“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.

In a major policy shift, schools and colleges across India are set to introduce comprehensive sex education after the Centre informed the Supreme Court that a nationwide programme on health, safety, relationships and reproductive awareness will soon be rolled out.

The move comes nearly two years after the apex court directed the government to create a structured national framework to improve awareness about sexuality, reproductive health, consent, personal safety and child sexual abuse prevention.

Appearing before a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R. Mahadevan, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said the Centre has accepted the recommendations of a 26-member national expert committee. The government plans to implement the curriculum nationwide after the Supreme Court grants its formal approval.

The bench also observed that "sex education is not a Western concept incompatible with Indian societal values," noting that misconceptions have led some states to oppose or ban such programmes despite their public health importance.

What Will Be Taught?

The expert panel has recommended making comprehensive sex education a mandatory part of the school curriculum under NEP 2020. Specially trained teachers would conduct brief 15–20 minute sessions twice a week, with lessons tailored to each age group.

Primary school: Personal hygiene, body awareness, and safe and unsafe touch.

Middle and higher classes: Puberty, hormonal changes, consent, personal boundaries, recognising unsafe situations, seeking help, and reproductive and sexual health.

Experts Call It A Long-Overdue Reform

Health experts lauded the move and reiterated that comprehensive sex education is not about encouraging sexual activity. Instead, it equips children with the knowledge and life skills needed to stay safe, make informed decisions and build healthy relationships.

Speaking to HealthandMe, Dr. Ishwar Gilada, the President Emeritus of the AIDS Society of India (ASI) and a Governing Council member of the International AIDS Society (IAS), called the apex Court's directions a landmark moment after decades of advocating for scientific sex education.

He noted that "early sex education can help prevent child sexual abuse among both girls and boys", and also prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV.

A key myth about sex education is that it will encourage sexual activity. Busting the myth, Dr. Arti Anand, Senior Consultant, Clinical Psychology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that "comprehensive sex education is about providing children with the right information at the right age, not encouraging sexual activity".

The experts noted that in the absence of accurate information, children often rely on friends or the internet, where myths and misinformation are common.

Instead, Dr Arti said that a good sex education can:

• Protect children from abuse
• Reduce bullying
• Prevent unhealthy relationships
• Build confidence
• Encourage respect and responsible decision-making
• Help children grow into emotionally healthy, safe and well-informed adults

Studies have proven that comprehensive sexuality education can:

• Reduce risky behaviors
• Lower unintended pregnancies
• Reduce sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Help prevent sexual abuse by enabling children to recognise inappropriate behaviour and seek help
• Promote gender equality and mutual respect.

Dr. Amit Prakash Singh, Consultant – Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Delhi, described comprehensive sex education as an essential life-skills programme that goes beyond reproductive health.

Dr. Singh told HealthandMe that the curriculum will help children understand:

• Puberty
• Consent
• Healthy relationships
• Personal safety
• Gender respect
• Digital safety.

South Korea is experiencing a sharp rise in sleep disorders across all age groups, but the fastest increase is among its youngest population.

New government data suggests that the number of children under the age of 10 who are undergoing treatment for sleep disorders spiked by 67.5% over the past four years, compared to teenagers and adults.

Alarming Rate Of Sleep Disorder Cases In South Korea’s Children

The surprising trend has raised concerns among pediatricians and sleep experts, who warn that poor sleep habits in early childhood can have permanent effects on physical growth, learning, intelligence, emotional well-being, and mental health.

According to figures released by South Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), more than 1.34 million people sought treatment for sleep disorders last year, which showed an increase of about 24% compared to 2021

While adults in their 50s, 60s, and 70s still account for the largest share of patients, the fastest growth has been recorded among children less than 10 years of age. Teenagers also experienced a notable increase of more than 32% during the same period.

Also read: Obesity-Driven CKM Syndrome A Growing Public Health Threat, Warns American Heart Association

Why Are Children In South Korea Facing Sleep Disorders?

Excessive Screentime

Health experts say that there are factors that are likely driving the surge. One of the biggest contributors is the widespread and rampant use of smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices before bedtime.

Research states that exposure to blue light suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates the body's sleep-wake cycle, making it harder for children to fall asleep.

Increased screen time is also replacing physical activity and playtime outdoors, both of which are essential for healthy nighttime sleep.

Academic Pressure

Academic pressure could also affect children’s sleep. Many children under 10 attend after-school academies called hagwons, spend long hours studying, and have increasingly structured schedules that leave little to no time for adequate rest.

Combined with irregular bedtime and stress, these factors can disrupt normal sleep patterns.

Also read: Chronic Fatigue: More Than Just Lack of Rest

Growing Stress And Anxiety

Experts also point to growing levels of stress and anxiety among children. Family pressures, highly competitive educational environments, and lifestyle changes following the COVID-19 pandemic have all been linked to increasingly poor sleep quality in children.

Mental health problems like anxiety can both contribute to and result from chronic sleep disturbances, creating a cycle that becomes difficult to break.

Insomnia

Insomnia remains the most common sleep disorder diagnosed in South Korea. Previous research has shown that the prevalence of diagnosed sleep disorders in the country nearly doubled between 2011 and 2020, highlighting that the current increase among children is part of a broader national trend.

Poor sleep during childhood could lead to poor attention, memory, learning, emotional regulation, and immune function. Children who consistently sleep too little may also face a higher risk of obesity, depression, and behavioral problems later in life.

Sleep specialists stress that parents should establish consistent bedtime routines, reduce evening screen exposure, encourage regular physical activity, and seek medical evaluation if symptoms like prolonged insomnia, loud snoring, or excessive daytime sleepiness continue.

Young adults who believe vaping is safer than smoking may be in for some surprising news. According to a new study, vape users presented reduced fitness and impaired blood vessel function similar to traditional cigarette smokers.

The research, published in the peer-reviewed journal ERJ Open Research, compared healthy adults aged 18 to 30 and found that both regular vapers and smokers had around 15% lower exercise capacity than people who had never smoked or vaped.

About The Study

The study involved 75 healthy young adults divided into three groups: non-smokers/non-vapers, cigarette smokers, and regular vapers who had never smoked.

Participants completed an incremental cycling test while researchers measured heart and lung function, oxygen activity, blood lactate levels, and overall vascular health.

Researchers also observed equally poor blood vessel function, reduced breathing efficiency during exercise, and early muscle fatigue in both those who vaped and smoked.

What Did The Study Find?

At peak exercise, both smokers and vapers showed significantly lower oxygen uptake and reached exhaustion sooner than non-users.

They also accumulated lactic acid more quickly, leading to greater breathlessness and increased leg discomfort during exercise. Ultrasound scans and blood tests further showed signs of impaired blood vessel function and inflammation.

Dr. Azmy Faisal, senior lecturer in cardiorespiratory physiology at Manchester Metropolitan University and lead author of the study, said, “In active, healthy young adults with normal lungs, both vapes and tobacco smoking led to worsened exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and intense leg fatigue.”

"Like smoking, our research indicates that vaping can lead to harmful changes to the blood vessels, lung efficiency during exercise, and approximately a 15% reduction in fitness compared to those who have never smoked or vaped," Faisal added.

Dr. Stamatoula Tsikrika of the European Respiratory Society commented on the findings, saying the growing popularity of vaping among young people who have never smoked is becoming an increasing public health concern.

Also read: How Smoking, Alcohol, And Vaping Are Quietly Hurting Women’s Fertility

"More and more young people who have never smoked are using vapes," Tsikrika said. "As the popularity of vaping continues to rise, so too do concerns that it is becoming normalised behaviour, functioning as a gateway to nicotine addiction and introducing serious health risks."

She noted that although e-cigarettes may contain fewer cancer-causing substances than conventional cigarettes, they can still lead to significant genetic changes.

"Vapes may contain lower levels of cancer-causing substances, but they can still trigger genetic changes such as DNA damage and inflammation, which are linked to increased lung cancer risk," Tsikrika said. "For people who have never smoked and are therefore not using vapes as a cessation method, the health consequences of vaping are becoming harder for policymakers and the tobacco industry to justify."

Also read: Friends Can Have A Big Impact On Vaping Habits, Study Suggests

Smoking Vs Vaping

The researchers, however, caution that the study does not suggest that vaping is equally harmful as smoking in every respect.

Traditional cigarettes still strongly remain linked to major disorders like cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and many other life-threatening illnesses.

But the new study indicates that when it comes to cardiovascular fitness, breathing efficiency, lung function and blood vessel health in young adults, vaping may offer far less protection.