Yes, Ketamine Played a Role- But Who Is Really Responsible for Matthew Perry’s Death? (Part 1)

In case you haven’t been living under a rock for the past year, I’m sure you’ve at least heard something about Matthew Perry’s death even if it’s just the most fleeting tidbit or the most random piece of information from a friend or family member.

Yes, ketamine was involved in his death; but as a medical professional, ultimately the real question for me was - who is really responsible for this horrible and completely preventable death? Because there’s no way it’s that simple- that we are just going to blame ketamine and wash our hands of this very tragic event and then just tell everyone we know that ketamine is a horrible and dangerous drug. 

I have read articles…and articles…and more articles, so that way you don’t have to; and I’m going to share all the information that I found about the case including the individuals responsible for this tragedy. Most of the information I will be using comes from a press release from the U.S. District Attorney’s office and I will link that also.

First let’s discuss Matthew Perry. 

Unfortunately, Matthew Perry was no stranger to substance abuse issues. In 2022 he published a memoir titled “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing” in which he described some of his biggest struggles with alcohol and other addiction after a jet ski accident in 1997. His substance abuse started as early as age 14, and his role in “Friends” accelerated his drug and alcohol abuse due to suddenly being thrust in the spotlight. At one point, he states that he was taking up to 55 pain pills in one day and his weight fluctuated from 128 pounds to over 225 pounds. He even had a near death experience in 2019 after his intestines burst as a result of drug overdose. He was in a coma for two weeks and hospitalized for five months. He even had to use a colostomy bag (a bag that hangs outside of your body that your stool collects in). While in the hospital he was placed on ECMO which is an external life support machine; and doctors told him he only had a 2% chance to survive. Over the years, he estimated that he had spent over $9 MILLION dollars trying to get sober and change the direction of his life. So how could things go so wrong for someone that had spent so much money and time trying to turn their life around?

Next let’s quickly discuss ketamine therapy. 

Ketamine is a new treatment that is being widely used, and has shown excellent effectiveness at treating anxiety, depression, PTSD, chronic pain, and much more. In normal circumstances, ketamine is given as an IV therapy by a licensed medical professional and the patient is monitored throughout the entire duration of treatment.

So, when did things take a dark turn for Matthew Perry? 

Per the press release, in September of 2023...

Go to Part 2