Health & Living

Tumours of all kinds can be dreadful, but brain tumour in particular sounds terrifying. The thought of the direct effects of the tumour on the delicate structures of the brain and how that could cause permanent cognitive and communication difficulties is enough to make anyone shudder. Hear all about it from Sunway Medical Centre experts, Neurosurgeon Dr Syed Abdullah Al-Haddad and Clinical Oncolog...

Dr Khoo Suan Phaik discusses the latest research and news in dentistry since her last visit to BFM almost a year ago.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They train like pros but actually have full time jobs. They are not amateurs either  because they invest time, energy and money into their favourite sports. How has the competitive sports industry cater to this sub-group of athletes, and is it a sustainable lifestyle for the athletes? Personal Trainer Karen Siah and Ironman triathlete Rupert Chen share their views on the rise of the pseudo pr...

Recently local actor Tony Eusoff was charged for drug possession in Singapore and faces 10 years of jail time, a fine of over RM 50,000, or both. Also in recent days, the Johns Hopkins-Lancet Commission published a report calling for the decriminalisation of minor drug offences. In their report, they have stated concern that the war on drugs is putting public health, scientific evidence, and human...

Dr George Lee returns to discuss the latest medical news. Expect deep insights delivered with generous humour. This week, Fertility Specialist Dato Dr Prashant Nadkarni joins him for a discussion about the ethical and medical issues with Simon Watson, the British man who fathered more than 800 children. The unlicensed sperm donor finds his clients on Facebook, charging £50 per donation.&nbsp...

Haemophilia has featured prominently in European royalty in the 19th and 20th centuries, sometimes known as 'the royal disease'. World Haemophilia Day falls on April 17 and to help us understand the rare illness are haematologists Dr Mike Laffan and Dr Hishamshah Ibrahim. This programme is brought to you in collaboration with Pfizer Malaysia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sleep problems range from and are not limited to insomnia, snoring, and loss of libido. They can affect the quality of life of an individual, the bed partner and the family unit as a whole. US Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Dr Johnben Loy discusses these impacts with Registered Polysomnographic Technologist, Amy Ho. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public speaking. Networking events. Social gatherings. We’ve all been there and for many of us, the first few times might have been nerve wracking. Anyone can have a racing heart, sweaty palms, or fluttering stomach. Most of us are able to get through those moments but for some, the anxiety is crippling. Find out more about social anxiety disorder from Consultant Psychiatrists, Dr Philip Geo...

More than six years after his wife died while giving birth to their son, a Singaporean man obtained new medical records that suggested her death could have been due to negligent medical treatment. He launched a legal suit to seek dependency claims for his wife's obstetrician. Sharon Palani had previously discussed a similar case with Dr George Lee in 2015 about a boy who was left permanently disab...

Not everyone can handle the sight of a bloodied person or a badly severed limb. But having a first aid kit available can at least give an able bystander the necessary tools to provide basic response before expert medical help arrives. The guidelines for first aid procedures have been changed and updated numerous times to provide the best outcome. Here to guide us in understanding our roles in a me...

The Health Ministry is targeting RM1.3 bil in medical tourism spending this year and wants the private sector to achieve it. And to facilitate the development of the Malaysian healthcare industry in penetrating the global market is the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council. Chief Executive Officer Sherene Azli lays out the plan in meeting this goal.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Cashier who ate 'kuih' has died; weed killer found in the Batu Gajah food poisoning case. Education Ministry suspends food supplier in glass shard noodles causing the hospitalisation of seven school children. These are just two cases of food poisoning reported in March. Sharvin Subramaniam of Standards Users explains how everyone – even children – can spot spoiled food.  See omnys...

A therapy that retrains the body's immune system to fight cancer has created much excitement after more than 90% of terminally ill patients went into remission. But closer analysis of the trial reveals something more. Prof Dato Dr Fuad Ismail joins Dr George Lee to give us a perspective into the future of cancer treatment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Massage therapy is the hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body – for recreation, relaxation or therapy. Massage Therapist and Physiotherapist Pauline Lau is on hand to explain the details.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He’s had an illustrious career as an anaesthesiologist. Today, we meet the man behind the surgical mask to learn more about his clinical milestones, views on medical ethics and the improvements in anaesthetics. We might even touch a bit on the former national captain's cricket career.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prof Whelan is in Malaysia for the 8th Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society Conference to speak on ‘The Medical Model of Managing Addictions – Evidence That It Works”. But first, he drops by to give us a sneak peek into his presentation. Joining him is Dr Philip George, who is the organising chair for the conference. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Missouri jury recently ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay USD72 million to the family of Jacqueline Fox, whose death by ovarian cancer was linked to her daily use of the company's talcum products. A few thoughts may be running through your head: Why are women powdering their genitals? What is the vagina supposed to smell like? Where is the vagina? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

Ria Thomas, Chair of ANGSANAcare joins Meera and Dr George Lee today. Our guests explore play, music and art as supportive services to complement palliative care for paediatric patients. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are all aware of the power of social media in disseminating information, humanising stories and effecting change. But in the healthcare industry, it can be tricky business balancing industry regulations and improving public health communication. One doctor who has done so successfully is Dr Beni Rusani, Cardiologist and Co-Author of the medical novel, DIAgnosis2. He is part of the #MedTweetMY c...

The Discovery Channel ranked the Marathon des Sables as the toughest footrace on earth. With less than a month away from the marathon, Jeff Lau is on his second mission to conquer the gruelling 251 km course to raise RM200,000 for Malaysian AIDS Foundation. His running partner in 2014 and MAF Trustee, Ralph Dixon, and Chair of MAF Marathon des Sables Challenge, Andrew Tebbutt will join in to provi...

The 2016 Six Nations Championship, which started on 6th February just concluded last week, with England lifting the trophy in this edition. Rugby has grown in popularity and form. In fact, Malaysia is known to develop the ten-a-side variation of rugby, which has been successfully exported to several other Asian countries including Indonesia, Hong Kong and Thailand. But why isn’t it as popula...

Breathing is a natural process. Yet, it doesn't always come easy for some, including young kids. What is it like for them to live with asthma? How can you support children who have asthma? Respiratory Paediatrician Assoc Prof Jessie De Bruyne and Vice President of Kelab Asma Kanak-Kanak Selangor & WP (KAKK) Joanne Chow keep us abreast with current developments in the treatment and management o...

Most smokers who want to quit said they'd rather cut down gradually before quitting. In fact, professionally assisted tobacco cessation programmes usually employ gradual reduction techniques. Is that better than quitting abruptly? A study put that to test and discovered that going cold turkey had a more favourable outcome. Lead researcher Dr Nicola Lindson-Hawley from the University of Oxford shar...

Most ovarian cysts don't cause any symptoms and will go away on their own with time. But when they do, it's time for medical intervention. Find out what these cysts are, why they develop and when treatment is necessary from Dr Kannappan Palaniappan, Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist from Sunway Medical Centre. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Identify and address the root causes of chronic illness with an integrated system. Sounds simple enough, but what exactly does it mean? Dr Sumithra Nadarajah, a functional medicine doctor shares more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.