Terry Pratchett, an author and a euthanasia promoter, died yesterday at the age of 66. By Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick, the director of EPC International first published on Alex Schadenberg's blog.My first 'outing' on the assisted suicide/euthanasia debate was a student debate in Trinity College Dublin. I was very new to the subject and in truth, a very slick Phillip Nitschke wiped the floor with me. I swore it would never happen again, although something similar did, just once more, a couple of months later when the supposedly independent chair of a debate in London, Jon Snow, aggressively turned on those of us who were opposed to legalising any third party intervention in decision-making at the end of someone's life. I have learned a great deal since then, have a much deeper understanding of the catastrophic consequences of laws permitting assisted suicide and/or euthanasia. Continue reading

by Paul Russell: Never far from the news it seems the ABC Alice Springs reports today that the Northern Territory Branch of the Australian Medical Association has expelled Philip Nitschke from its ranks.This news comes immediately after the death of Nitschke's legal council last week. Peter Nugent QC was, according to reports, suffering from stage four cancer but was not understood to be near death. Nitschke told Fairfax Media that Nugent "had options in place" for ending his own life. He also said that Nugent's death was 'perplexing' and 'a great loss'. Continue reading

by Paul Russell: Dr Paul Dunne AM is no shrinking violet when it comes to publicly defending his profession as a palliative care specialist. Dr Dunne spoke out strongly and often during the euthanasia debate in Tasmania in 2013. On one occasion he offered a stinging rebuke to the pro-euthanasia lobby, many of whom, he contended, "deliberately confuse euthanasia with current lawful medical practice, including the withdrawal of treatment or administration of pain relief. There is no reliable evidence that doctors currently intentionally kill their patients in Tasmania, they are simply providing lawful and compassionate end of life care".He went on to criticise the false dichotomy whereby euthanasia is presented as the only alternative to dying in pain:"The proponents of euthanasia are fostering a climate of fear and distress through the constant repetition that death is always painful and people must end their lives to avoid suffering." "These claims undermine the excellent work that occurs in the palliative care sector and also undermines the doctor patient relationship". Continue reading

Australia 6th January In a media release today from the Exit International Organisation, suspended Doctor, Philip Nitschke, often dubbed 'Dr Death', notes that the Northern Territory Health Professional Review Tribunal has rejected his appeal against the suspension of his medical practice certificate by the South Australian Medical Board.Nitschke was suspended from medical practice in July 2014 after an ABC Western Australia TV interview regarding the death of Perth man, Nigel Brayley drew the ire of suicide prevention organisations. The medical board said it was necessary to suspend Nitschke immediately over the need to 'protect public health or safety'. Nitschke appealed the suspension on a number of grounds; most notably that he had no professional relationship and therefore no duty of care as a doctor towards Nigel Brayley's welfare in regards to his decision to commit suicide.The tribunal appeal hearings, originally to be heard in Adelaide, South Australia, were eventually heard in Darwin, Northern Territory over three days in November after Nitschke successfully argued that the place of his medical registration was the appropriate place for the hearings.Nitschke says in his press statement that he intends to appeal the suspension decision to the NT Supreme Court claiming that the Tribunal made 'clear errors in law'.The suspension itself was made pending the hearing of 12 complaints lodged with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency over the last three years against Nitschke, including one by this author over two years ago in respect to the promotion of suicide apparatus using nitrogen.These hearings, according to news reports, will take place sometime in 2015; again most likely in Darwin.This follows the cancellation last month in Maryland USA, in an unrelated case, of the medical licence of Lawrence Egbert dubbed 'The New Doctor Death'. Egbert, an 'exit guide' for the Final Exit Network in the US was implicated in the suicide deaths of six elderly people. From Alex Schadenberg's report:After a two year review, the Maryland Board of Physicians revoked his medical license after deciding that Egbert's actions were unethical and illegal. Egbert has said that he plans to appeal.An article in the Baltimore Sun stated:A Baltimore anaesthesiologist who made national news as "The New Doctor Death" held six elderly Marylanders' hands as they asphyxiated themselves with helium and covered up the suicides after they died, according to a state order filed this month stripping him of his medical license. Notice that Egbert held their hands to ensure that they couldn't remove the asphyxiation bag. He should have been charged with homicide, not assisted suicide. The article continued:The suicides are among nearly 300 Lawrence D. Egbert said he helped arrange across the country as an "exit guide" for right-to-die group Final Exit Network. He and several colleagues were arrested in 2009 amid an undercover investigation in Georgia, but he avoided any punishment there or in another case in Arizona. He awaits trial for assisting in a suicide in Minnesota. Continue reading

Anyone who has read the Melbourne Age or the Sydney Morning Herald over the past few months in particular cannot help but have noticed that they've run some pro-euthanasia stories that the other media have simply ignored. In the lead up to the November State Election in Victoria, The Age declared itself pro-euthanasia in an editorial. Most will have suspected that already. They have also given oxygen to the pro-euthanasia campaign by former Coles Executive Peter Short who is dying of oesophogal cancer. Mr Short gave evidence at the Senate hearings into Senator Di Natale's draft exposure bill on euthanasia recently and has been pushing hard to try and meet with the Prime Minister Tony Abbott to talk to him about changing the law.The Senate committee considering Di Natale's bill made no recommendation on the draft exposure bill except to say that there were significant constitutional issues regarding the separation of powers that needed to be addressed and, by the way, that every member of parliament should have access to a conscience vote on this issue. This last assertion is essentially meaningless as both major parties at least have always allowed a 'free vote' on such matters. Common knowledge one would have thought; but easily forgotten when it suits. Enter The Age journalist, Kate Hagan. Continue reading

On the International Day of People With Disability, Sydney Catholic Communications interviews two disability advocates about their views on euthanasia. Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,With a euthanasia bill tabled in the Federal Parliament, arguments on all sides of the debate are gathering steam, but there is one group of people who say they have more to fear than most from euthanasia legislation - those who are living with disability and battling a daily presumption from society that their lives are not worth living. Continue reading

Dying with dignity: let's focus more on the latterBy Stella Young. First published on the ABC's Ramp Up website The medical industrial complex has an inaccurate, but incredibly powerful, view on my life.Disability is often framed, in medical terms, as a disaster, so you can forgive my reluctance to grant doctors even more control over my life (and death), writes Stella Young. Continue reading

The Age newspaper has editorialised its support for a change to the prohibition on euthanasia and assisted suicide. They occasionally, however, have published another view, such as that of Jack de Groot. From the article:The hijacking of the term "dying with dignity" by today's supporters of euthanasia and assisted suicide is an insult to the dedicated doctors, nurses and pastoral carers who daily provide compassionate care, pain alleviation and spiritual comfort to the sick, the dying and their families. Continue reading

The SA Branch took action to suspend in July this year after a media report concerning the suicide death of Perth man, Nigel Brayley, revealed that Nitschke did not act to dissuade Brayley from taking his own life. The revelation drew the ire of suicide prevention associations across Australia and a formal complaint from Beyond Blue chairman, Jeff Kennett. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Medical Board," argue(d) it was forced to use its emergency powers to protect vulnerable suicidal people from Mr Nitschke and his "dangerous ideas". More seriously, the board is expected to tell the five-member panel, it had to act because Mr Nitschke possessed the means to transform these ideas into action."Since 2012 when an officer of the Therapeutic Goods Administration office made a complaint concerning an alleged attempt by Nitschke to import Nembutal, we understand that a further 11 formal complaints have been made to the medical watchdog, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).In a clear declaration of commitment, AHPRA announced, on the eve of the Darwin hearings, that the 12 complaints (or notifications) were being referred to the Northern Territory Health Professional Review Tribunal. At the time of the suspension in July, the AMA made it clear that the suspension was about their belief that Nitschke presented, 'a serious risk to public safety' adding that their interim action was an effort to, 'keep the public safe while other investigations or processes continue.' Continue reading

Australia lost a great man and a great advocate against the dangers of legalised euthanasia. Professor Nick Tonti-Filippini passed away surrounded by his family on the morning of the 7th of November in Melbourne. Nick's writings against legalising euthanasia were a regular feature in The Age newspaper and elsewhere over many years. His were and remain compelling arguments from someone who knew only too well the ravages of terminal illness.As The Age reported, Nick was diagnosed with a terminal illness at the age of 20. He was 56 years of age when he died. Though I only met him a handful of times, his obvious struggles were accompanied by a bright and cheerful wit, a sharp mind that has plumbed the depth of medical ethics and an active interest in public affairs. Continue reading