Credits: IMDb
“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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
Credit: CDC
Almost all states in the US are reporting a growing summer wave of COVID-19 cases, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While the numbers aren’t especially high and there aren’t many hospitalizations or deaths, the test positivity rate for the week ending August 8 rose above 3% for the first time since March, with numbers climbing in every state. Emergency department visits related to COVID-19 are also “very low.”
Wastewater Data Offers Closer Look At COVID Activity
According to the CDC, wastewater data can be a key tool for tracking where the virus may be circulating. Testing sewage can detect the presence of COVID-19 in a community and “can pick up signs of infection even from people who feel perfectly healthy,” the CDC said.
COVID-19 Activity By State
“It is going up. We don’t know how to describe these numbers that we’re seeing in terms of what the denominator is anymore,” Dr. Scott Harris, state health officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, told the media.
“Now we just know when we get a positive test, and we don’t even have clinical data sometimes to put that in context.”
‘August Is Solidly Covid Season’
“August is solidly Covid season,” Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an expert in outbreak science and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health and Security, told CNN.
“Right now, the South and the West are sort of the leading edge of this Covid season. In the past, it almost always starts in Florida, Texas and Georgia, which is exactly what we’re seeing this year.”
Who Is At Higher Risk?
COVID-19 can still be serious and even deadly, especially for people who remain vulnerable to severe disease. These include:
How To Prevent COVID-19?
To reduce the risk of infection, people should:
Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough or breathlessness should get tested and seek timely medical advice.
If you didn’t get a COVID-19 vaccine last year, you may want to talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist about getting one, including the vaccine formulated for last season, Dr. James McDonald, commissioner of health for the New York State Department of Health, told CNN.
Credit: Chester Zoo
In a world first, a 15-foot reticulated python named Jodie Foster has successfully undergone electrochemotherapy, a pioneering cancer treatment usually used in humans.
The reticulated python is a species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the world’s longest snake and the third heaviest.
The 50kg python, named Jodie Foster after the Hollywood star, underwent the treatment after being diagnosed with fibrosarcoma, a malignant tumor, in her jaw. The tumor was initially removed through surgery but later returned and began invading her jawbone.
“Months later, 50kg Jodie Foster is cancer-free and back to her usual ‘bright and feisty’ self,” Chester Zoo in the UK said in a statement.
Keepers became concerned when Jodie started eating less and became more inactive. Tests confirmed a fibrosarcoma in her jaw. Vets initially removed the tumor through surgery.
Tests confirmed she had a fibrosarcoma, a malignant tumor, in her jaw. Although vets initially removed the tumor, it later returned and started destroying part of her jawbone. Doctors feared further surgery alone would not be enough and that the tumor could eventually make it difficult for her to eat.
“We were facing the possibility of losing her as the tumor made it more and more difficult for her to eat, so we worked with cancer specialists to see whether we could adapt electrochemotherapy for a snake," said Ian Ashpole, Veterinary Officer at Chester Zoo :
“As far as we're aware, this is the first time it's ever been used in one," Ashpole added.
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With no operating table large enough for a python of Jodie's size, the veterinary team had to improvise.
For the operation that lasted 90 minutes, Jodie was first anaesthetized in her habitat before being taken to the veterinary center.
Two operating tables were placed together to create a surface roughly the size of a double bed. Heated blankets and warm air were also used to keep her body temperature stable.
Dr. Ashpole first removed the tumor and performed a hemi-mandibulectomy, removing part of the diseased jawbone. Electrochemotherapy was then used to target any remaining cancer cells.

According to Cancer Research UK, electrochemotherapy combines chemotherapy with small electrical pulses.
It is used to treat some cancers that begin in the skin or have spread to the skin. However, its use in Jodie Foster marks a world first in veterinary medicine for a snake.
“Electrochemotherapy is an emerging treatment, and this was the first time it had been used in a snake,” said Jose Alvares Picornell, Department of Small Animal Clinical Science, University of Liverpool, who was part of the three-hour-long surgery.
The treatment combines the cancer drug bleomycin with carefully controlled electrical pulses delivered directly to the tumor site.
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Despite losing part of her jawbone, Jodie's appetite and hunting ability have not been affected, the Zoo officials said, adding that she continues to strike, grip and swallow food without difficulty.
Months of observation have shown no problems with feeding, and a final check confirmed that she remains free of signs of the cancer returning. The officials added that Jodie is eating normally, exploring her habitat and behaving as usual.
“Seeing her back to her normal bright and feisty self has been incredibly rewarding. A few months ago, we genuinely didn't know whether she'd survive," Dr Ashpole added.
Credit: iStock
Delhi is witnessing a significant rise in influenza A H1N1 infections, with the cumulative tally reportedly reaching 1,777.
As per National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) data, Delhi recorded 1,449 H1N1 cases up to August 12, more than six times the 229 cases reported during the same period last year. Mumbai and Bengaluru are also reporting a sharp rise in cases.
Amid the rise, Union Health Minister JP Nadda reviewed preparedness, including:
The “situation is being closely and continuously monitored”, said Nadda. The Health Minister also emphasized continued vigilance, robust surveillance and proactive preparedness, along with respiratory and hand hygiene.
People with persistent or severe respiratory symptoms, breathing difficulty or other warning signs were advised to seek medical attention promptly.
The Health Ministry is coordinating with States/UTs, hospitals, laboratories and other stakeholders for early detection, timely clinical management and effective surveillance of seasonal influenza, including H1N1.
Doctors Flag Atypical H1N1 Symptoms
Dr. Atul Kakkar, Senior Consultant and Head of Department, Internal Medicine, Sir Gangaram Hospital, told HealthandMe that H1N1 cases are significantly higher than last year, possibly partly due to seasonal changes.
Most patients are presenting with flu-like symptoms, cold, cough, body aches, and upper respiratory tract infections.
However, doctors are also seeing atypical symptoms.
“We are seeing patients having diarrhea also and myalgias, which are getting very, very frequent.”
Patients at extreme ages are more prone to complications and may require oxygen, high-flow oxygen, NIV or BiPAP, he said.
Those at higher risk include people who are unvaccinated against flu, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and those with COPD, bronchial asthma, cancer or on immunosuppressive treatment.
“Evidence shows early antiviral treatment reduces complications and hospital stay, so we must expand rapid diagnostic capacity across primary care centres and ensure affordable antivirals are available at the point of care,” Dr. Sabine Kapasi, Global Health Strategist and UN Advisor, told HealthandMe.
What Is H1N1?
H1N1 is a subtype of influenza A virus. Common symptoms include:
The virus mainly spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
Children can also spread the virus before they realize they are sick.
Red-flag symptoms include:
As per experts, H1N1 infection may also be associated with cardiovascular complications, including:
Dr. Saurabh Gupta, Associate Director, Internal Medicine, Yashoda Medicity, said H1N1 may cause fluctuations in heart rhythm or inflammation involving the heart.
“Those with pre-existing heart conditions should be more vigilant whilst they’re recuperating. As the infection puts more work on the body, you can find that previous heart problems are more noticeable,” he added.
People recovering from H1N1 should seek medical attention if they develop:
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