Health Check

A vaccine for malaria that can be produced cheaply on a large scale has been recommended for use by the World Health Organisation. It was developed by the University of Oxford, and is only the second malaria vaccine to be developed. Claudia Hammond is joined by New Scientist health reporter Clare Wilson to look at how the new vaccine works, and why it’s proven so hard to find a way to inoculate against malaria. We also look at major new research that’s found women are facing major inequalities in cancer care around the world, with calls for a feminist approach to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. Claudia and Clare also discuss this week’s announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Professors Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman are sharing the prize for their work developing the technology that led to the mRNA Covid vaccines. And we hear whether or not there’s evidence that mental health ‘first aid’ courses have real medical benefits. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Dan Welsh