“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.

Amid an expanding outbreak, Florida has confirmed its first dengue-related death in the Tampa Bay region. It is the first death due to dengue in Tampa Bay in almost a century, while Florida health officials have confirmed this as the state’s first dengue-related death of 2026.

The latest reports show the newest figures that indicate 152 locally acquired dengue cases as of September 12, with 134 in Hillsborough County.

First Dengue-Related Death In Florida

Florida’s dengue outbreak has turned deadly as with health officials have confirmed the state’s first dengue-related death of 2026.

The Florida Department of Health confirmed the death on September 18. The victim was an 80-year-old Hillsborough County woman who died on September 4. Her death marks the first known dengue-related fatality in the Tampa Bay region in nearly a century.

The latest state data, covering cases through September 12, show 152 locally acquired dengue infections across Florida this year, including 134 in Hillsborough County.

That means nearly 90% of the state's locally acquired cases have been concentrated in the county, which has emerged as the epicentre of the outbreak.

“This is wildly unusual for us,” Chris Wilkerson, a spokesperson for Hillsborough County, said.

Also read: QDENGA: India’s First Approved Dengue Vaccine May Hit Shelves In 2027; How Effective Is It?

Dengue Outbreak In Florida

Dengue is a viral infection transmitted mainly by infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are established in Florida and can spread the virus after biting an infected person.

Majority of the dengue infections reported in the continental US were linked with international travel. But Florida has increasingly recorded locally acquired infections, meaning people contracted the virus without travelling to a dengue-endemic country.

The state reported its largest number of locally acquired dengue infections in 2023, at nearly 200. With 152 cases already recorded this year, 2026 has become the state's second-highest year for locally acquired infections.

Also read: Delhi Dengue Cases Rise In September: Is Weather Fueling The Surge?

How Can Dengue Become Life-Threatening?

Most people infected with dengue either have no symptoms or develop a relatively short-lived illness with fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea and rash. But a small number of people can develop severe dengue, particularly around the time the fever begins to subside.

Warning signs include severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding or unusual bruising, difficulty breathing, extreme weakness and restlessness.

Severe dengue may also cause plasma leakage, shock, severe bleeding and organ damage, which can become fatal without prompt medical care.

In the Florida woman's case, her death certificate listed dengue infection, septic shock and multi-organ failure as causes, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Florida Outbreak Is Raising Concern

Hillsborough County normally sees only a handful of dengue cases, making the current cluster seems to be highly unusual. Mosquito-control teams have increased aerial and ground surveillance and spraying, inspecting properties for stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed.

Recent mosquito sampling has not detected dengue virus in some of the latest collections, which officials say could indicate that transmission is beginning to decline. But experts caution that the mosquitoes capable of spreading dengue may still remain in Florida.

Michael von Fricken, an associate professor of environmental and global health at the University of Florida, said the state's recurring mosquito population means dengue may become “somewhat the new normal.”

Florida health officials are urging residents to use mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves and trousers, and removing stagnant water from around homes.

In the trailer for the eighth season of The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian revealed that she has been diagnosed with esophagitis, a condition involving inflammation and irritation of the esophagus. The conversation sparked memories of her father Robert Kardashian, who died of esophageal cancer in 2003.

In the trailer, someone asks her, “Didn't your father ... isn't it what he died of?” to which she responds, “Yeah.”

Her mother, Kris Jenner, is also seen becoming emotional. Kardashian is shown in a hospital bed, although the trailer does not reveal the exact cause or severity of her esophagitis or any procedure she may have undergone.

But it is important to clarify that esophagitis and esophageal cancer are two different conditions.

What Is Esophagitis?

Esophagitis is a condition in which the lining of the esophagus, the tube that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach, becomes inflamed.

There are several possible causes for the inflammation of the esophagus. The most common is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which stomach acid flows back into the esophagus repeatedly. Other causes include certain medications, infections and allergic or conditions related to immune system.

Symptoms can include heartburn, chest pain, painful or difficult swallowing, coughing, hoarseness and a sore throat.

The treatment for esophagitis depends on what is causing the inflammation and can include medicines that reduce stomach acid, treatment for an infection or changes to diet and other habits. The condition is often manageable with treatment.

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Does Esophagitis Increase Cancer Risk?

Esophagitis itself does not mean a person will develop esophageal cancer. The concern refers to when chronic acid reflux continues for years. Repeated exposure to stomach acid can damage the esophageal lining and, in some people, lead to Barrett's esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus involves changes in the cells lining the lower esophagus and is associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma, one of the major types of esophageal cancer. However, most people with Barrett's esophagus do not develop cancer.

Rather, in some people, long-standing reflux can cause chronic damage, which can lead to Barrett's esophagus, which in turn is associated with a higher cancer risk.

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Kim Kardashian’s Family History

According to reports, Kim Kardashian's father Robert Kardashian died from esophageal cancer in September 2003 at the age of 59, only about two months after his diagnosis. This family history makes Kim's diagnosis particularly significant.

However, there is currently no public information showing that her esophagitis is hereditary or that it is connected to the cancer her father had. Her diagnosis also does not establish that she has Barrett's esophagus or esophageal cancer. The trailer does not disclose those details.

The Kardashian family has nevertheless remained involved in awareness about esophageal health since Robert's death. In 2019, the family helped establish the Robert G. Kardashian Center for Esophageal Health at UCLA, dedicated to research, treatment and education about diseases of the esophagus.

When Should Esophageal Symptoms Be Checked?

Persistent difficulty swallowing, painful swallowing, unexplained weight loss, recurrent vomiting, bleeding or discomfort in chest should not simply be dismissed as normal acidity.

Doctors may use tests such as an upper endoscopy to examine the esophagus and determine whether inflammation, structural changes or other abnormalities are present. Persistent inflammation, particularly when driven by untreated chronic reflux, can sometimes signal a problem that needs medical evaluation and follow-up.

A new study has found a way to identify which younger adults are most likely to develop severe liver damage decades earlier than expected, by looking at their genetics and whether they have type 2 diabetes. The finding could allow doctors to catch dangerous liver disease, and even begin cancer screening, years before symptoms would otherwise appear.

Doctors have long known that fatty liver disease can quietly damage the liver over many years. But this research shows that some people develop the most serious stage of this damage, cirrhosis, much earlier than expected, sometimes before they even turn 50. What makes this study significant is that it identifies exactly why: specific genetic factors combined with type 2 diabetes appear to accelerate the disease in these younger patients.

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine carried out the study, and their findings were published on September 16 in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. It is being described as the first study to properly define what early-onset cirrhosis from fatty liver disease actually looks like, and what sets these patients apart.

What the Researchers Found

The condition in question is called MASLD, short for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Most people know it simply as fatty liver disease. It develops when fat builds up in the liver, and over time, this can lead to scarring. In its most advanced form, that scarring becomes cirrhosis, a stage where liver damage is severe and often permanent.

To understand why some people reach this stage so early, the researchers studied close to 2,400 adults with confirmed cases of MASLD. All of them were part of a larger research group called the NASH Clinical Research Network. Among these patients, 25 percent who had cirrhosis had developed it before the age of 50.

The key finding is that these younger patients were not simply following the same disease path as older patients, only faster. Instead, two specific factors set them apart: inherited genetic risk and type 2 diabetes. This matters because it gives doctors something concrete to check for, rather than simply waiting to see who develops symptoms.

Rohit Loomba, the senior author of the study and a liver specialist at UC San Diego Health, explained that younger adults with cirrhosis appear to have a distinct mix of genetic and metabolic risk factors that speed up the disease. "Cirrhosis is frequently silent until serious complications develop," he said. "These results suggest that younger adults with type 2 diabetes, obesity or elevated genetic risk may benefit from more proactive liver assessment."

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A Gap in Current Screening

This is where the study's findings become especially useful. Many of the standard tools used to assess liver fibrosis take a patient's age into account, which sounds reasonable on the surface but can actually work against younger patients who are already at risk.

The study found that nearly a third of the people with early-onset cirrhosis would not have been flagged as high risk under the usual screening methods. In other words, the tools meant to catch liver damage early are, in some cases, missing it entirely in younger adults, precisely the group this study identifies as vulnerable.

"As current screening tools incorporate age, they miss almost a third of patients with early-onset MASLD cirrhosis," said Veeral Ajmera, MD, first author of the study, hepatologist at UC San Diego Health, and associate professor of medicine at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "This study helps us identify which patients are at greatest risk and need a more accurate assessment of their liver disease."

Also read: Sugar-Free Sweetener Used In Candies May Have A Harmful Metabolic Effect On Liver: Is Sorbitol Really Healthy?

Why This Matters Going Forward

The value of identifying these patients early goes beyond liver health alone. Cirrhosis is one of the biggest known risk factors for liver cancer, so flagging high-risk individuals sooner, based on their genetics and diabetes status rather than their age, could allow doctors to begin cancer screening and treatment much earlier than they otherwise would.

With rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes continuing to climb across the world, researchers expect fatty liver disease to become even more common in the years ahead. Because of this, the study believes that younger adults who have diabetes, obesity, or a higher genetic risk may benefit from more careful and more frequent liver evaluations, rather than waiting for age-based warning signs that may never appear in time.