Beloved Friends actor Matthew Perry passed away in October of this year, and on Friday, December 15, the New York Times reported that Matthew Perry’s autopsy listed “acute effects of ketamine” as the cause of the actor’s death. High profile cases such as this will reliably bring a deluge of news and public discussion. It has no doubt raised questions related to what ketamine is as well as its potential benefits and risks. We must approach news like this with compassion and avoid the pitfalls of judgment, yet always keep a healthy and honest discussion open. As medical providers at Intero Psychedelic Therapy, where we practice ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), we want to take a moment to address this news and answer what questions we can.

Ketamine and Its Role in Matthew Perry’s Death

First, we want to express our heartfelt sympathy toward Mr. Perry and his struggle with addiction. There is no shortage of evidence that he tried for many years to overcome his battle and worked tirelessly to destigmatize addiction and raise up those who also suffer. Mr. Perry’s autopsy noted that his body was found in the heated end of a pool. Toxicology results found that at the time of his death, Mr. Perry had an anesthetic level of ketamine in his blood. Mr. Perry's last ketamine-infusion therapy had taken place a week and a half prior to the time of his death, and “the coroner noted that ‘the ketamine in his system at death could not be from that infusion therapy, since ketamine's half-life is 3 to 4 hours, or less’.”

Ketamine is considered a dissociative anesthetic and is classified as a schedule III controlled substance per the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Ketamine’s classification as a schedule III controlled substance means that it is recognized as a drug that does have potential for abuse. Abuse of ketamine may result in physical or psychological dependence. Being a dissociative anesthetic means that ketamine can cause an individual to feel “dissociated,” or disconnected, from their body.

Is Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Safe?

Following the death of such a well-known and loved figure as Matthew Perry, we understand that many may be asking “is ketamine safe?” or “what are the risks of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy?”.

There is a growing body of evidence to support the use of ketamine in the treatment of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. When paired with therapy, ketamine can provide prolonged relief from previously intractable conditions. However, Matthew Perry’s death is a tragic reminder that ketamine is a powerful drug and must be treated at such. The use of ketamine in an unsupervised setting, regardless of intent, is never recommended.

At Intero, we place an immense amount of emphasis on setting and safety. This not only includes guided preparation and creating a peaceful environment for KAP sessions, but also includes considerations of medical conditions, risks, and things that could potentially make KAP unsafe for the individual or not advised by our medical staff. To ensure our clients’ safety, we collect a thorough medical history and place an emphasis on collaboration with a client’s primary care provider or specialty care provider as necessary. Additionally, we use relatively low, sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine for KAP sessions. By implementing these measures, we remain confident that KAP at Intero remains a safe and effective treatment for our clients.

If you have further questions about or interest in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, our team would be happy to speak with you. Contact us here