Inside Health Folgen

A new non-hormonal drug has been approved to treat menopausal hot flushes. It works by regulating the body's cooling signals and is now available on the NHS in England for those who cannot use hormone replacement therapy. Before delving into the evidence with resident GP Dr Margaret McCartney, James finds out what it feels like to have a hot flush.Also this week, James chats to Dr Manjula Meda, a microbiologist who is spearheading a radical new project. She has found that water systems in hospitals may be a breeding ground for antimicrobial resistance, and is tackling this by removing the sinks from wards. Is it effective and safe?Finally, we all do it, but we don't like discussing it... Farting. James speaks to the University of Maryland's Professor Brantley Hall, who has developed a 'fart detector' that can measure emissions to get a better understanding of gut health. And James gets the chance to attach one to his pants for three days. For science, of course.Presenter: James Gallagher Producer: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Gerry Holt Content editor: Ilan Goodman Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Inside Health was made by the BBC’s Audio Science Unit in collaboration with The Open University.

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.

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