“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.

Iceland, one of the last regions in the world without mosquitoes, has recorded its first sightings of the insects following an unusually warm spring. The discovery was confirmed by the country’s National Science Institute on Monday, October 20, 2025. The sightings come after a record-breaking summer that accelerated glacial melting across Iceland.

Insect enthusiast Bjorn Hjaltason noticed the mosquitoes over several nights last week while observing moths using wine-soaked ropes, local media reported.

When Were Mosquitoes Detected in Iceland?

On October 16, Hjaltason shared on a Facebook group that he had spotted mosquitoes at dusk in Kidafell, Kjos. He captured some using a red wine ribbon, a trap that attracts insects with sweetened wine.

Kjos is a glacial valley about 52 km (32 miles) northeast of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. Hjaltason sent his specimens to the Natural Science Institute of Iceland, where entomologist Matthias Alfredsson confirmed they were indeed mosquitoes.

Climate Change Leading To Mosquito Discovery In Iceland

“The recent mosquito sightings in Iceland are likely linked to climate change,” said Carla Vieira, a scientist studying mosquito-borne viruses at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia, according to The Washington Post. “Rising global temperatures and milder winters create conditions where mosquitoes can survive and reproduce in areas that were previously too cold.”

The Natural Science Institute said it’s unclear how these mosquitoes arrived in Iceland. “It’s possible they were transported via freight,” the institute stated. “Whether they’ve permanently settled here is uncertain, but conditions suggest they could survive.”

A report by Al Jazeera notes that Iceland is warming faster than almost anywhere else. In May 2025, Iceland and neighboring Greenland experienced extreme heat caused by a persistent weather pattern bringing unusually warm air from the south. Temperatures were about 13°C (23.4°F) above the 1990–2020 average, ten times higher than the global average increase of 1.3°C (2.3°F).

Glaciers have been melting rapidly and are projected to lose nearly half their volume by 2100, according to Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park website.

However, some experts caution against quickly attributing the mosquito discovery to climate change. Alfredsson and epidemiologist Colin J. Carlson from Yale University points out that while climate change may have made the sightings more likely, the full picture of mosquito range shifts remains unclear.

Which Type Of Mosquitoes Have Been Found In Iceland?

Alfredsson identified the species as “Culiseta annulata,” a cold-resistant mosquito native to the Palearctic region, which includes Europe, North Africa, and much of Asia north of the Himalayas. These mosquitoes are not known to carry disease, though they can be bothersome.

“They survive cold climates by hibernating as adults in sheltered spaces like basements or outbuildings,” the Natural Science Institute said. “They bite but are not considered dangerous to humans in these regions, as they carry no known infections. Mosquito species adapted to cooler climates generally don’t transmit diseases.”

Can Mosquitoes Survive In Iceland?

It is not known yet whether these mosquitoes will establish permanent populations in Iceland. Philip Weinstein, an infectious diseases researcher at the University of Adelaide, believes Iceland’s harsh winters may be too challenging, even for a cold-adapted species. On the other hand, Gisli Gislason, professor emeritus of limnology at the University of Iceland, thinks the mosquitoes may settle in.

Further monitoring will be needed to determine the outcome. If these mosquitoes do establish themselves, only Antarctica would remain free of the pesky insects.

Polio is a contagious viral illness that can lead to paralysis, making its complete eradication important to protect every child from lifelong disability, a mission recognised each year on World Polio Day. This global observance aims to spread awareness about the dangers of polio and the continued worldwide push to end the disease.

The day also serves as a platform for governments, health organisations, and communities to reflect on the progress achieved so far, identify ongoing challenges, and strengthen collective efforts toward a polio-free world. Let’s take a look at when World Polio Day is observed and what this year’s theme focuses on.

Why Is World Polio Day Celebrated?

World Polio Day, observed every year on October 24, aims to raise global awareness about the importance of eradicating polio and maintaining immunization efforts. Recognized by organizations such as the World Health Organization, Rotary International, and UNICEF, the day celebrates the progress made against polio while highlighting the work still needed to protect children from this potentially life-threatening disease.

It brings together governments, communities, educators, and health workers in a shared effort to support a polio-free world, underscoring the power of vaccination and the importance of collective action in public health.

World Polio Day: History and Origin

World Polio Day was created to honor Dr. Jonas Salk, who developed the first effective poliomyelitis vaccine. The observance was officially initiated by Rotary International and is now supported by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), which includes key partners like WHO and UNICEF. The day not only commemorates vaccine breakthroughs but also continues the global fight to end polio, a disease that once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children annually. Thanks to worldwide vaccination campaigns, most of the world is now polio-free, though efforts continue in regions where the virus still exists.

World Polio Day 2025 Theme

This year’s theme, End Polio: Every Child, Every Vaccine, Everywhere, emphasizes the urgent need to vaccinate every child and ensure equal access to protection against polio. It is a call to action for global eradication, highlighting both the responsibility and commitment required to make a polio-free world a reality.

How Does Polio Spread?

Polio is mainly transmitted through the faecal-oral route, meaning it spreads when a person consumes food or water contaminated with the virus. It can also spread through close contact with an infected individual. The poliovirus lives in the throat and intestines of those infected, and poor sanitation, unsafe water, and inadequate hygiene greatly increase the risk of transmission, especially in communities with limited access to clean facilities.

In severe cases, polio can lead to acute flaccid paralysis, which may affect the diaphragm and throat muscles, making it difficult to breathe or swallow. Since there is no cure for polio, prevention remains the only line of defence. Raising awareness about polio vaccination is therefore essential to protect individuals, especially children, from this potentially life-threatening disease.

Kim kardashian brain aneurysm: Kim Kardashian has revealed that a routine MRI detected a small brain aneurysm, which doctors linked to the stress of her divorce from Kanye West. The 45-year-old reality TV star shared the news on the season seven premiere of The Kardashians while talking with her sister, Kourtney Kardashian, 46. “They found a little aneurysm,” Kim said, prompting a visibly shocked Kourtney to place her hand over her chest and respond: “Whoa.” Here’s a closer look at what this condition involves and how serious it can be.

Kim Kardashian Hints at Brain Aneurysm After Stressful Divorce

Kim Kardashian, the 45-year-old lifestyle influencer and entrepreneur, recently shared a startling health update on her reality show The Kardashians. During a conversation with her sister on season seven, the SKIMS founder revealed that a brain scan had detected a “little” aneurysm. She reportedly attributed it to the stress of her divorce from rapper Kanye West, the father of her daughter, North.

What Is A Brain Aneurysm?

A brain aneurysm, also called a cerebral or intracranial aneurysm, is a weak or thin spot in the wall of a blood vessel in the brain that balloons out and fills with blood. Many aneurysms remain unruptured and asymptomatic for years, but if they rupture, they can cause a life-threatening stroke known as a subarachnoid haemorrhage, according to the National Library of Medicine. The Mayo Clinic notes that about 85% of aneurysms are found in the brain’s anterior circulation.

Certain individuals are at higher risk, including those with hypertension, genetic disorders, a family history of aneurysms, regular smokers, heavy alcohol users, or infections that affect blood vessels (mycotic aneurysms). Plaque buildup in artery walls can also increase the risk, according to the National Institutes of Health.

What Is A ‘Little’ Brain Aneurysm?

Brain aneurysms are relatively common, but most are not serious, especially if they are small. The majority of aneurysms do not rupture and often do not cause symptoms or health problems. Many are discovered incidentally during scans for unrelated conditions, just like Kim Kardashian’s was found during her routine MRI.

When Kim referred to a “little” brain aneurysm, she meant a small aneurysm, typically under 3 millimeters, which is far less likely to rupture. These tiny, unruptured aneurysms usually produce no symptoms and are often detected by chance during imaging for other medical reasons.

Early Warning Signs Of An Aneurysm

Most brain aneurysms go unnoticed until they leak or rupture. However, as they expand, they can press on nearby nerves, producing early warning signs. Neurologists at the Mayo Clinic list potential symptoms such as persistent, localized headaches often behind the eyes or in the temples, blurred or double vision, and pain behind the eye. Other signs may include a drooping eyelid, unequal pupil size, facial weakness or numbness, slurred speech, and balance problems.

Is A Brain Aneurysm Serious?

Brain aneurysms can be serious, but it largely depends on their size and location. Many small aneurysms, like Kim Kardashian’s “little” one, often remain harmless and may never rupture.

While Kim Kardashian found out about her condition during a routine MRI, doctors can also spot aneurysms through an angiography, which helps detect any unruptured bulges in blood vessels. These are more frequently seen in women between 30 and 60 years old, and when combined with other risk factors, this group is considered higher risk. Physicians recommend managing blood pressure, quitting smoking, and keeping a close watch on vascular health as preventive steps.