Inside Health

Little over a week on from the first meningitis cases in Canterbury, many crucial questions remain. So this week we're taking an in-depth look at those questions and what we’ve learnt from this outbreak - and could it happen again?James also hears from author Michael Rosen whose son Eddie died from meningitis aged 18 about just how quickly the disease struck and how he deals with his grief. And would you trust health advice from an AI chatbot? We hear from someone who regularly turns to ChatGPT and from GP Dr Margaret McCartney about her concerns.Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Gerry Holt Content editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Studio engineer: Donald MacDonaldInside Health was made by the BBC’s Audio Science Unit in collaboration with The Open University.

Dr Antoine Abu-Fayyad, Beirut-based microbiologist studying how conflict fuels multidrug-resistant infections. Sir Andrew Pollard, immunologist and vaccine expert who has worked on meningitis vaccines and care for children. They discuss a large meningococcal outbreak among students and why strain typing and vaccination matter. They also explore how war accelerates superbugs and the global risks that follow.

There have been nearly 200 cases of measles in the UK so far this year.Measles can be prevented with vaccines - but the proportion of children being immunised is declining across the UK, particularly in parts of London.James visits Hackney, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country, to find out why and to see what is happening to tackle this issue.And have you tried an adaptogenic drink? They claim to relax the mind, without giving you a boozy hangover. James samples some in the lab and then gets behind the wheel of a simulator to see what it does to his driving skills…Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Gerry Holt Researcher: Thomas Hunt Editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Sound engineer: Giles AspenInside Health was made by the BBC’s Audio Science Unit in collaboration with The Open University.

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.

ME – also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – has long been one of medicine’s most perplexing conditions. With no definitive diagnostic test and a legacy of scepticism in parts of the medical community, patients have often struggled to be believed. But a surge of new research may finally be shifting the landscape. The emergence of Long COVID – a condition with striking similarities to ME – has accelerated scientific interest and opened new lines of inquiry into the underlying biology of both illnesses.In this episode, James Gallagher speaks to Dr Chris Ponting about the latest DecodeME results, which point to a strong genetic component to ME. And Professor Rosemary Boyton outlines the ambition behind the new Rosetta Stone study, designed to build a detailed evidence base of shared biomarkers across ME and Long COVID. James also hears from Catherine and Jo, who have lived with ME for many years. They describe their diagnostic journeys and how they manage their symptoms in their daily lives. Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell Researcher: Tom Hunt Editors: Erika Wright and Ilan Goodman

Sarah Le Brocq, a patient who tried GLP-1 drugs and faced major weight loss and gallbladder surgery. Beverley O’Hara, public‑health nutrition lecturer, on societal and dietary impacts. Naveed Sattar, cardiometabolic medicine professor, on clinical and research perspectives. They discuss rising drug use, digestive side effects and gallstones, monitoring gaps, risk–benefit conversations, and cultural shifts in how bodies are viewed.

Dentistry is high on the public and political agenda. There have been dozens of headlines about access to NHS dentistry, with some people having to travel huge distances to find a dentist, or being put onto long waiting lists to get an NHS appointment. In this episode of Inside Health, James Gallagher is joined by chairman of the British Dental Association Eddie Crouch, the Oral Health Foundation's Dr Rachael England, and consultant oral surgeon Tom Thayer. Together, they drill into the issues surrounding NHS dentistry. Along the way, they discuss possible solutions, whether contract reforms will help, and the potential future of dentistry in the UK. Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Thomas 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

This week we’re looking at government plans to start sequencing the DNA of every newborn baby in England within the next decade. Each newborn would undergo whole genome sequencing to assess their risk of hundreds of diseases, under NHS plans.It promises a revolution in spotting disease early - but are there also risks?And use of nicotine pouches is rising, especially among young men. But these little sachets that fit under the top lip aren’t yet regulated – so what do we know about the potential harms? Finally, as the cold weather continues, James gets a lesson in walking like a penguin to see if it helps avoid trips, slips and falls… Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Tom Bonnett, Alice-Lipscombe-Southwell and Thomas Hunt Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Content editor: Ilan Goodman

Alvaro Marta, a biomedical engineer developing a gel to regrow tooth enamel. Professor Stephen Griffin, a cancer virologist exploring how mRNA vaccines can boost immune responses in cancer. Norris Lu, clinical lecturer who demonstrates blood microscopy for pollution. Professor Jonathan Grigg, paediatric respiratory expert studying how traffic particles enter blood. They discuss pollution moving from roads into the bloodstream, masks cutting particle uptake, mRNA and cancer immunity, and enamel-regenerating gels.