The doctors charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death are still free to fully prescribe medication and practice medicine amid an investigation into their conduct by the California State Medical Board.
TMZ reported that doctors Mark Chavez and Salvador Plasencia have faced no disciplinary action or restrictions on their medical licenses, despite both pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine.
In a statement to TMZ, the medical board said that both of their licenses “are current and active and the Board has not imposed any restrictions on them.”
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The discovery comes after the DOJ announced on Thursday that five people in total—including Chavez, Plasencia, and “The Ketamine Queen”—have been arrested and charged in connection with his death.
They face charges of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, distribution of ketamine resulting in death, maintaining drug-involved premises, and falsifying records, among other counts.
Marta Kauffman attends the Los Angeles Special FYC Event For Netflix’s “Grace And Frankie” in 2022.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty ImagesYet as those connected to Perry’s death move closer to justice, Friends creator Marta Kauffman encouraged fans of the show to remember Perry for the “joy” he brought to their lives.
In an interview with The Times of London before the arrests to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary, Kauffman, 68, said “two things come to mind” about how best to celebrate Perry’s memory.
“One of them is to donate to drug treatment centers—let’s fight the disease,” she said. The other, Kauffman said, was to watch the show.
“Remember him not as a man who died like that but as a man who was hilariously funny and brought joy to everybody,” Kauffman said.
Editor’s Note: Marta Kauffman’s interview was conducted before the arrests made into Perry’s death. The article has been updated to reflect this.
