Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
Matthew Perry poses for a portrait on Feb. 17, 2015, in New York. Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series “Friends,” died Oct. 28. He was 54. (Photo by Brian Ach/Invision/AP)
Claims that Matthew Perry died because of COVID-19 vaccine are unfounded, lack evidence
If Your Time is short
-
Actor Matthew Perry died Oct. 28, but his cause of death is still under investigation. Social media claims suggesting he died because he received a COVID-19 vaccine lack evidence.
Actor Matthew Perry died Oct. 28, setting off a new round of unfounded rumors that a celebrity’s death was caused by a COVID-19 vaccine.
One Instagram post, sharing a photo of Perry, used hashtags including #clotshotstrikesagain and #vaccineinjury." Others responded to news of his death by re-sharing along with thinking emojis Perry’s 2021 post expressing support for the vaccine.
"I mean…" one Instagram user posted.
This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
Perry, 54, was found dead at his Los Angeles home. But his cause of death is still unknown and pending a medical examiner’s investigation. A Los Angeles Police Department captain told The New York Times that the cause likely will not be determined for some time.
Featured Fact-check
The Los Angeles Times and TMZ reported, citing unnamed sources, that Perry’s body was found in a hot tub at his home.
By 49, Perry had spent more than half of his life in rehab, he recounted in "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," a 2022 memoir about his decadeslong addiction to drugs and alcohol. And he had a number of health concerns.
"His addiction led to a medical odyssey in 2018 that included pneumonia, an exploded colon, a brief stint on life support, two weeks in a coma, nine months with a colostomy bag, more than a dozen stomach surgeries, and the realization that, by the time he was 49, he had spent more than half of his life in treatment centers or sober living facilities," The New York Times reported in 2022.
Perry’s family said in a statement to People magazine: "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend."
The family didn't say that Perry died because of a vaccine, nor could we find any credible news reports or other evidence to suggest this was the case.
If information emerges to corroborate what is now a baseless claim, we’ll reconsider our ruling. For now we rate it False.
Our Sources
Instagram post, Oct. 28, 2023
Instagram post, Oct. 28, 2023
Instagram post, Oct. 28, 2023
Instagram post, Oct. 28, 2023
County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner, Matthew Perry, visited Oct. 30, 2023
Matthew Perry tweet, May 24, 2021
People, Matthew Perry's Family Speaks Out After the Star's 'Tragic' Death: 'We Are Heartbroken' (Exclusive), Oct. 29, 2023
The New York Times, Matthew Perry, Star of ‘Friends,’ Is Dead at 54, Oct. 29, 2023
The Associated Press, Matthew Perry, Emmy-nominated ‘Friends’ star, dead at 54, Oct. 29, 2023
CNN, Medical examiner indicates additional investigation required in death of actor Matthew Perry, Oct. 30, 2023
The New York Times, The One Where Matthew Perry Writes an Addiction Memoir, Oct. 23, 2022
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Ciara O'Rourke
Claims that Matthew Perry died because of COVID-19 vaccine are unfounded, lack evidence
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.