Dr Xand's Con or Cure

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BBC One Oxfordshire

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

The facts, not the fakes, about your health.

The facts, not the fakes, about your health with Dr Xand van Tulleken and Ashley John-Baptiste. From social media scams to health scares, they'll shine a light on bad medicine.

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Alexander van Tulleken

Ashley John-Baptiste

Richard Collier

Brendan Hughes

Karen Donnelly

Tern Television Productions

Dr Xand's Con or Cure: Series 2: Episode 11

Episode 11

BBC One - Dr Xand's Con or Cure, Series 2, Episode 11

Do collagen supplements work; the dangers of buying prescription medication online; is there a cure for hiccups? Can a red onion drink cure the cold?

In the medical world Artificial Intelligence can make enormous changes for the good. Sarah de Lagarde was very badly injured when she fell off the platform in an underground station in London and was run over by two separate tube trains. She lost one arm, but now has a prosthetic arm and hand which is controlled using artificial intelligence.  

What are hiccups, and is there any way we can stop them? There are common myths offered as ways of dealing with them  –  “scaring” a hiccup away, drinking water through a straw. Does anything work?   

Last year over 1.14 billion drugs were prescribed in England. Many people are on prolonged repeat prescriptions, using drugs for longer and longer periods.  But as the cost of prescriptions has gone up some have found it cheaper to buy the same drugs online at cheaper prices than they pay for their prescriptions. BBC Investigative reporter Jonathan Gibson discovered that in the shady world of shifting legal prescription drugs all isn’t quite what it seems. GP Dr Sophie Newton outlines just what a bad idea it is to buy them online. 

Spurred on by endorsements and ads from celebrities and influencers, collagen supplements have become hugely popular, with lots of people are parting with cash believing they can help them stay youthful.  Dr Ophelia Veraitch, a consultant dermatologist unpacks what they are, whether they work and, ultimately, whether they a waste of money. 

One of the latest fads on social media is the use of a red onion drink that promises to send your cold and cough packing.  It’s a combination of red onion, water, 8 slices of ginger, 6 slices of lemon and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar – all boiled together for 10 to 15 minutes. But, does it work?


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