Original version

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

Health Check

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

Health Check: Liver drug could be repurposed for Covid

Magazines & Reviews

Infected organoid.jpg

2022/12/14 GMT

Liver drug could be repurposed for Covid

BBC World Service - Health Check, Liver drug could be repurposed for Covid

A widely used liver disease drug could be repurposed to stop Covid-19 in its tracks.

Liver drug repurposed for Covid; bike donation scheme tackles mental health; how healthy are short bursts of exercise and which Olympic sports cause most injuries.

We’ve grown used to hearing about potential new treatments for Covid-19 – well here’s another. Researchers in Britain have, by chance, discovered that a tablet used to treat liver disease for decades could be repurposed to stop Covid-19 in its tracks. 

The drug appears to shut a crucial ‘doorway’ the virus uses to get into our cells – and scientists are excited about its potential to tackle different variants and provide a low-cost weapon in the pandemic. We hear how researchers used a combination of ‘mini organs’, animals and humans to show how it could work – and what needs to happen next to confirm the findings.

The BBC’s Anna Holligan reports from the cycle-friendly Netherlands on an innovative new bike donation scheme that is being used to break down barriers and improve mental health for refugees and in deprived communities. 

And Claudia Hammond’s guest this week is Dr Graham Easton, a family doctor and professor of clinical communication skills at Queen Mary University of London. He delves into new research that suggests short bursts of vigorous activity could reduce risk of death and finds out which Olympic sports are most likely to cause injuries. Spoiler: It’s not the more traditional ones…

(Picture: Liver organoid – or ‘mini-liver’ – infected with SARS-CoV-2 (red indicates the virus). Photo credit: Teresa Brevini).

Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Gerry Holt

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Health Check

Liver drug could be repurposed for Covid

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

About BBC World Service