Matthew Perry’s assistant got five years. The judge said he knew the ketamine was lethal. He injected the star anyway. Now UK addiction charities are circling. They want prescription safeguards. They want accountability. And they have the public’s ear.
The case is a grim window into celebrity enablement. A Hollywood assistant crossing lines. A system that failed. The judge called it a “chain of corruption.” The charities see a pattern. They argue UK doctors are too quick with benzodiazepines and opioids. They want tamper-proof prescriptions. They want mandatory checks on repeat scripts. They want a national database.
The timing is brutal. The NHS is under strain. Addiction services are stretched. But the political winds are shifting. Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi has tabled a question. She wants the Health Secretary to comment. She says Perry’s death should be a “wake-up call.” The charities agree. They say the UK is repeating US mistakes.
The Home Office is cautious. They point to existing safeguards. But insiders know the pressure is building. The tabloids are running with it. “Perry’s Pal Gets Five Years” screams the Mail. The Sun has a poll asking if doctors are too lax. The results are predictable. 78% say yes.
Downing Street is watching. They know a public health crisis is a vote loser. They remember the opioid scandal. They don’t want a UK version. So expect a review. Expect a statement. Expect something before the next recess.
This is how the game works. A tragedy abroad. A judge’s sentence. A charity’s press release. Then a question in the Commons. Then a ministerial promise. Then a policy. It’s slow. It’s messy. But it moves.
The real question is whether it moves fast enough. Perry’s assistant is in jail. But the system that enabled him is still standing. The charities know that. They’ll keep pushing. They’ll keep leaking. And we’ll keep writing.
This is Eleanor Rigby. From the lobby. Signing off.
