletes and the scientists who are at the forefront of investigating the impact of periods on athletic performance and why women are more prone to certain injuries than men. He also hears about breast movement and why the right sports bra really matters.You'll hear from: - Calli Hauger-Thackery, a distance runner who has represented Team GB in the Olympics and Commonwealth Games; - Kirsty Elliott-Sale, Professor of Female Endocrinology and Exercise Physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University; - Dr Thomas Dos'Santos, Senior Lecturer in Strength and Conditioning and Sports Biomechanics at Manchester Metropolitan University; - Joanna Wakefield-Scurr, Professor of Biomechanics and Head of the Research Group in Breast Health at the University of Portsmouth; - Katy Daley-McLean, former England rugby captain and leading England point scorer of all time, now Women's Performance Lead at Sale Sharks WomenPresenter: James Gallagher Producer Gerry Holt Editor: Glyn Tansley and Martin Smith Production coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth This episode is produced in partnership with The Open University. Curious to know more? Try The Open University’s ‘Menstruation Myths’ quiz by following the links to The Open University.

When the sun shines, out come the warnings that we all need to be careful in the sun to avoid burning and the risk of skin cancer. There are, though, those who believe that sort of public health messaging isn't positive enough about the benefits of the sun.As James Gallagher hears on the streets of Brighton, many of us know about the health benefits of vitamin d but new research suggests other benefits could be important for our health too.Should we working harder to get a balance of taking care in the sun but making sure we get enough exposure to it?James Gallagher looks at the evidence with Dr Richard Weller, Personal Chair of Medical Dermatology and Honorary Consultant Dermatologist at the University of Edinburgh, Dr Zoe Venables, a dermatologist with an interest in skin cancer epidemiology at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals, and Dr Margaret McCartney, GP, expert in evidence-based medicine. This episode is produced in partnership with The Open University.Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Tom Bonnett Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett Editor: Glyn Tansley

We continue our exploration of some of the issues that could crop up if assisted dying becomes law under The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that is currently working its way through Parliament.Today we consider what those final moments might be like and if the ideal of a peaceful death is a reality with the drug options currently available.To discuss we're joined by:Katherine Sleeman - Professor of Palliative Care at King's College London David Nicholl - Consultant Neurologist at University Hospital Birmingham Mark Taubert - Consultant Palliative Medicine at NHS Wales Erica Borgstrom - Professor of Medical Anthropology at The Open UniversityIt's claimed that within each of us there is a credit card's worth of microplastics. We dig into the figures underlying that with Kit Yates, Professor of Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath.And, we answer your questions after our programme on hearing loss with audiologist Dr Hannah Cooper, Kevin Munro, Professor of Audiology at the University of Manchester and Nish Mehta, an Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon at Royal National ENT Hospital.Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Hannah Robins and Tom Bonnett Editor: Holly Squire

We continue our exploration of some of the issues that could crop up if assisted dying becomes law under The Terminally Ill Adults End of Life Bill that is currently working its way through Parliament.Today we tackle safeguarding. How can we be certain an assisted death is what the person wants? And who should even bring up the conversation?To discuss we're joined by:Katherine Sleeman - Professor of Palliative Care at King's College London David Nicholl - Consultant Neurologist at University Hospital Birmingham Mark Taubert - Consultant Palliative Medicine at NHS Wales Erica Borgstrom - Professor of Medical Anthropology at The Open UniversityPresenter: James Gallahgher Producers: Hannah Robins Assistant Production: Tom Bonnett and Siobhan