Inside Health Folgen

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

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.