“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.

The health authorities in New York City are currently investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease after at least 14 people were diagnosed with the potentially life-threatening respiratory illness across two neighborhoods in Manhattan. The recent outbreak prompted an urgent public health response.

Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak IN NYC

The outbreak, initially marked with just two cases earlier this week, has grown rapidly. Cases of infections were reported in Carnegie Hill and Yorkville on the Upper East Side.

The New York City Department of Health has immediately launched an investigation to identify the source of the outbreak and is inspecting cooling towers and other water systems in the affected areas, where the Legionella bacteria commonly thrive.

Authorities have urged residents and visitors who were in the neighborhoods in recent days to seek medical attention if they face symptoms like fever, cough or difficulty breathing.

What is Legionnaires' Disease?

The bacteria naturally occur in freshwater environments but can multiply in man-made water systems that are poorly maintained, including:

• Cooling towers used for large air-conditioning systems

• Hot tubs and spas

• Public fountains

• Large plumbing systems

• Water tanks and heaters

Read more: New Blood Test May Predict Alzheimer's Symptoms At Least 4 Years In Advance: Study

Symptoms:

Symptoms of Legionnaire's disease appear 2 to 14 days after exposure, although they can sometimes take longer. The common symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include:

• High fever

• Persistent cough

• Shortness of breath

• Chills

• Muscle aches

• Headache

Some patients, particularly older adults, may also develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or confusion. As the illness closely resembles other forms of pneumonia, laboratory testing is usually required to confirm the diagnosis.

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Treatment & Prevention

Legionnaires' disease is treatable with antibiotics, and early diagnosis greatly improves recovery. However, delayed treatment can lead to severe complications such as respiratory failure, septic shock, or multi-organ failure.

The disease can be fatal, especially among older adults and people with underlying health conditions.

While the overall fatality rate is around 10% in otherwise healthy individuals, it can be considerably higher in vulnerable patients if treatment is delayed.

Although most people are unlikely to be exposed, experts recommend:

• Seeking immediate medical care for pneumonia-like symptoms, particularly if you are in a high-risk group.

• Ensuring building water systems, cooling towers, and hot tubs are properly maintained.

• Avoiding smoking as it increases susceptibility to the severe disease.

• Following public health advisories during ongoing outbreak investigations.

What Should You Do If You're Infected?

If you feel ill and experience the symptoms of Legionnaire's, watch for signs, especially respiratory distress, fever, or extreme tiredness. Health officials recommend the following:

• Contact your healthcare provider immediately if symptoms appear

• Inform them of your recent travel to potentially affected areas

• Get tested if symptoms suggest pneumonia or related complications

Health Officials Act On Outbreak Control

New York City health officials are testing cooling towers and other potential environmental sources in the affected neighborhoods to identify where the bacteria may have originated. Property owners are immediately required to disinfect contaminated cooling towers if Legionella is detected.

Officials have emphasized that residents can continue using home air conditioners and public cooling centers, as these systems do not typically spread the bacteria in the same way as large industrial cooling towers.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently banned the sale, distribution, and use of several fairness creams after dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead and mercury, were found in the products.

About The Case

Among the products, one named Goree Beauty Cream is of Pakistani origin. The product was reportedly being sold unlawfully in the state.

The FDA labelled the products “Not of Standard Quality” (NSQ), warning consumers against using them as prolonged exposure to heavy metals present in the products can lead to serious health complications associated with skin, kidneys as well as the nervous system.

According to the Maharashtra FDA, the following cosmetic products have been declared unsafe:

1. Goree Beauty Cream
2. Face Fresh Gold
3. Golden Star Beauty Cream

Officials also noted that the products lacked mandatory information like the manufacturer's complete details, batch number, manufacturing date, and expiry date, raising concerns over their authenticity and safety.

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What Happens When One Gets Exposed To Lead And Mercury?

If used repeatedly, these toxic substances may be absorbed through the skin, allowing them to accumulate in the body over time.

Excessive exposure to mercury can cause:

• Kidney damage

• Tremors and muscle weakness

• Numbness or tingling sensations

• Memory problems and difficulty concentrating

• Mood changes and irritability

• Skin rashes and discoloration

• Harm to unborn babies during pregnancy

The risk increases with prolonged use, particularly when the products are used on a daily basis over months or years.

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On the other hand, lead exposure can cause:

• Damage to the nervous system

• High blood pressure

• Kidney dysfunction

• Fertility problems

• Developmental delays in children

• Pregnancy complications

Even if lead accumulates in the body in small amounts, its repeated use may pose long-term health risks.

Why Are Lead And Mercury Found In Fairness Creams?

Sometimes, mercury is illegally added to skin-lightening products as it suppresses melanin production, temporarily making the skin appear lighter. However, this skin-lightening effect comes at the cost of significant health risks.

Lead may contaminate cosmetic products through poor-quality raw materials or unsafe manufacturing processes. Neither ingredient should be intentionally present in cosmetic creams sold for routine use.

International health agencies have repeatedly warned against skin-lightening creams containing mercury.

In June 2026, the US FDA again cautioned consumers not to use over-the-counter skin-lightening products found to contain mercury or hydroquinone because of the risk of kidney injury, neurological damage, and permanent skin problems.

The Maharashtra FDA's crackdown highlights the hidden dangers of unregulated and illegal fairness creams that contain harmful ingredients.

While these products may promise lighter skin, the presence of toxic heavy metals such as mercury and lead can expose users to potentially irreversible health damage. Consumers are advised to read the labels carefully before purchasing any skincare products that promise complexion-altering effects.

Usually, the most telling symptoms of Alzheimer's disease surface in old age. With no cure and limited ways to detect it early, it is challenging to treat and manage Alzheimer's. However, a recent study says that a new blood test can help in diagnosing Alzheimer's early.

New Blood Test May Predict Alzheimer's Symptoms Early

A new blood test that measures tiny loops of genetic material in the bloodstream may be able to predict when Alzheimer's disease symptoms are likely to appear, offering hope for earlier intervention of the neurodegenerative disease and more effective clinical trials.

A study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that a specific group of blood-based biomarkers known as circular RNAs could help identify people who are on the brink of developing Alzheimer's symptoms, even before memory loss or cognitive decline becomes apparent.

An Improvement On Current Blood Tests

The current blood tests for Alzheimer's have been made after significant progress in recent years, particularly by detecting proteins linked to amyloid plaques, one of the disease's primary characteristics features.

However, these tests may present positive results for many years, even decades, before symptoms like declining memory and thinking appear. It makes it difficult for doctors to predict when the disease will actually begin affecting the patient’s quality of life.

The newly developed blood test could fill that existing gap. Scientists found that elevated levels of a set of 34 circular RNAs in blood were strongly associated with future symptoms of the onset.

According to the study, those with higher circRNA levels were nearly three times more likely to develop Alzheimer's symptoms compared with those with lower levels.

The changes appeared approximately two to four years before symptoms emerged, making them a valuable diagnostic test for predicting disease progression.

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How Can This Blood Test Help?

Improve Clinical Testing

The discovery could transform existing Alzheimer's research by helping scientists identify participants who are most likely to develop symptoms during a clinical trial.

Finding out when symptoms are likely to begin would allow researchers to introduce preventive therapies at the stage when they are most likely to be effective and better evaluate whether experimental treatments can delay cognitive decline.

Less Invasive Alternative

The current methods to assess Alzheimer's include PET brain scans, which are expensive and not widely available. Lumbar punctures (spinal taps), an invasive method, is also used.

Compared to the existing methods to screen Alzheimer's, a blood test is easier to perform, less invasive, more affordable and more accessible, especially if validated for widespread clinical use.

Earlier Planning For Patients And Families

If doctors can ascertain the symptoms early, patients and their families can, patients’ families can plan future care and support. They can use the time to make financial and legal decisions while the person is still cognitively healthy. Patients can also adopt lifestyle changes that may help maintain brain health.

Researchers however stressed that the new circRNA test is still in the research stage and requires further validation in larger and more diverse populations before it can be adopted in clinical practice.