Actor from Friends television series, Matthew Perry, has admitted to receiving illegal ketamine from a medical practitioner.
In a shocking turn of events, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, a Santa Monica-based physician, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to four felony counts of illegally distributing ketamine, a powerful anaesthetic, in connection with the overdose death of Matthew Perry, the beloved actor known for his role as Chandler Bing in the iconic TV series Friends.
The guilty plea comes after investigations revealed that Dr. Plasencia obtained ketamine through an accomplice, Dr. Mark Chavez, and supplied it to Perry through his live-in assistant in the month leading up to the actor's fatal overdose. Although prosecutors stated that Dr. Plasencia did not provide the specific dose that caused Perry's death, he acknowledged that despite Perry showing adverse reactions to an injection, he still left ketamine for further use by Perry’s assistant.
Perry, who had been using ketamine therapy for depression under medical supervision, reportedly sought the drug outside legal channels due to dose limitations imposed by his doctor, reflecting his vulnerability from a past substance use disorder. The case has highlighted concerns about inadequate regulation and oversight of off-label ketamine use, which can pose significant risks, including addiction and potentially fatal outcomes.
Dr. Plasencia, who personally visited Perry's home to administer doses or delivered them to his assistant, allegedly distributed around 20 vials of ketamine in just two weeks. The purchased vials of ketamine were sold to Perry for amounts close to $2,000 per vial.
The actor's body was found floating face down in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home in 2023. Police authorities believe Perry relapsed into addiction during the autumn of that year.
In a statement, Dr. Plasencia expressed deep remorse for the therapeutic decisions made while administering ketamine to Perry. He has agreed to surrender his medical license within 45 days and faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and $2 million in fines.
The 2021 reunion of Friends was a genuine phenomenon, keeping over 50 million viewers glued to their screens. The series, created by Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Kevin S. Bright, aired on NBC from 1994 to 2004 and is still highly sought after on both Prime Video and Netflix, 30 years after its debut.
Dr. Plasencia's guilty plea spares him a trial scheduled for August 2025, but it serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of misusing prescription drugs and the importance of proper regulation and oversight in medical practices. His case is expected to have far-reaching implications for the future of ketamine therapy and the treatment of substance use disorders.
- The average cost of a vial of ketamine, illegally distributed by Dr. Plasencia, was around $2,000, according to investigations.
- In the entertainment world, the Friends reunion of 2021 was a significant event, attracting over 50 million viewers.
- Mental health and substance use disorders can often lead individuals to seek therapies and treatments outside legal channels, as seen in Matthew Perry's case.
- The case of Dr. Plasencia's illegal ketamine distribution and the subsequent overdose death of Matthew Perry raises concerns about the need for proper regulation and oversight in health-and-wellness practices, especially regarding mental health.
