The health threat of rising temperatures

With recent heat waves in many regions of the world, including parts of Asia, Europe and North America, Claudia Hammond speaks to Eran Bendavid, Professor of Medicine and Health Policy at Stanford University, about his global study which suggests that older people face dangers from heat exposure at much lower temperatures than previously thought.

Claudia is joined by genito-urinary consultant and HIV expert, Vanessa Apea to discuss the ongoing mpox outbreak in Madagascar. It is the largest ever outbreak of mpox in the country, with authorities dividing vaccine doses into fifths in order to try and offer some protection to as many people as possible.

In addition, Claudia and Vanessa discuss how inflammatory activity may be underrecognised in people with darker skin tones and they also investigate how the immune system adapts as people reach more than 110 years old!

And we hear from Dr. Sriman Swarup, practicing oncologist based in Phoenix, Arizona, about what doctors minding their own business on a flight really think when they hear the words on the tannoy “Is there a doctor on board?”

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producers: Jonathan Blackwell & Georgia Christie