Matthew Perry’s death: Doctors charged can no longer prescribe medication

The doctors who allegedly distributed drugs to Matthew Perry are no longer allowed to prescribe medication to patients. Photo / Getty Images

Matthew Perry’s doctors are no longer legally allowed to prescribe medication.

Mark Chavez, 54, and Salvador Plasencia, 42, are facing charges over their alleged roles in distributing ketamine to the late Friends actor, who died on October 28 last year, aged 54, from the “acute effects” of the anaesthetic.

And now the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has clarified to E! News that the pair have given up the right to advise and authorise the use of a medicine or treatment.

The US Department of Justice announced on August 15 that Plasencia is charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine plus seven counts of distribution of ketamine and two counts of altering and falsifying documents or records related to the federal investigation.

Chavez agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine – confirming in his plea agreement he sold ketamine to Plasencia off-market for Perry to use.

The actor is thought to have paid the pair upward of US$55,000 ($89,365) in cash in the weeks leading up to his sudden death.

Matthew Perry was best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the American sitcom Friends. Photo / Getty Images

US Attorney Martin Estrada said: “These defendants cared more about profiting off of Mr Perry than caring for his wellbeing.

“Matthew Perry’s journey began with unscrupulous doctors who abused their position of trust because they saw him as a payday, to street dealers who gave him ketamine in unmarked vials.”

Three other people have been charged over Perry’s death in the hot tub of his LA mansion, including his live-in personal assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 59, who has admitted regularly injecting the actor with ketamine despite having no medical training.

Jasveen Sangha, 41, known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’, and Eric Fleming, 54 have also been charged with supplying Perry with ketamine.