大象传媒

We delve into the science of how some vaccines could have unexpected effects beyond their intended target. They are called 鈥渘on-specific effects鈥� 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-Gu茅rin 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鈥檚 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 鈥� 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 大象传媒 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