“I'm not great at the advice. Can I interest you in a sarcastic comment?”

This is what ‘Friends’ actor Matthew Perry’s character Chandler Bing was known for. He was known for being funny. However, he had his own struggles in his personal life and those struggles were acute depression. He was treating it with ketamine infusion therapy which is legal in the US and the UK.

What is Ketamine infusion therapy?

Ketamine is an anaesthetic used to treat depression, anxiety and pain under supervised and controlled medical settings. However, it does have its side effects, which can lead to distortion of sight, sound and time. It can also produce calming and relaxing effects.

Ketamine increases a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. If overdosed, it can leave users confused and agitated and can cause them to hurt themselves without even realising it. It can also lead to liver damage and bladder problems.

However, when used in moderation and under the supervision of medical doctors, it can treat depression where traditional antidepressants have failed.

Prof Rupert McShane, a University of Oxford psychiatrist who runs an NHS ketamine treatment clinic told BBC that ketamine “probably turns off the area of the brain that is involved in disappointment.”

Can Ketamine Infusion Therapy Kill Someone?

In simple terms, it cannot, be if the dosage is given in a controlled setting and as prescribed. Ketamine infusion therapy uses drugs in small doses than those used for anaesthesia. It acts faster than traditional anti-depressants, but the effects also wear off way quickly. Which is why it is important to monitor patients’ mental state for relapsing back into depression and discouraging them from overdosing on it.

There are ways of giving people ketamine. One of the ways is through “infusing”, which means to use an IV drip. However, injections, nasal sprays and capsules are also methods used to give people ketamine.

Since the dosage of ketamine used in the infusion treatment is small, it being the reason of actor Perry’s death was ruled out. The medical examiner also noted that Perry’s last ketamine infusion therapy session happened more than a week before his death, which means by the time he had died, it must have worn off.

So, What Happened To Perry?

Though Perry’s last session was more than a week before, his post-mortem showed that his blood contained a high concentration of ketamine. He had died of the “acute effects” of ketamine.

If it was not his session, then how did he get ketamine?

Prosecutors alleged that his assistant gave him at least 27 shots of ketamine in four days before his death, reported BBC.

Perry has been open about his personal struggles and this is what the doctors and dealers used against him. Martin Estrada, the US attorney for California’s Central District told the BBC that people took advantage of his condition. They charged him 165 times more than what vials of ketamine cost.

Names that have come up include Dr Salvador Plasencia, drug dealers “Ketamine Queen” aka Jasveen Sangha and Eric Fleming, and Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa.

Who Are These Names And What Did They Do?

Ketamine Queen or Sangha supplied drugs that led to Perry’s death. Her home was a “drug-selling emporium,” said Estrada. More than 80 vials of ketamine, and thousands of pills including methamphetamine, cocaine and Xanax were allegedly found in her house known as the “Sangha Stash House.”

Sangha is known to deal with high-end celebs and was a “major source of supply for ketamine to others as well as Perry,” said Estrada.

Dr Plasencia called Perry a “moron” while charging him $2,000 for vials that cost only $12. He sold Perry 20 vials of ketamine between September and October 2023, costing $55,000.

He was the one who taught Iwamasa, who had no medical knowledge to inject the drug. This is after he knew that “Perry’s ketamine addiction was spiralling out of control,” as per what the investigators told the BBC.

Another dealer Fleming was told by Sangha to “delete all our messages.” While Fleming pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute drugs unlawfully, he also allegedly messaged Sangha: “Please call...Got more info and want to bounce ideas off you. I’m 90% sure everyone is protected. I never dealt with [Perry] only his assistant. So the assistant was the enabler.”

The court documents also revealed that he asked Sangha on whether the ketamine stays in your system or “is it immediately flushed out.”

Dr Pepper, Bots, Cans

The people who allegedly exploited Perry used coded language for ketamine and called it “Dr Pepper”, “bots”, or “cans.”

Selling overpriced drugs, taking advantage of Perry’s mental condition and falsifying medical records to make the drugs given to him look legitimate by Dr Plasencia is what took Perry’s life.

Iwamasa is said to have administered more than 20 shots of ketamine and three on the day Perry died. Whereas ketamine is only administered by a physician. Authorities also found that weeks before Perry’s death, Dr Plasencia allegedly bought 10 vials of ketamine and intended to sell to Perry.

He also injected Perry with a large dose, two days later. This caused him to “freeze up” and spiked his blood pressure.

When I Die, I Want Helping Others To Be The First Thing That’s Mentioned

Perry had always been open about his drug addictions, struggles with alcohol and his depression. He said that his openness would help others who are also struggling and wanted to be remembered by his quote which also is on the homepage of the Mattew Perry Foundation that helps others struggling with the disease of addiction: “When I die, I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned.”

Five arrests have been made in the case so far.

Several viral social media trends promoting physical appearance and self-improvement have raised health concerns, with some encouraging potentially dangerous practices.

One such trend, known as "heightmaxxing", has prompted warnings from doctors after reports emerged of teenage boys taking black-market cancer drugs in an attempt to grow taller.

Aolescents are reportedly experimenting with erdafitinib, often referred to online as "ERDA" or "Erta", a prescription drug approved to treat advanced bladder cancer. The trend appears to have gained traction following online discussions suggesting the medication could increase height.

"It's extremely concerning that teenagers are experimenting with powerful cancer medications in an attempt to grow taller," Dr. Stephanie Widmer, a New York City-based emergency medicine physician, told Fox News.

"These drugs were developed to treat serious medical conditions, not to enhance physical appearance, and taking them without a legitimate medical indication or physician supervision can have devastating consequences," Widmer added.

In a statement to magazine Rolling Stone, drugmaker Johnson & Johnson emphasised that erdafitinib has never been approved to stimulate height growth and that its safety and effectiveness have not been established in children or adolescents.

Can Erdafitinib Actually Increase Height?

Also read: After Ferritin Face, Doctors Warn About 'Ferritin Hair': What Are The Signs?

Medical research has documented unexpected growth spurts in children receiving erdafitinib for brain tumours. A 2024 study published in Hormone Research in Paediatrics described accelerated growth in two paediatric patients.

A separate case report documented a teenager who grew more than five inches during treatment but also developed serious skeletal complications.

However, doctors caution that these unexpected growth spurts do not necessarily indicate healthy skeletal development.

Dr. Jessica Gray, a family physician in Lubbock, Texas, warned that rapid, drug-induced growth could trigger dangerous structural problems, including premature growth plate damage and bone fractures, Fox News reported.

What Are The Health Risks Of Heightmaxxing With Cancer Drugs?

Read More: Joe Biden Opens Up About Life With Stage 4 Prostate Cancer: ‘It Hasn't Stopped Me, But Sometimes Slowed Down’

Widmer noted that height is largely determined by genetics and that there are no shortcuts to increasing it. Once the growth plates close towards the end of puberty, medications cannot reopen them. This means older adolescents taking erdafitinib could face serious health risks without any prospect of gaining height, she said.

"One of the biggest concerns is that these medications can cause serious side effects, including potentially permanent vision damage, elevated phosphate levels and other metabolic abnormalities," Widmer said.

"We're talking about adolescents whose bodies are still developing, and exposing them to these risks for a cosmetic goal is particularly troubling."

Erdafitinib works by blocking specific cellular signalling pathways involved in cancer cell growth. These pathways also play a role in bone development, which may help explain the unexpected growth observed in some paediatric patients.

Other reported side effects include skeletal pain, particularly in the hips or knees, mouth sores, loose nails and skin disorders.

What Should Parents Do?

Doctors advise parents to watch for unusual joint pain or unexplained physical changes and speak openly with their children if they suspect they are using medications obtained online.

Teenagers concerned about their height or growth should consult a paediatrician rather than experiment with prescription drugs.

"We should be encouraging teenagers to prioritize their health, not teaching them to gamble with it," Widmer said. "No amount of additional height is worth risking permanent damage to your vision or other serious and potentially unknown medical complications."

Global tuberculosis (TB) deaths have fallen by 35% since 2015, but progress in reducing new infections remains slow, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Global Tuberculosis Report 2026 showed that TB remained the world's leading cause of death from a single infectious agent in 2025 and ranked 13th among all causes of death.

Based primarily on data reported to WHO by 187 countries and areas, the report estimates that 1.13 million people died from TB in 2025, while 10.6 million developed the disease.

TB Death Reduction Milestone Achieved Five Years Late

Compared with 1.74 million deaths in 2015, TB deaths fell by 35% in 2025, marking the achievement of the first milestone of the WHO End TB Strategy, originally set for 2020. However, the strategy's target of a 90% reduction in TB deaths by 2030 remains distant.

Progress in reducing new infections has been slower. The global TB incidence rate fell by just 14% between 2015 and 2025, against a target of a 50% reduction by 2025.

Also read: TB Treatment in 4 Months With 3 or Fewer Injections? WHO Pushes for Long-Acting Options

India Accounts For One In Four Global TB Cases

India was among two high-burden countries, alongside China, to achieve a 35% reduction in TB deaths since 2015. However, it continued to account for approximately one in four TB cases worldwide in 2025.

The report highlights persistent gaps in diagnosis, treatment, prevention and financing, underscoring the need for sustained investment and stronger health services.

International donor funding for TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment in low- and middle-income countries fell by 14% in 2025, from US$1.1 billion to US$940 million.

WHO cautions that estimates of TB disease burden should be interpreted using the latest published time series, as direct comparisons with estimates from previous report editions are not appropriate.

"The continued decline in TB cases and deaths is very encouraging, especially given the challenges many countries have faced from funding cuts. And yet, more than one million people still die each year from a disease that is preventable and treatable," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

He urged countries and partners to expand access to TB services, protect essential funding and accelerate the development of new tools to end the epidemic.

Which Countries Account For The Most TB Cases?

The 30 high TB burden countries accounted for 88% of global cases in 2025. The eight countries with the largest shares were:

• India: Approximately 25%
• Indonesia: 10%
• Philippines: 6.8%
• China: 6.5%
• Pakistan: 6.4%
• Nigeria: 4.9%
• Democratic Republic of the Congo: 3.9%
• Bangladesh: 3.7%

Of all people who developed TB in 2025, 54% were men, 35% were women and 11% were children.

Key Findings: TB Diagnosis And Drug-Resistant Treatment

Read More: 94% Of TB Patients Report Anxiety, 77% Depression: Study Highlights Mental Health Toll Of India's TB Burden

The report also highlights gaps in TB diagnosis and treatment, particularly for drug-resistant forms of the disease.

An estimated 10.6 million people developed TB in 2025, but only 8.4 million were diagnosed and reported to WHO. The remaining estimated cases were not captured by diagnosis and reporting systems.

Other findings include:

• Rapid testing: 59% of newly diagnosed patients were initially tested using a rapid diagnostic test, up from 54% in 2024. This remains below the 2027 target of 100%.
• Drug-resistant TB: 155,333 people received treatment for rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB), accounting for 42% of the estimated 370,000 people who developed the disease.
• Shorter treatment: Six-month treatment regimens were used for 42% of people treated for RR-TB, compared with 18% in 2024.
• Treatment success: Success rates remained around 90% for drug-susceptible TB and 70% for RR-TB.

TB Risk Factors And Vaccine Development

The report identifies several factors associated with the number of people developing TB each year at the country level. These include income per capita and the prevalence of undernutrition, diabetes, alcohol use disorders, smoking and HIV infection.

TB vaccine research is also progressing. As of August 2026, 12 TB vaccines were in active clinical development, including three in Phase 3 trials.

TB Prevention And Treatment Coverage

In 2025, 5.2 million people at high risk of developing TB received preventive treatment, including 3.7 million household contacts of people diagnosed with TB and 1.5 million people living with HIV.

Coverage remained uneven:

• Among people living with HIV, preventive treatment coverage increased from 58% in 2024 to 60% in 2025.
• Among household contacts of people diagnosed with TB, coverage rose from 25% to 26%.

Between 2000 and 2025, TB treatment is estimated to have prevented 86 million deaths.

TB Funding Falls Short Of Global Targets

Funding for TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment in low- and middle-income countries reached US$6.6 billion in 2025, up from US$6 billion in 2024. However, this remains substantially below the annual target of US$22 billion by 2027.

• Domestic funding: Increased from US$4.9 billion in 2024 to US$5.63 billion in 2025.
• International donor funding: Declined by 14%, from US$1.1 billion to US$940 million.

The economic burden also remains significant. About 50% of people with TB and their households face costs exceeding 20% of their annual household income, highlighting the need for stronger universal health coverage and social protection.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus is back with a new variant. The deadly virus behind COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and a new COVID-19 variant, PJ.2.1, has been detected in several countries. Its spread and spike protein mutations have raised questions about its potential to transmit, symptoms and severity.

However, doctors said there is currently no evidence that the variant causes more severe illness or significantly different symptoms. They stressed the need to strengthen genomic surveillance in India to track its possible circulation in the country.

PJ.2.1: Countries Reporting Cases

According to an October preprint study that has not yet undergone peer review, the first confirmed PJ.2.1 sample was detected on May 2, 2026, in Ontario, Canada.

The variant was subsequently identified in other parts of Canada and in New York on June 30. Cases were later reported in several US states.

It has also been reported in Spain, France, Israel, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

PJ.2.1: Is India At Risk?

Also read: New COVID-19 Variant PJ.2.1 Spreads Globally: WHO Says Symptoms Resemble Cold, Flu

PJ.2.1 is a heavily mutated descendant of the Omicron family of SARS-CoV-2. It carries multiple mutations in its spike protein, which helps the virus enter human cells.

Dr Jatin Ahuja, Consultant, Infectious Disease, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, Delhi, said the emergence of a new variant does not automatically indicate a change in India's overall COVID-19 situation.

"Continued genomic surveillance will help establish whether PJ.2.1 is circulating in the country. Authorities should also monitor infection patterns and any changes in hospitalisations," he told HealthandMe.

However, he stressed that "at present, there is no reason for undue concern. The focus should remain on monitoring developments and following routine precautions against respiratory infections".

What Do PJ.2.1's Mutations Mean?

Dr Ahuja said it is important to look beyond a variant's name or mutations and assess whether these changes affect how the virus spreads, evades existing immunity and causes illness.

"PJ.2.1 is worth monitoring because of changes in its spike protein, which plays a role in the virus entering human cells. These changes have raised questions about its ability to interact with human cells and potentially gain a transmission advantage," he said.

However, changes in the virus's behaviour at the cellular level do not necessarily translate into more severe illness in patients.

Read More: XFG COVID Variant: What India Should Watch As Cases Rise In UK And France

PJ.2.1: Are There New Symptoms?

Dr Tushar Tayal, Associate Director – Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, said there is currently insufficient clinical evidence to suggest that the variant causes more severe illness or produces distinctly different symptoms.

"People should watch for fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue and gastrointestinal symptoms, and consider testing if they develop signs of infection," he told HealthandMe.

Dr Ahuja also said there is no established evidence that PJ.2.1 causes more severe COVID-19, increases the likelihood of hospitalisation or produces symptoms significantly different from those associated with earlier variants.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said symptoms associated with the variant may resemble those of the common cold or flu.

"Symptoms of COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory infections can coincide. Thus, based on symptoms alone, it is impossible to determine with certainty which respiratory virus caused the infection," the WHO was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

The global health body said diagnostic testing may be important when identifying the virus could influence treatment decisions.

According to the WHO, possible COVID-19 symptoms include:

• High fever
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Blocked or runny nose
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Severe fatigue

Some people may also experience digestive problems, shortness of breath or changes in their sense of smell and taste. These symptoms are not unique to COVID-19, as seasonal influenza and other respiratory infections can cause similar symptoms.

The WHO emphasised that symptoms alone cannot reliably identify the virus responsible for an infection. Laboratory testing may be necessary when knowing the cause could affect treatment decisions.

PJ.2.1: How Can You Prevent Your Risk?

Dr Tayal recommended taking routine precautions, including wearing a well-fitted N95 mask in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, improving indoor ventilation and maintaining hand hygiene.

Older adults and people with underlying health conditions should seek medical advice promptly if they develop respiratory symptoms.

People should continue to take respiratory infections seriously. However, the emergence of PJ.2.1 should not be interpreted as an indication of another major COVID-19 outbreak. The experts noted that surveillance and clinical evidence, rather than speculation, should guide the response.