logo
Physical Therapist Dies Inside Hyperbaric Chamber After It Catches Fire

Physical Therapist Dies Inside Hyperbaric Chamber After It Catches Fire

New York Times6 days ago
A 43-year-old physical therapist was found dead on Wednesday inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber at his health clinic in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., after the device caught on fire, according to officials.
The Lake Havasu City Fire Department said in a statement on Thursday that fire and police personnel were dispatched to Havasu Health and Hyperbarics on Wednesday at 10:50 p.m. local time after receiving a 911 call about a burn victim.
When they arrived, they found the building was filled with smoke and an intact hyperbaric chamber appeared to have had a flash fire while a person was inside.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene and identified as Walter Foxtrot. He was the owner of the clinic, according to a LinkedIn page in his name. No one else was injured.
The Lake Havasu City Fire and Police Departments said on Friday that they were still investigating the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding Mr. Foxtrot's death.
It was not clear why Mr. Foxtrot was in the chamber. The clinic did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The next frontier for precision medicine: Pediatricians
The next frontier for precision medicine: Pediatricians

Fast Company

time15 minutes ago

  • Fast Company

The next frontier for precision medicine: Pediatricians

Many families now have a new reality when they visit their pediatrician's office. Instead of leaving with more questions, they have answers and a real plan. Genomic testing, once reserved for rare or complex cases and ordered by specialists, is rapidly becoming a standard tool in pediatric care. The latest guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), released this year, recommends using exome and genome sequencing as a first-tier test for more children, particularly those with developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. More than one in three children with developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, or autism have an underlying genetic condition that can be found using genetic testing. Given known genetic links to autism, pediatricians can now genomic insights right from the start, moving forward bringing answers and actionable next steps in a child's care journey. This shift is transforming how we diagnose, treat, and support kids with unexplained medical challenges. Invest in science Spun out of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), GeneDx was founded 25 years ago on the belief that genomic science could fundamentally change how we diagnose and treat disease. At the time, this field felt like the frontier, a promising but distant future, more exploration than clinical applications. Today, that vision is a reality. GeneDx has discovered more than 500 links between specific genes and diseases. What once felt futuristic is now central to modern pediatric care. Genomic testing has become faster, more affordable, and more accessible. The updated AAP guidance means genomic testing should be integrated into every family's pediatric office. It should be used to diagnose rare diseases and understand the genetic cause of common conditions like autism and epilepsy with greater speed and precision. It's not just about understanding the root cause, it's about accelerating the path to accurate treatment that can change or save children's lives. This transformation didn't happen overnight. It was the result of decades of scientific investment—our collective bet on the future of healthcare—to one day ensure children live longer and healthier lives. That investment paid off. Genomic testing not only improves outcomes for patients and families, but it also reduces overall healthcare costs through fewer unnecessary tests and procedures, earlier diagnoses, and more targeted interventions and treatments. Continued investments in science and medicine are essential. Advancing access to genomic testing isn't just about what's possible today, it's about building a healthcare system that's smarter, more sustainable, and truly patient-centered. Why genomic testing matters What was once only available to few, is now broadly available. Genomic testing offers immediate and profound benefits for families. For children facing developmental delays or other unexplained health issues, a single test can sometimes reveal the underlying cause in weeks or even days, in critical situations. This means families no longer must endure months or sometimes years of uncertainty—with multiple rounds of inconclusive tests, uninformative specialist visits, or unnecessary medical bills and suffering. Instead, clear answers can arrive quickly, allowing everyone to move forward with personalized treatment plans in confidence. With a genetic diagnosis in hand, doctors can provide truly targeted care, tailoring treatments, therapies, and support to fit the unique needs for a diagnosis and in some cases, even stop disease progression. A confirmed diagnosis also opens doors to early intervention, specialized care teams, clinical trials, and support networks that might otherwise remain out of reach. Exome and genome testing are transforming the path to answers and support for children and their families, and now it's more accessible than ever before. Looking ahead We see the AAP's guidance as a major milestone, bringing genomics into everyday pediatric care. And for the first time, genomics is equipping pediatricians with critical insights to support early diagnosis and intervention. But this is just the beginning. We're still in the early chapters of what genomic science and care can unlock. To fully realize its potential, we must continue investing in innovation and driving progress that elevates the standard of care across every clinical setting. Where a child accesses care should never determine their outcome. Today, we see genomic insights shaping the future in pediatricians' offices. Tomorrow, we envision a world where every baby's genome is sequenced at birth, giving families the power to stop disease before symptoms even start. My career has been dedicated to expanding access to genomic testing, and I commend the AAP for helping pave the way toward a new standard of care, one where genomics plays a central role in improving pediatric health outcomes nationwide. The path to answers—and to hope—has never been more accessible. Bringing genomics into the hands of every pediatrician marks a critical step toward shortening the diagnostic journey for families, enabling earlier intervention, and reducing costs for both patients and the healthcare system. It's a meaningful advancement in pediatric care, and one that brings us closer to a future where children can be diagnosed before symptoms even begin.

What is chronic venous insufficiency, Trump's diagnosis?
What is chronic venous insufficiency, Trump's diagnosis?

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

What is chronic venous insufficiency, Trump's diagnosis?

President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with a condition that causes blood to pool in his legs after he was examined for 'mild swelling in his lower legs,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday. At a press briefing, Leavitt said Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a 'benign' condition common in people over the age of 70. The president is 79. Follow-up tests found no evidence of a serious or life-threatening condition like deep vein thrombosis, she said, but they did lead to a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency. What is chronic venous insufficiency? Normally, oxygen-rich blood is pumped all over the body, including throughout the arms and legs. Veins then send that blood back to the heart to reoxygenate. Sometimes, veins in the legs become damaged and can't manage to return that blood as well as they should, according to the Cleveland Clinic. When that happens, blood settles in the legs, leading to a condition called chronic venous insufficiency. Patients can experience swelling, pain and skin discoloration. Sometimes, ulcers develop. The condition itself is common, affecting an estimated 1 in 20 adults, usually over age 50. Dr. Lee Kirksey, a vascular surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, said it's not life-threatening. It does, however, 'raise a yellow flag for us to look at underlying issues, whether it's body weight or whether it's a sedentary lifestyle,' Kirksey said. According to Trump's April 2025 physical, his heart function is normal and 'blood flow to his extremities is unimpaired.' His latest physical also says he is 6-foot-3 and weighs 239 pounds, which indicates he is overweight, according to the NIH BMI Calculator. Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for chronic venous insufficiency. How is chronic venous insufficiency treated? Dr. Aaron Aday, co-director of vascular medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, said the key is to work those leg veins to get them pumping again. 'When we walk, the muscles in our feet and our legs squeeze our veins that help pump blood back to the heart,' Aday said. 'If you're sitting or standing, say, on a plane ride or a desk job, that pressure can build up, causing achiness and heaviness in the legs.' There's no specific treatment for chronic venous insufficiency. Wearing compression stockings and elevating legs can be helpful, experts said. Blood thinners can also help prevent blood clots from forming. Trump takes aspirin, a blood thinner, according to his medical records. Neither Kirksey nor Aday is involved with Trump's care. On Thursday, the president's physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, said in a memo that 'President Trump remains in excellent health.' This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword

Sarepta to lay off about 500 employees after Duchenne gene therapy setbacks
Sarepta to lay off about 500 employees after Duchenne gene therapy setbacks

Yahoo

time33 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Sarepta to lay off about 500 employees after Duchenne gene therapy setbacks

This story was originally published on BioPharma Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily BioPharma Dive newsletter. Sarepta Therapeutics is laying off roughly 500 employees in an extensive workforce reduction that follows a series of setbacks and the collapse of the company's share price this year. In a statement Monday, Sarepta said it plans to cut approximately 36% of its staff and pause research on several drug programs. The company expects the two moves together will result in more than $400 million in annual cost savings in 2026. On a conference call held Wednesday afternoon, Sarepta CEO Doug Ingram said that "failure to adapt" to recent setbacks "would risk our long-term viability as an organization and decrease the opportunity to bring the greatest benefit to the greatest number of patients living with rare disease." Sarepta employed 1,372 people as of the end of last year, according to a regulatory filing. Shares in the company rose in after-hours trading on the news. For Sarepta, the layoffs reflect, in part, uncertainty around the future of Elevidys, its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Elevidys is the product of many years of research into the deadly neuromuscular condition and, in 2023, became the first and currently only gene therapy for the disease approved in the U.S. The Food and Drug Administration's clearance was controversial. While Elevidys initially won approval for a narrow group of patients, the agency expanded its OK the following year even though study results were mixed and left the therapy's ultimate benefits unclear. But the broader OK sent Sarepta's share price soaring and demand for Elevidys climbing. Some Wall Street analysts predicted sales might top $2 billion in 2025. However, in March and in June, Sarepta disclosed two Elevidys-treated patients died after experiencing acute liver failure. The individuals were older and could no longer walk because of their disease's progression. In response, Sarepta stopped selling the treatment to these older, non-ambulatory patients, who it judges are at higher risk of treatment-induced liver damage. The company also paused a study meant to confirm Elevidys' benefits in these patients, and convert the therapy's current 'accelerated' approval in these patients to a traditional one. Sarepta is working on a new regimen of immune-suppressing drugs to manage the safety risks, and plans to soon share its findings with the FDA. Sarepta has suspended its financial forecasts in the meantime. The company's share price is lower by more than 80% this year amid concerns about Elevidys' future and the chance new FDA leadership might restrict its use. The company also has $1 billion in senior notes coming due in 2027. Ingram had hinted cuts could be coming on a conference call in June 'We're going to have to look at our cost structure to make sure that we remain financially disciplined,' he told analysts then. Sarepta became profitable in 2024, and believes it can stay in the black even if Elevidys only draws revenue from ambulatory patients, executives said on that June call. On Wednesday, Sarepta shared that the FDA is adding a black box warning about the risk of liver failure or injury to Elevidys' label, which Sarepta said should resolve any agency concerns with the therapy's use in that group. However, "more dialogue is required' with the FDA about Elevidys' use in non-ambulatory patients, Ingram said on the Wednesday call. Sales of the gene therapy were approximately $282 million in the second quarter, Sarepta disclosed Wednesday, lower than the $375 million it recorded the first quarter. The company believes sales in ambulatory patients are likely to annualize at a minimum of $500 million annually through 2027. Three other 'exon-skipping' drugs Sarepta sells for Duchenne could bring in about $900 million per year over that period, the company added. Sarepta also has a gene therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy it plans to submit for approval later this year, too, although it is pausing research on other treatments for that condition. Aside from the Duchenne medicines it sells, Sarepta intends to focus resources moving forward on a group of RNA-based medicines it's developing with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals. Among them are treatments for spinocerebellar ataxia, Huntington's disease and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. In its statement, Sarepta said those drugs have 'tremendous near-term potential.' Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details and commentary from Sarepta executives. Recommended Reading Second Duchenne patient dies after receiving Sarepta gene therapy Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store