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Health Check: Gene therapy hope for sickle cell patients

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Scientist analysing a blood sample using a microscope

2022/01/26 GMT

Gene therapy hope for sickle cell patients

BBC World Service - Health Check, Gene therapy hope for sickle cell patients

Pioneering gene-editing treatment turns back the clock for sickle cell trial patients

Pioneering gene-editing treatment turns back the clock for sickle cell trial patients. Also, tiredness is impacting doctors, and how changing your inhaler could help the planet.

Positive results for a handful of patients on a trial in the United States offers hope for the millions of people around the world living with sickle cell disease. Doctors say the gene-editing therapy literally 'turns back the clock' by reducing the number of red blood cells that are sickle-shaped and increasing the type that a baby has, which can carry more oxygen around the body. Other cheaper, more widely-available medications can work, but we hear how the health of sickle cell patients depends on where they live. 
 
After two years of caring for patients with Covid-19, many healthcare workers are exhausted. This week’s guest, Graham Easton, who is Professor of Communication Skills at Barts and The Royal London Hospital, explains how mistakes can happen when doctors carry out repetitive tasks when they are tired. 
 
Could changing your asthma inhaler be better for you and the planet? We hear from Caroline and her son Sebastian, who found that switching to dry-powder inhalers transformed their lives.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Paula McGrath and Samara Linton

(Picture: Scientist analysing a blood sample in a laboratory. Photo credit: Krisanapong Detraphiphat/Getty Images.)

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