Podcast appearances and mentions of natasha loder

The Economist's health editor Natasha Loder wrote that advances in mRNA technology have spawned groundbreaking new cancer vaccine trials around the world, from melanoma to colorectal cancers.

How many medicines can you think of created for just one person? The likelihood is none - which is why the world hasn't heard of milasen yet. But its creation, and the efforts behind it, could build a pathway towards some of the greatest advances in genomic medicine, and a new initiative being trialled in Britain has a huge role to play in making this happen. At the age of seven, Mila Makovec became the first person in the world to be treated with a medicine created just for her. A bubbly young girl from Colorado, Mila suffered from a very rare genetic disorder called Batten disease, which leads to a painful early death in children. Mila's mother, Julia Vitarello, resolutely sought out scientists to try to discover a way to save her daughter. After relentless efforts, one doctor, Timothy Yu from Boston Children's Hospital, imagined a possible treatment for Mila. The challenge was it involved making a completely unique treatment for Mila's specific genetic mutation. It would be novel and very expensive - but it was her only option. Julia raised the millions of dollars required through a charity she set up in her daughter's name, and in 2018 Mila became the one patient in the world to receive the drug milasen. Initially, it worked, and Mila's condition stabilised and improved. However, the treatment was given after the disease had done a great deal of damage to a small child, and Mila died when she was ten years old.There are an estimated 7,000 rare diseases in the world, affecting more than 400 million people - and most are genetic. The majority have no effective treatment. New medicines for these conditions can't be put through clinical trials on groups of patients because they are so rare. So, currently, such novel therapeutics can only be legally given after lengthy and costly work that is uncommercial for drug firms. Having got so achingly close to saving her daughter, Mila's mother is now leading efforts to make these new genetic medicines available to other children with rare diseases - and Britain is where her campaign is about to take a huge step forward. The launch of the Rare Therapies Launch Pad is bringing together efforts from Mila's Miracle Foundation, the UK medicine's regulator the MHRA, Genomics England and Oxford University in an world leading attempt to build a new streamlined regulatory pathway to allow one-off drugs to be designed and approved for use in individual patients with rare diseases. Natasha Loder, Health Editor at the Economist, tells this very personal story of how one mother's determination to try and save her daughter could lead to a revolution in personalised medicine - one that has the potential to bring hope to millions of families. Producer: Sandra Kanthal

New medicines with sales in the billions of dollars each year are what every pharmaceutical company dreams of, but how do you create one and can they really justify their often high price tags? Evan Davis and guests discuss the changing origins of so-called 'blockbusters' and their importance to the global drug industry, including recent examples like the obesity and diabetes treatments Wegovy and Ozempic, which have made Novo Nordisk one of the richest companies in Europe. Plus, as outright cures for some diseases begin to emerge, how can the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare systems agree on what is a reasonable price to pay for them? Evan is joined by: Sir Patrick Vallance, former president of research and development at GSK, chief scientific advisor to the UK government, now chair of the Natural History Museum; Ruth McKernan, venture partner at SV Health Investors; David Brown, chairman and co-founder of Healx and co-creator of Viagra; Natasha Loder, health editor, The Economist. PRODUCTION TEAM: Producer: Simon Tulett Editor: China Collins Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman (Picture: Rolls of dollar bills next to a bottle of pills. Credit: Getty Images)

This year's Nobel prizes in science recognised the former underdogs behind mRNA vaccines, how to watch electrons and a new class of material that could revolutionise both solar panels and cancer treatments. How have these achievements had an impact beyond the lab?Host: Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor. Contributors: Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, this year's co-laureates in medicine or physiology; Jon Marangos, a professor of laser physics at Imperial College London; Judy Giordan, the president of the American Chemical Society; and Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor.Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.If you're already a subscriber to The Economist, you'll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This year's Nobel prizes in science recognised the former underdogs behind mRNA vaccines, how to watch electrons and a new class of material that could revolutionise both solar panels and cancer treatments. How have these achievements had an impact beyond the lab?Host: Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor. Contributors: Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, this year's co-laureates in medicine or physiology; Jon Marangos, a professor of laser physics at Imperial College London; Judy Giordan, the president of the American Chemical Society; and Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor.Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer. You will not be charged until Economist Podcasts+ launches.If you're already a subscriber to The Economist, you'll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.For more information about Economist Podcasts+, including how to get access, please visit our FAQs page. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Attending a science festival or an exhibition can be an exciting day out, while also being hugely informative. Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor visits the Royal Society's summer exhibition to play with both the simple and cutting-edge technologies that have potential for healthcare. Natasha asks Clem Burke, drummer of the rock band Blondie, and Marcus Smith of the University of Chichester how drumming can help children with autism. Natasha also meets Lorenzo Picinali, of Imperial College London, who explains why creating audio that feels three-dimensional could be useful for people with sensory impairment. Plus, Sumeet Mahajan of the University of Southampton demonstrates how technology used in NASA's Mars rover can be applied to the early detection of diseases. Gilead Amit, The Economist's science correspondent, hosts. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Attending a science festival or an exhibition can be an exciting day out, while also being hugely informative. Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor visits the Royal Society's summer exhibition to play with both the simple and cutting-edge technologies that have potential for healthcare. Natasha asks Clem Burke, drummer of the rock band Blondie, and Marcus Smith of the University of Chichester how drumming can help children with autism. Natasha also meets Lorenzo Picinali, of Imperial College London, who explains why creating audio that feels three-dimensional could be useful for people with sensory impairment. Plus, Sumeet Mahajan of the University of Southampton demonstrates how technology used in NASA's Mars rover can be applied to the early detection of diseases. Gilead Amit, The Economist's science correspondent, hosts. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow NWT 1946 #Bestof2022:  Brave New World of hallucinogens as remedy for the brain. Natasha Loder, Economist. (Originally posted October 6,, 2022) https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2022/09/21/ketamine-psilocybin-and-ecstasy-are-coming-to-the-medicine-cabinet

In days gone by, the organisers of a military coup would be after the radio towers and the TV stations. But when Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, rebelled against the Russian government last week, it was the messaging app Telegram that he turned to for publicity. Who controls the media ecosystem in Russia and how is Putin now spinning his own narrative on the coup that wasn't? Also in the programme, as a new Radio 4 podcast investigates the origins of Covid, what did journalists get right and wrong during the early days of the pandemic? Guests: John Sudworth, BBC North America Correspondent and presenter of Fever, Natasha Loder, Health Editor of The Economist, Clare Wilson, Medical Reporter at The New Scientist, and Francis Scarr, Journalist with BBC Monitoring Presenter: Ros Atkins

The Biden administration is expected to declassify some information gathered on the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, hoping to end a three-year battle over whether covid-19 came from a seafood market or a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Some scientists say they have strong evidence for a market origin—although many are far from convinced. Will this mystery ever be solved? Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, asks James Wood, an epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge, how to trace a virus back to its source—and why interpreting the patchy data is so complicated. Plus, Alison Young, the author of “Pandora's Gamble” explains the implications of this investigation on laboratory safety. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, hosts. We would love to hear from you. Please fill out our updated listener survey at economist.com/podcastsurvey.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden administration is expected to declassify some information gathered on the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, hoping to end a three-year battle over whether covid-19 came from a seafood market or a laboratory in Wuhan, China. Some scientists say they have strong evidence for a market origin—although many are far from convinced. Will this mystery ever be solved? Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, asks James Wood, an epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge, how to trace a virus back to its source—and why interpreting the patchy data is so complicated. Plus, Alison Young, the author of “Pandora's Gamble” explains the implications of this investigation on laboratory safety. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, hosts. We would love to hear from you. Please fill out our updated listener survey at economist.com/podcastsurvey.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clinical trials are the gold standard for testing the safety and efficacy of a treatment or drug, and a keystone in modern medicine. But their grinding timelines and skyrocketing price tags are hindering development and, ultimately, costing lives.Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, asks Sir Martin Landray, the boss of Protas, a clinical-trial organisation, what can be learned from his pioneering RECOVERY covid-19 trial. Euan Ashley, a cardiologist at Stanford University, explains how to use wearable technology to conduct wholly digital clinical trials. Plus, Alejandro Frangi of the University of Leeds says virtual clinical trials that use computers to model medical interventions can save time and money. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, hosts.We would love to hear from you. Please fill out our listener survey at economist.com/babbagesurvey.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clinical trials are the gold standard for testing the safety and efficacy of a treatment or drug, and a keystone in modern medicine. But their grinding timelines and skyrocketing price tags are hindering development and, ultimately, costing lives.Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, asks Sir Martin Landray, the boss of Protas, a clinical-trial organisation, what can be learned from his pioneering RECOVERY covid-19 trial. Euan Ashley, a cardiologist at Stanford University, explains how to use wearable technology to conduct wholly digital clinical trials. Plus, Alejandro Frangi of the University of Leeds says virtual clinical trials that use computers to model medical interventions can save time and money. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, hosts.We would love to hear from you. Please fill out our listener survey at economist.com/babbagesurvey.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty years ago, the Human Genome Project was completed. It unveiled a mostly complete sequence of the 3 billion pairs of building blocks that make up the code within every set of human chromosomes. These are the instructions that create humans. Almost all of human biology research uses the Human Genome Project's findings in some way, from understanding why some people are more likely to develop diseases than others, to uncovering the secrets of our ancestors and evolution. But for genomics to become a part of everyday medicine, paving the way for personalised medicines, the hard work is still ahead.Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor and Geoff Carr, our senior editor for science and technology, reflect on the completion of the Human Genome Project in the early 2000s and the gaps that still remain. Natasha also visits the Wellcome Sanger Institute, to explore the next frontiers for genomics in medicine—she meets the outgoing director, Mike Stratton; the incoming director, Matt Hurles; and the boss of the European Bioinformatics Institute, Ewan Birney. Plus, Mathew Davies, an engineer at the Sanger Institute, and his team, discuss the challenges with storing and processing vast amounts of sequencing data. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, hosts.To dive deeper on genomics, find our recent episode from the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing, or explore the power of gene therapies, and also an explainer on how genomic sequencing works.If you love Babbage, why not work with us? We're hiring for an Assistant Audio Producer to work on the show. Apply by May 15th.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twenty years ago, the Human Genome Project was completed. It unveiled a mostly complete sequence of the 3 billion pairs of building blocks that make up the code within every set of human chromosomes. These are the instructions that create humans. Almost all of human biology research uses the Human Genome Project's findings in some way, from understanding why some people are more likely to develop diseases than others, to uncovering the secrets of our ancestors and evolution. But for genomics to become a part of everyday medicine, paving the way for personalised medicines, the hard work is still ahead.Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor and Geoff Carr, our senior editor for science and technology, reflect on the completion of the Human Genome Project in the early 2000s and the gaps that still remain. Natasha also visits the Wellcome Sanger Institute, to explore the next frontiers for genomics in medicine—she meets the outgoing director, Mike Stratton; the incoming director, Matt Hurles; and the boss of the European Bioinformatics Institute, Ewan Birney. Plus, Mathew Davies, an engineer at the Sanger Institute, and his team, discuss the challenges with storing and processing vast amounts of sequencing data. Alok Jha, The Economist's science and technology editor, hosts.To dive deeper on genomics, find our recent episode from the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing, or explore the power of gene therapies, and also an explainer on how genomic sequencing works.If you love Babbage, why not work with us? We're hiring for an Assistant Audio Producer to work on the show. Apply by May 15th.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Javier speaks with Natasha Loder from The Economist and John Burn-Murdoch from The Financial Times about keeping pace with the demand for information during the Covid-19 pandemic, confronting the flood of misinformation and disinformation, and lessons learned on reporting during health emergencies.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow #Bestof2022: Tomorrow's: Brave New World of hallucinogens as remedy for the brain. Natasha Loder, Economist. (Originally posted October 16, 2022) https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2022/09/21/ketamine-psilocybin-and-ecstasy-are-coming-to-the-medicine-cabinet

A new class of drugs for weight loss have become available and are showing promising results. That's welcome news, as a recent report estimates that half of the world's population is expected to be overweight or obese by 2035. Obesity is a disease which can lead to serious health complications–and most previous attempts at treating it have proven futile. Can the new weight-loss drugs turn the tide against this global threat?Louise Baur, president of the World Obesity Federation crunches the numbers on the global impact of overweight and obesity. Stephan Guyenet, a neurobiologist and author of “The Hungry Brain”, explains the neurological and genetic factors that influence weight gain. Chris van Tulleken, an infectious diseases doctor at University College London and author of the upcoming book “Ultra-Processed People”, explores how the modern diet is contributing to the obesity epidemic–and other health problems. Plus, host Alok Jha asks Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, how important the new skinny jabs are in the fight against obesity.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new class of drugs for weight loss have become available and are showing promising results. That's welcome news, as a recent report estimates that half of the world's population is expected to be overweight or obese by 2035. Obesity is a disease which can lead to serious health complications–and most previous attempts at treating it have proven futile. Can the new weight-loss drugs turn the tide against this global threat?Louise Baur, president of the World Obesity Federation crunches the numbers on the global impact of overweight and obesity. Stephan Guyenet, a neurobiologist and author of “The Hungry Brain”, explains the neurological and genetic factors that influence weight gain. Chris van Tulleken, an infectious diseases doctor at University College London and author of the upcoming book “Ultra-Processed People”, explores how the modern diet is contributing to the obesity epidemic–and other health problems. Plus, host Alok Jha asks Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, how important the new skinny jabs are in the fight against obesity.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing was held this week in London. It was the first such meeting since 2018, when a Chinese researcher announced that he had created the world's first genetically edited babies—a move that was roundly condemned at the time. Host Alok Jha and Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, report from the conference to explore the exciting future—and knotty challenges—of the world that gene-editing therapies could create.Robin Lovell-Badge, a leading scientist at the Francis Crick Institute in London and the organiser of the summit, explains how genome-editing technology has rapidly advanced in recent years. Claire Booth, a professor of gene therapy and paediatric immunology at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London discusses the hopes of gene-editing treatments. Plus, Kelly Ormond, a bioethicist from ETH-Zurich, explores the ethical dilemmas that are raised by the technology, and Filippa Lentzos of King's College London, explains why human genome editing presents potential biosecurity risks.Listen to previous episodes of “Babbage” on the topic: the gene therapy revolution and an interview with Jennifer Doudna, the pioneer of CRISPR-Cas9 technology. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing was held this week in London. It was the first such meeting since 2018, when a Chinese researcher announced that he had created the world's first genetically edited babies—a move that was roundly condemned at the time. Host Alok Jha and Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, report from the conference to explore the exciting future—and knotty challenges—of the world that gene-editing therapies could create.Robin Lovell-Badge, a leading scientist at the Francis Crick Institute in London and the organiser of the summit, explains how genome-editing technology has rapidly advanced in recent years. Claire Booth, a professor of gene therapy and paediatric immunology at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London discusses the hopes of gene-editing treatments. Plus, Kelly Ormond, a bioethicist from ETH-Zurich, explores the ethical dilemmas that are raised by the technology, and Filippa Lentzos of King's College London, explains why human genome editing presents potential biosecurity risks.Listen to previous episodes of “Babbage” on the topic: the gene therapy revolution and an interview with Jennifer Doudna, the pioneer of CRISPR-Cas9 technology. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three years after the official declaration of a pandemic, 65 million people - one in 10 who had Covid-19 - still have symptoms. Some are so ill they are yet to return to work. The Economist's health editor, Natasha Loder, examines the science behind long Covid and hears about the challenges as researchers try to unravel the cause behind a condition associated with around 200 symptoms.

Over the past few years, hundreds of rugby players have launched class-action lawsuits against the sport's governing bodies, accusing them of failing to do enough to protect players from head injuries. They say that repeated blows to the head, sustained through years of playing rugby, or other sports, have caused neurodegenerative conditions like dementia, motor neurone and Parkinson's diseases. But can scientific evidence prove a link between contact sports and these brain conditions? Alix Popham, a Welsh former professional rugby player, tells his story of head injuries on the pitch and his desired outcomes from the lawsuits. Plus, Lauren Pulling, who runs the Drake Foundation, explains the current state of neuroscientific research and what further studies are needed to investigate the connection. Alok Jha hosts with Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, and Georgia Banjo, our Britain correspondent. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the past few years, hundreds of rugby players have launched class-action lawsuits against the sport's governing bodies, accusing them of failing to do enough to protect players from head injuries. They say that repeated blows to the head, sustained through years of playing rugby, or other sports, have caused neurodegenerative conditions like dementia, motor neurone and Parkinson's diseases. But can scientific evidence prove a link between contact sports and these brain conditions? Alix Popham, a Welsh former professional rugby player, tells his story of head injuries on the pitch and his desired outcomes from the lawsuits. Plus, Lauren Pulling, who runs the Drake Foundation, explains the current state of neuroscientific research and what further studies are needed to investigate the connection. Alok Jha hosts with Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, and Georgia Banjo, our Britain correspondent. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alcohol is the most widely used drug in the world, but it is also the cause of three million deaths each year and has been linked to many other long-term illnesses. In addition, the loss of productivity due to hangovers has an outsized impact on some economies. People still want to have a good time, though, and innovators are dreaming up ways to enjoy the effects of alcohol, without the costs.Jason Hosken, our producer, visits Brixton Brewery to speak to co-founders Jez Galaun and Xochitl Benjamin about the rise of alcohol-free beer. Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, investigates the herbal drinks that claim to mimic the effects of alcohol. Plus, David Nutt, a professor at Imperial College London explains how alcohol affects the brain and why his synthetic alcohol could reduce excessive drinking and end hangovers forever. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alcohol is the most widely used drug in the world, but it is also the cause of three million deaths each year and has been linked to many other long-term illnesses. In addition, the loss of productivity due to hangovers has an outsized impact on some economies. People still want to have a good time, though, and innovators are dreaming up ways to enjoy the effects of alcohol, without the costs.Jason Hosken, our producer, visits Brixton Brewery to speak to co-founders Jez Galaun and Xochitl Benjamin about the rise of alcohol-free beer. Natasha Loder, The Economist's health editor, investigates the herbal drinks that claim to mimic the effects of alcohol. Plus, David Nutt, a professor at Imperial College London explains how alcohol affects the brain and why his synthetic alcohol could reduce excessive drinking and end hangovers forever. For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since covid-19 emerged three years ago, mRNA vaccines have taken the world by storm. How will they keep up with new variants of the coronavirus, and where does the mRNA revolution go from here?Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor, talks to Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech, whose covid vaccine changed the course of the pandemic. They consider the development of a universal coronavirus vaccine, and the other infectious diseases that will be targeted by mRNA jabs. Plus, the immunologist explains how mRNA technology can treat illnesses such as cancer, and his expectations for the technology in 2023. Alok Jha hosts.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since covid-19 emerged three years ago, mRNA vaccines have taken the world by storm. How will they keep up with new variants of the coronavirus, and where does the mRNA revolution go from here?Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor, talks to Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech, whose covid vaccine changed the course of the pandemic. They consider the development of a universal coronavirus vaccine, and the other infectious diseases that will be targeted by mRNA jabs. Plus, the immunologist explains how mRNA technology can treat illnesses such as cancer, and his expectations for the technology in 2023. Alok Jha hosts.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Soon after the pandemic began, another health crisis started to emerge. Long covid now affects millions of people around the world. But finding the causes of the condition—and how to treat it—has been a challenge. Three years after the SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected, are scientists any closer to understanding long covid? Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor, explores the latest research into the condition, and catches up with Tom Stayte, a patient we met in 2020. Jason Hosken, our producer, visits Britain's first long-covid clinic at University College London Hospital. Melissa Heightman, the team's clinical lead, explains how to treat symptoms. Plus, we ask whether the hunt to solve this medical mystery could have implications for other chronic conditions. Alok Jha hosts. We are always trying to improve our podcasts. To help, please complete this short questionnaire: economist.com/babbagesurveyFor full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Soon after the pandemic began, another health crisis started to emerge. Long covid now affects millions of people around the world. But finding the causes of the condition—and how to treat it—has been a challenge. Three years after the SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected, are scientists any closer to understanding long covid? Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor, explores the latest research into the condition, and catches up with Tom Stayte, a patient we met in 2020. Jason Hosken, our producer, visits Britain's first long-covid clinic at University College London Hospital. Melissa Heightman, the team's clinical lead, explains how to treat symptoms. Plus, we ask whether the hunt to solve this medical mystery could have implications for other chronic conditions. Alok Jha hosts. We are always trying to improve our podcasts. To help, please complete this short questionnaire: economist.com/babbagesurveyFor full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gene therapies border on the miraculous, transforming lives in a single shot. The treatments offer hope to millions around the world who live with genetic diseases, and could also help the fight against cancer and HIV. This year, four new gene therapies were approved—and there are thousands more clinical trials under way. But the path from miracles of science to miracles of medicine will not be easy. The Economist's Natasha Loder explains the safety concerns and market challenges that must be overcome to make the genetic revolution possible. Alok Jha hosts.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gene therapies border on the miraculous, transforming lives in a single shot. The treatments offer hope to millions around the world who live with genetic diseases, and could also help the fight against cancer and HIV. This year, four new gene therapies were approved—and there are thousands more clinical trials under way. But the path from miracles of science to miracles of medicine will not be easy. The Economist's Natasha Loder explains the safety concerns and market challenges that must be overcome to make the genetic revolution possible. Alok Jha hosts.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow Tomorrow: Brave New World of hallucinogens as remedy for the brain. Natasha Loder, Economist. https://www.economist.com/technology-quarterly/2022/09/21/ketamine-psilocybin-and-ecstasy-are-coming-to-the-medicine-cabinet

Psychedelic drugs—such as LSD and psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms—may be coming to the medicine cabinet. Research into their use to treat mental-health conditions was long blocked by law and stigma. But in recent years, there has been a revival of interest in the drugs, which are now being trialled to treat conditions such as depression. The Economist's Ainslie Johnstone visits one of Britain's most high-profile psilocybin research facilities, and investigates how the drug could help scientists better understand autism. And, as investors pile in, Natasha Loder, our health policy editor, separates the hope from the hype. Plus, we ask whether the drugs' hallucinatory effects are necessary for their health benefits, and meet a researcher who hopes to develop psychedelics without the trip. Alok Jha hosts.Listen to our other episodes on psychedelics in health care at economist.com/psychedelics-pod.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Psychedelic drugs—such as LSD and psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms—may be coming to the medicine cabinet. Research into their use to treat mental-health conditions was long blocked by law and stigma. But in recent years, there has been a revival of interest in the drugs, which are now being trialled to treat conditions such as depression. The Economist's Ainslie Johnstone visits one of Britain's most high-profile psilocybin research facilities, and investigates how the drug could help scientists better understand autism. And, as investors pile in, Natasha Loder, our health policy editor, separates the hope from the hype. Plus, we ask whether the drugs' hallucinatory effects are necessary for their health benefits, and meet a researcher who hopes to develop psychedelics without the trip. Alok Jha hosts.Listen to our other episodes on psychedelics in health care at economist.com/psychedelics-pod.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris is back from his trip to New York with the prime minister and joins Adam and Alex to talk about the government's latest economic plans, and investments in health and social care. With them are Lord Karan Bilimoria, who founded and chairs Cobra Beer, as well as Natasha Loder, health policy editor at The Economist. They also look ahead to more economic announcements tomorrow. This episode of Newscast was made by Chris Flynn and Danny Wittenberg. The assistant editor was Alison Gee. The editor was Jonathan Aspinwall.

In America and Europe, a growing number of clinics are offering ketamine to treat depression. The anaesthetic—also used illegally as a party drug—can provide rapid relief from the condition where traditional treatments, such as antidepressant drugs, have failed. We investigate how the therapy works, and ask what role it will play in the future of mental-health care. And, as ketamine treatments spread, is enough known about the drug's long-term safety? Alok Jha hosts with Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In America and Europe, a growing number of clinics are offering ketamine to treat depression. The anaesthetic—also used illegally as a party drug—can provide rapid relief from the condition where traditional treatments, such as antidepressant drugs, have failed. We investigate how the therapy works, and ask what role it will play in the future of mental-health care. And, as ketamine treatments spread, is enough known about the drug's long-term safety? Alok Jha hosts with Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Interest rates rise as the Bank of England warns we're facing a “sharp economic slowdown”... Adam is joined by Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, to discuss the state of the UK economy and the Bank's attempts to stem the pace of rising prices. Also… as the World Health Organization estimates that the Covid pandemic caused the deaths of nearly 15 million people around the world, Fergus Walsh and Natasha Loder from the Economist unpack the data. Today's Newscast was made by Tim Walklate, with Alix Pickles and Cordelia Hemming. The Technical producer was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Alison Gee.

Two years after a pandemic was declared, the coronavirus crisis is far from over. Host Alok Jha speaks to Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust, one of the world's largest medical research foundations. Sir Jeremy has been at the heart of the global fight against covid-19. He assesses China's zero-covid policy, and explores what lies ahead for the pandemic. Also, Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor, examines the ongoing vaccination effort.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our exclusive conversation with Dr Anthony Fauci at economist.com/fauci. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Two years after a pandemic was declared, the coronavirus crisis is far from over. Host Alok Jha speaks to Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust, one of the world's largest medical research foundations. Sir Jeremy has been at the heart of the global fight against covid-19. He assesses China's zero-covid policy, and explores what lies ahead for the pandemic. Also, Natasha Loder, The Economist's health policy editor, examines the ongoing vaccination effort.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our exclusive conversation with Dr Anthony Fauci at economist.com/fauci. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Boris Johnson heads to Saudi to talk oil supply... Adam is joined by Laura and oil-expert, Prof Karen Turner, to discuss the trip and unpick the government's energy strategy. The BBC's correspondent in Moscow, Carrie Davies, is outside the court where Russian journalist, Marina Ovsyannikova, was fined and released after protesting against the invasion of Ukraine on TV. And, as concern in China grows over rapidly-rising Covid cases, Natasha Loder, the Economist's health policy editor, explains what the implications could be for the rest of the world. Today's Newscast was made by Tim Walklate with John Murphy and Ben Cooper. The studio director was Emma Crowe. The assistant editor was Sam Bonham.

Why we need to find the truth, and the “curious coincidence” that set off a battle over covid-19's origin. We Meet: Peter Ben Embarek, WHO program manager and covid-19 origins mission leader Jesse Bloom, virologist, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Alina Chan, postdoc, Broad Institute of MIT/Harvard Natasha Loder, health policy editor with The Economist   Links: On Finding Answers, by Natasha Loder on Substack They called it a conspiracy theory. But Alina Chan tweeted life into the idea that the virus came from a lab, MIT Technology Review No one can find the animal that gave people covid-19, MIT Technology Review Credits: Curious Coincidence was produced as part of MIT Technology Review's Pandemic Technology Project, which is supported in part by a grant from The Rockefeller Foundation. The series was created by Antonio Regalado and Jennifer Strong and produced by Anthony Green, Luke Robert Mason and Lindsay Muscato, with help from Emma Cillekens. The executive producer is Golda Arthur. Theme music was composed and recorded by Jacob Gorski, with Ben Tolliday on cello and Ben Haeuser on woodwinds. The episodes contain original scoring and sound design by Garret Lang. Art direction by Eric Mongeon with illustration by Selman Design. The series was edited by Michael Reilly, David Rotman and Jennifer Strong, with fact checking by Matt Mahoney.

Jacob Rees-Mogg gets a new role in government... Chris sits in for Adam and chats through the latest cabinet reshuffle with the BBC's Alex Forsyth. On the day that the Health Secretary announces plans to reduce NHS waiting lists, Natasha Loder (who's making a Radio 4 doc all about the NHS backlog) puts the problem into perspective. And diplomacy continues in Russia and Ukraine... We chat to Carrie Davies in Moscow and Fergal Keane in Kiev. Today's Newscast was made by John Murphy with Alix Pickles and Georgia Coan. The studio director was Emma Crowe and the assistant editor was Sam Bonham.

In wealthy and well-vaccinated countries, year three of the pandemic will be better than year two. But in countries that are poorer, less well vaccinated or both, the deleterious effects of the virus will linger. A disparity of outcomes between rich and poor countries will emerge. Meanwhile, tests and treatments for “long covid” are on the horizon and the mRNA technology used in some covid vaccines could be applied to other diseases. So could there be a “covid dividend”?Host Tom Standage talks to The Economist's Edward Carr, Natasha Loder and Slavea Chankova.For full access to print, digital and audio editions, subscribe to The Economist at www.economist.com/podcastoffer.And we would love to hear from you—please take a moment to complete our listener survey at economist.com/worldaheadsurvey. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In wealthy and well-vaccinated countries, year three of the pandemic will be better than year two. But in countries that are poorer, less well vaccinated or both, the deleterious effects of the virus will linger. A disparity of outcomes between rich and poor countries will emerge. Meanwhile, tests and treatments for “long covid” are on the horizon and the mRNA technology used in some covid vaccines could be applied to other diseases. So could there be a “covid dividend”?Host Tom Standage talks to The Economist's Edward Carr, Natasha Loder and Slavea Chankova.For full access to print, digital and audio editions, subscribe to The Economist at www.economist.com/podcastoffer.And we would love to hear from you—please take a moment to complete our listener survey at economist.com/worldaheadsurvey. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Countries are scrambling to stop the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. We search for scientific clues to understand how it will shape the pandemic. Professor Sharon Peacock, one of the world's top variant hunters, predicts Omicron will be more transmissible than previous strains. And, will Omicron supplant the Delta variant globally? Correspondent Hal Hodson looks to immunology for answers.Alok Jha hosts, with The Economist's health policy editor, Natasha Loder and deputy editor, Edward Carr.We would love to hear from you—please take a moment to complete our listener survey at economist.com/babbagesurvey. To keep up-to-date with our coverage of the Omicron variant, go to economist.com/omicron.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Countries are scrambling to stop the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. We search for scientific clues to understand how it will shape the pandemic. Professor Sharon Peacock, one of the world's top variant hunters, predicts Omicron will be more transmissible than previous strains. And, will Omicron supplant the Delta variant globally? Correspondent Hal Hodson looks to immunology for answers.Alok Jha hosts, with The Economist's health policy editor, Natasha Loder and deputy editor, Edward Carr.We would love to hear from you—please take a moment to complete our listener survey at economist.com/babbagesurvey. To keep up-to-date with our coverage of the Omicron variant, go to economist.com/omicron.For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this new weekly podcast series, The Economist unlocks the science, data and politics behind the most ambitious inoculation programme the world has ever seen.Alok Jha, The Economist's science correspondent, hosts with Natasha Loder, our health policy editor. Each week our reporters and data journalists join them in conversation, along with scientists around the world. They inject the perfect dose of insight and analysis into the global effort to escape the pandemic. “The Jab from Economist Radio” will be published every Monday, initially for 12 weeks. It is the latest addition to our slate of podcasts which includes the award-winning podcasts “The Intelligence”, “The Economist Asks”, "Money Talks", “Checks and Balance” and "Babbage".For full access to The Economist's print, digital and audio editions subscribe here: economist.com/thejabpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rare cancers present doctors, researchers, and patients with a unique set of challenges. Rare cancers often are diagnosed at later stages. Patients typically have limited treatment options, in part because the small number of diagnoses makes gold-standard clinical trials difficult. The picture is further complicated by increasingly expensive cancer drug costs. Yet, promises of emerging technologies, improved diagnostics, targeted therapies and pharmaceutical options provide hope. Calls for new ways to study rare cancers are being made so that patients can get access to better treatments more quickly. In this Forum, panelists discussed how advances in cancer immunology, innovative trial designs, and international data sharing can create new hope for patients with rare cancers. Supported by The Economist Group, this Forum event was presented on February 1, 2019. Watch the entire series: https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/