Assisted suicide, Voluntary Euthanasia, Peaceful Pill Handbook

Chinese #euthanasia drug - Will it provide a peaceful death?

2011-11-25T06:54:00.007+11:00

Chinese Nembutal - Is it effective?

The availability of sodium pentobarbital (Nembutal) in powdered form from China by mail order has prompted many who have received the drug to question the purity of the drug received in the mail.

If the powder is pure, 10gm dissolved in water will proved a peaceful, and reliable death if drunk.

To reassure those making such a purchase Exit International has developed a quantitative test that allows people, in the privacy of their own home, to establish whether the white powder is Nembutal AND that it has a purity of better than 95% (ie to ensure that the powder received has not been diluted -or 'cut' -by some contaminant).

Many samples from a number of sources (listed on page 210 of The Peaceful Pill eHandbook) have been tested using gas chromatography and the trial version of the test kit. To date NO significant contamination has been detected in any of the samples received.

Details of the new test kit- availability, cost etc will be released on the www.peacefulpill.com website.

See also: http://bit.ly/vVno8Z

Death in the Outback

2011-09-04T16:30:00.002+10:00

Police questioning about euthanasia “insensitive”

The director of Exit International, Dr Philip Nitschke said today the action of Port Augusta police in questioning Debbie Paterson immediately after the death of her husband Ken, and asking about whether assistance to die had been provided, was insensitive and unnecessary.
Dr Nitschke said he had been in contact with Debbie for some weeks leading to Ken’s death from cancer and had given her information and advice by phone. Debbie had rung Dr Nitschke at 6am on Thursday morning concerned about Ken’s worsening condition. He died shortly after.

Dr Nitschke said that the actions of palliative care staff in reporting to the police that there had been contact with Dr Nitschke, exceeded their authority, and prompted the police to question Debbie within a few hours of Ken’s death.

“The police should have exercised greater sensitivity at this particularly difficult time for Debbie”, Dr Nitschke said speaking from Adelaide.

“The actions of palliative care staff in notifying the police of my phone calls are also inappropriate and the staff involved should be asked to explain their actions. Reporting on patients and their families to the police is not part of the provision of good end of life care and damages the relationship between patients and the medical profession”.

Dr Nitschke called for an enquiry into the incident and said he would be travelling to Port Augusta to talk to Debbie about the incident.

Dr Ted joins Exit euthanasia eForum

2011-06-23T10:50:00.005+10:00

Dr Ted answers your questions

Exit International 'Peaceful Pill' eForum welcomes Dr Ted as our new Forum Expert.

With a background in medicine, pharmacology, and organic chemistry, Dr Ted will be able to answer your end of life questions. Simply post them on the Peaceful Pill eForum:

http://www.peacefulpillhandbook.com/forum/

As an example, an Exit member recently asked how they could reconstitute Chinese powdered Nembutal, given that they had heard that pentabarbital was almost insoluble in water.

Dr Ted's answer:

The product from China is the soluble salt - "sodium pentabarbital" CAS No# 57-33-0. It dissolves readily in water, decomposes before melting. Store in a tightly sealed container (minimal air) or vacuum seal, dark place <20C

Administration is as simple as dissolving 10gm or more in ~ 50ml of water and drinking the clear liquid. Sleep will follow in a few minutes - death shortly thereafter. It is usual (but not essential) to take an antiemetic like metoclopramide beforehand to reduce the chance of vomiting.

The 'Mexican' or 'veterinary' form of the drug is a solution of sodium pentabarbital in 100ml bottles at 60mg/ml ie in each bottle is 6gm of sodium pentabarbital. Here the liquid in the bottles is simply drunk.

One bottle is sufficient, but many take x2 ie 12gm.The 'crystalline form' or 'acidic form' is "pentobarbital" CAS No# 76-74-4.

It is practically insoluble in water and has a melting point of 133C. This is not the form to take for a peaceful death!

Why voluntary euthanasia clinics make sense

2011-05-26T12:21:00.002+10:00

Sometimes I wonder if I should ever raise my head above the parapet. Some days it feels like new ideas are simply too hard. The publicity surrounding my most recent plans to establish voluntary euthanasia consulting clinics in Adelaide and Hobart ahead of likely pending legislation, has clearly raised many concerns. Strong condemnation has been received by some in the euthanasia movement. Several have used this issue as a reason to resign from Exit International.

This was not a complete surprise. It is a re-run of the fallout from my involvement with the death of retired Western Australian academic Lisette Nigot in 2003. This public death of a well 80 year old prompted considerable criticism from a number of previous Exit supporters. A number resigned. The argument: Her story will prove the existence of the “slippery slope” and be used to undermine political support for legislative change.

In retrospect, I’m glad I supported Lisette. Her actions redefined the voluntary euthanasia issue, moving it away from the simple but restrictive goal of legislative change to allow lawful help for the terminally ill, to that of enunciation of the much broader principal; the right to a peaceful death of ALL rational adults.

My involvement with the death of Lisette also marked a turning point and saw Exit International move away from traditional voluntary euthanasia societies wedded to the goal or restrictive legislative change. This divergence has now resurfaced onece again, this time over the proposed euthanasia consulting clinics. So let’s clear the air

In the words of the American Distinguished History Professor David Thelen, ‘the challenge of history is to recover the past and introduce it to the present’. So, too, the idea of an Exit Clinic.

Back in 1999 when I first floated the idea of a specialized clinic, I was threatened with deregistration by the Australian Medical Association. In apparent unison, Right to Life Australia announced I would be ‘thumbing [my] nose at the law on homicide. Like so many politicians before and after him, then Premier of Victoria Jeff Kennett, simply ran for cover.

Back then, only those involved in the voluntary euthanasia movement supported my idea. My, how things have changed.

Today, it is not only VE advocates who support the idea of a clinic it seems the general public are largely in concordance. Recent polls have shown community support for a service which coordinates the professionals and support services required for the successful introduction of an assisted suicide law.

The courage of South Australian politicians such as Labor’s Steph Key and her Tasmania counterparts such as Green’s leader, Nick McKim and Labor premier Lara Giddings shows that the issue of end of life choices is very much alive. Of course, I have long known this as I have watched attendance numbers at my meetings and seminars rise steadily over the past decade.

While the well elderly are ever-content to come along and learn how to die reliably and peacefully (just in case), self-help knowledge cannot always be a replacement for a strong legislative framework. This is because assistance will always be needed by a small minority of folk, regardless of their age.

There will always be people for whom illness brings utter incapacity and devastation. Whether it is a long, drawn-out, degenerative disease such as MS or an acute bout of terminal cancer, none of us knows what is around the corner and the best laid plans can and do go ary.

For these people, good end of life legislation is a must. It should be their human right not to suffer more than is necessary. While some may believe that the final moments of life offer a redemptive satisfaction one gets closer to God for the vast majority of secular Australia, dying before one’s time is nothing short of tragic.

No one wants to die before their time has come. However, given that some of us will have our lives cut short, surely choosing how we die is the next best thing.

This is why voluntary Exit Clinics will be essential once a law is passed. It will be essential in order to ensure that patients know what is involved. No use putting your hand up to die only to be told that you don’t fit the bill at least not the one passed by your elected representatives up on the hill.
I know this because this is what happened to Broken Hill taxi driver, Max Bell, when he drove up to Darwin immediately after the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act came into force back in 1996.

Dying of stomach cancer, it was not that Max did not fit the bill, it was rather that there was no coordination of services. As a result, Max could not get his paperwork completed. Furious at a system that had let him down, he checked himself out of hospital and with only the clothes on his back, drove (and vomited) his way back south to his small cottage in outback New South Wales.

His parting words struck equal amounts of terror and shame into me then, as they do today. A former boxer, professional bodyguard and pro-golfer, Max told me ‘you didn’t do your homework Boy’ and he was right.

I did not have a network of medical professionals in place to assess his condition and file his paperwork, as the legislation required. Nor did I have a psychologist, counsellor or social worker on hand to support him in working through the legislated safeguards. While I did what I could, it was never enough.

In suggesting a euthanasia clinics for Adelaide and Hobart ahead of the passing of the proposed pieces of legislation, I am, if you like, making good that Max Bell did not die in vain. Back in 1996, I swore to myself that should Australia ever have a law again and should I be involved that this time I would be prepared. This is why an Exit Clinic makes sense and a lot of it.

To suggest that the mere act of passing the Key Bill in South Australia or the Giddings/ McKim Bill in Tasmania is the end of the story is naïve. Rather, it is the beginning of our story, so let's plan ahead and let's be sensible in the hope that the politicians follow suit.

A leather chair, a laptop of death, a vexed decision

2011-01-18T15:48:00.005+11:00

As Gabriella Coslovich reported in The Age 18Jan10 as the huge Republic Tower billboard was erected in Melbourne showing "The Beautiful Chair" art piece by Greg Taylor and Philip Nitschke..

IF YOU were faced with the prospect of enduring a painful and protracted death in the grip of a terminal disease, would you want the legally sanctioned option of taking your own life?

It is a vexed question that has polarised Australian society.

''Whether I would do it, I don't know, but I would at least want to have the choice. We don't tell people what God they have to worship, that's a choice that they have, so why should they be foisting their choice of death onto us?'' Greg said.

''Why should we have to suffer as a sacrifice to their God? That's bizarre, especially if you are an atheist. Hey, people, live and let live.''

Agree or not, looking at the Melbourne billboard floating carpet of choice, or viewing the real piece at the Hobart opening this week of MONA the $80 million private museum and gallery of David Walsh, one will be encouraged to think about the issue.

In Hobart you can even play the game, sit in 'the beautiful chair', and decide whether or not to touch the screen of the 'Deliverance' laptop of death.

Exit International wants people to engage with the issue and 'The Beautiful Chair' is the first in a number of initiatives to be rolled out in 2011 to achieve this goal.

Euthanasia Billboard complaints thrown out

2010-12-20T17:25:00.005+11:00

Advertising Standards Bureau responsible for the regulation of Australian Billboards has thrown out complaints abainst the Exit International pro euthanasia Billboard.

A large number of complaints were received. Some claimed that the Billboard was a "dangerous distraction to road users" that "put pressure on elderly peaople to kill themselves so as not to be a burden on others".

Others said that the billboard sent out a message of "hopelessness" to the community. That it "contradicts the Australian spirit of mateship and the spirit of the battler and is an insult to the hard working and caring people in the area of palliative care who provide comfort to the terminally ill. "

And of course the spectre of Nazi Germany was raised withone claiming he "was brutally reminded of the Nazi regime and its use of euthanasia on those it deemed worthless (e.g. the disabled)"

Clearly the Standards Bureau were unimpressed by these ludicrous arguments and rejected demands that the Billboard be removed.

Incidentally, the Yagoona Billboard was removed when its 1 month allocation expired. The pro-euthanasia Billboard will reappear in Adelaide early in 2011.

For full report see:

http://www.exitinternational.net/media/billboardcomplaintrejectedA.pdf

New Zealand Exit Euthanasia Workshops

2010-11-11T21:53:00.002+11:00

NZ Exit Euthanasia Workshops

· China as the new source of Nembutal
· Launch in NZ of Exit ‘Betty Bags’

The director of Exit International Dr Nitschke said that the NZ Exit Workshops scheduled for Wellington and Auckland this coming weekend would give new Zealanders the first chance to see some of the newest developments enabling a peaceful and reliable elective death.

Dr Nitschke returns to New Zealand following an extended visit to Mexico this month. Mexico had been considered to be the most accessible place for people to obtain the premier euthanasia drug Nembutal.

At the workshops Dr Nitschke will explain that the Mexican situation has changed, and visits to this country to seek out this drug are now much less likely to be successful.

“What we found was that other overseas countries are now the most reliable providers of Nembutal. In particular, Peru and more recently mainland China, have now become the premier suppliers.

In addition, Exit will take the opportunity to release in NZ, the Exit ‘Betty Bag’ Kits that enable people to fabricate a bag that, when used with an inert gas, will give them a peaceful, fast, reliable, undetectable and totally legal death.

Dr Nitschke said that many elderly and sick New Zealanders will benefit from this new information.

“What we find is that when the elderly have access to good end of live information, and know they can reliably end their life at the time of their choosing, they stop worrying, and lead happier and often longer lives.”

The Workshops are preceded by free open public meetings. The Workshops are restricted to those who are sick of over 50y.
Dates, locations and times are shown below:

Wellington, NZ
Saturday 13 November, 1 - 5.30pm (Public Mtg 1 - 2pm; Workshop 2.30 - 5.30pm)St Andrews on the Terrace, 30 The Terrace, Wellington

Auckland, NZ
Monday 15 November, 11am - 3.30pm (Public Mtg 11 - 12 noon; Workshop 12.30 - 3.30pm)
Ferndale House, 830 New Nth Rd, Mt Albert

Media inquiries: Lindy Boyd Tel: 09-889-0964 or Dr Philip Nitschke +61 407 189 339
Email: Web:
contact@exitinternational.net http://www.exitinternational.net/ & http://www.peacefulpill.com/

Euthanasia 'Betty Bag' Kits available

2010-10-05T16:29:00.003+11:00

Release of euthanasia ‘Betty Bags’

Exit International’s US affiliate has released the ‘Betty Bag’ Kit in Australia.

The kit consists of an instructional video by Victorian nurse educator Betty Peters, along with the necessary items needed to ensure an elective, reliable and peaceful death.

The two instructional videos include ‘Doing it with Betty’ which was banned from YouTube, and the short film, “Putting it together with Betty” which has been only available in the restricted ‘Peaceful Pill eHandbook’, give information that explains the principals of a hypoxic death and correct many common misunderstandings about the process.

Betty has supported the project since inception.

Speaking from Melbourne she said, “having the knowledge and having the ability to peacefully end your life can be immensely re assuring for elderly people like myself.”

Exit International Director Dr Philip Nitschke said he was glad the decision had been made to make the kits available to elderly and sick Australian’s anxious to have the option of a reliable and peaceful death at the time of their choosing.

“Elderly Australian want the reassurance of knowing they have the choice of a peaceful death at the time of their choosing. The ‘Betty Bag’ provides a reliable and totally legal option. Nothing about this choice is illegal. All necessary items are readily available, and the Betty instructional videos provide clear instruction.”

“People have waited for years for politicians to pass decent voluntary euthanasia laws and many want the option of a peaceful death at the time of their choosing regardless of what the politicians do”

The Betty Bag kit with instructional videos will retail for $50 and be available to people over age 50

They will be available from mid October from the Exit website http://www.peacefulpill.com

TV Bureau of Canada Bans Euthanasia TVC

2010-09-27T00:05:00.006+10:00

After initially approving the script of a controversial Australian TV commercial due to be screened in Canada, the industry’s self-regulatory body TVB Canada has bowed to pressure and refused to provide approval for the TVC, thereby prohibiting its airing on Canadian TV.

In an email dated 25 September 2010 to the advertisement’s sponsor, pro-end of life choices campaigner, and Director of Exit International Dr Philip Nitschke, Telecaster Services wrote: “we have received a great volume of e-mails threatening, pleading and warning us not to approve your commercial, as doing so would be a violation of the Canadian Criminal Code”.

The email continues:
“Please note that having the organization name “Exit International” or it’s logo or it’s url/web address is not acceptable … as it could direct viewers to the web to find out more and this would result in the viewer finding out that the organization provides seminars and information that promote, educate and counsel individuals on how to commit suicide.”

Dr Nitschke said he was concerned that the TVB has so readily bowed to the pressure of opposition groups

The TVC in question simply depicts an actor posing as a terminally ill man, reflecting on the choices he has made throughout his life and asking the government to listen to him in regard to his final choice of when to die.

Exit International is as much concerned with law reform as providing the elderly and seriously ill with information about their end of life choices.

Dr Nitschke maintains that access to accurate, reliable end of life choices information is empowering. Far from breaking the Canadian Criminal Code, access to the best information stops those in need asking husbands, wives, sons and daughters to break the law for them.

“It may be a paradox but with knowledge of their options, our members stop worrying and get on with living happier and longer lives knowing they are back in control.”

An Australian version of the TVC was also banned in Australia earlier this month.
The banned Canadian version of the ad is now running on YouTube

Dr Philip Nitschke will be holding Safe Exit Workshops in Vancouver & Toronto on 7 & 13 October where he will discuss practical end-of-life strategies.

Toronto Public Library Censors Australian Euthanasia Workshop

2010-08-24T12:27:00.004+10:00

As their Facebook entry reports, Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system with more than 16 million people visiting 99 branches and borrowing more than 29 million items every year.

It has also become the latest Canadian institution to refuse a booking from Australian Voluntary Euthanasia advocacy group, Exit International, to hold a meeting at its premises.

This decision follows the lead of the Vancouver Public Library in November 2009 in also refusing the group’s attempt to book a meeting.

In an email to Exit on 23 July 2010, Toronto Library Divisional Support Manager, Heather Mathis, told Exit that the proposed Safe Suicide Information Workshop would be ‘contrary to the law or the Library's Rules of Conduct’.

‘The Library has sought legal counsel on the legality of the proposed Program content and we regret that we are not able to accept your booking as requested’ Ms Mathis wrote.

However, according to Philip Nitschke PhD MD, the Founder of Exit International – the booking refusal amounts to an attempt to gag open debate about the “cutting edge social issue that is assisted suicide.”

Speaking from Sydney, Dr Nitschke said “our meetings are not about encouraging suicide. Rather they are about providing a safe space for discussion for Seniors and people who are seriously ill with no hope of recovery.

According to Jason Gratl, Vice President at the BC Civil Liberties Association, “nobody at Exit International is promoting or encouraging suicide. Open and public discussions about death and dignified means of dying may make us squeamish, but they are not unlawful.”

Dr Philip Nitschke has added: ‘with knowledge about their end of life choices, people stop worrying and get on with living their final days. Denying folk the right to discuss Assisted Suicide and Safe Suicide is not only cruel, it is uncivilized.

“Given the failure earlier this year of Francine Lalonde’s legislative proposals, I would have thought Canada could do better than own a statistic that shows the elderly chose hanging as the most common method of suicide. Censoring discussion by refusing to lease venues makes a mockery of civil liberties” .

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Canadian Exit International 2010 Workshop Dates

Vancouver
Thursday 7 October, 11am - 4pm

(Public Meeting 11am - 12 noon; Workshop 1 - 4pm)
Unitarian Church, 949 49 AVE West, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 2T1.

Toronto
Wednesday 13 October, 11am - 4pm
Venue TBC

Taking the "Assistance" out of "Assisted Suicide"

2010-08-16T10:37:00.003+10:00

As a boy, my mother always told me that you should never ask your neighbour to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself. I doubt she was talking about suicide, but if we had this conversation again in later life she could well be. And I would not disagree with her.

The recent call by Auckland GP, Dr John Pollock (pictured), has brought the issue of assisted suicide back into our lounge rooms. As the nation argues whether anyone of us deserves assistance in our dying weeks, days or hours, my long association with this issue has made me think a bit beyond the tabloid headlines.

In this respect I have recently re-titled the workshop program that I hold annually in New Zealand, Australia and around the world.

Whereas once our workshops focused on Assisted Suicide, these days the focus is on Safe Suicide. Information that equips the seriously ill to organize their deaths, should that need ever arise is my case in point.

Back on the 22 September 1986 I used my training as a doctor to help a terminally ill man to die peacefully and with dignity. That man was prostate cancer sufferer, Bob Dent.

Bob died in Darwin under the Northern Territory’s Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. Three more of my patients followed in Bob’s footsteps. All were terminally ill, of sound mind and desperate for relief from their suffering.

The ROTI Act is now long dead, pardon the pun. This ground-breaking piece of legislation lasted nine months before a vote in the Australian Federal Parliament barred the Northern Territory from making laws on voluntary euthanasia. The law promptly ceased to operate.

Back then, however, even though that law allowed me to administer a legal, lethal, voluntary injection I did not do it.

The reasons are varied.

Firstly, I did not want to be sitting right by the patient in their final moments. While doctors can often become confidants and even friends with their patients in the majority of cases, we are just doing our job. Call it professional distance.

On the other hand, I have always believed that the personal space of a dying person belongs to their nearest and dearest. That is what I would want. That is overwhelmingly what the patients also want.

Secondly, I did not want to be the person to make the final decision about when that person’s life should end.

My training at Sydney University medical school left me with important standards to uphold. One of the most important of these is what it means to empower a patient with the knowledge necessary to make the decisions which best suit them.

As a doctor, I have never considered it my role to kill. Under the Northern Territory’s law, however, I did consider it my duty to make the choice of voluntary euthanasia aka suicide available to those patients who qualified.

I had no qualms about inserting the canula into a patient’s arm. I had no concerns about mixing the lethal solution of drugs which, if the patient elected, would be administered into their veins with a peaceful death following a few minutes later.

The point of the Deliverance Machine that I built to enable this process to take place made the suicide of Bob Dent safe. To call those lawful deaths ‘assisted suicides’ is, at least to me, a misnomer.

I did not press the buttons on the laptop. The patient did that. The patient could equally have abstained from pressing any buttons.

The point of the Machine was that it was the patient who was taking responsibility for their life, and their death. Not me, as their doctor.

So when a terminally ill GP calls for legislative change for doctors to be able to assist their patients to die, I do sit on the fence.

As his doctor I would not want the responsibility of killing him. He can do that, and take the responsibility onto his own shoulders.

The claim that legislative change would allow sicker patients to live longer isn’t my experience. The sickest lucid patients can take the small drink or press the button. And we should not assume those who have passed this point, unable to make any meaningful gesture, still want help to die.

I would also support what can be the only humane response in a civil society such as ours, that the laws of conspiracy and assistance be clarified.

All dying people should have choice in who is with them in their dying days. My own worst fear would be to die without my wife with me, holding my hand.

On this count I fully support Dr Pollock’s call for legal clarity. What I would be more concerned about, though, is that a rational, well considered decision to terminate one’s life one’s suicide is not one for delegation.

Using Carbon Monoxide for a peaceful death

2010-08-07T17:48:00.009+10:00

August 10 update to The Peaceful Pill eHandbook has a rewrite of Chapter 6 on Carbon Monoxide.

Provides details of methods of sourcing the gas, different containment and details of testing the gas to ensure that lethal concentrations have been produced.

Video segment shows the use of the COGen to produce rapid concentrations of carbon monoxide in excess of 2% in a vehicle.

Details from The Peaceful Pill eHandbook http://www.peacefulpill.com

Compulsory Euthanasia for over 80s?

2010-08-05T10:15:00.009+10:00

Kevin Macmillan from 'The Works' Ad Agency to Address Sydney Exit Meeting on his winning television add (below)

At the next Sydney Chapter Meeting of Exit (Friday 6 Aug), Kevin Macmillan (Partner of 'The Works' & the smarts behind the winning 'Pitch') will speak to his 'Compulsory Euthanasia for the over 80s' segment as recently screened on ABC TV's The Gruen Transfer.

Cost: This event is free for all Exit members. Others may join Exit on the day.
Venue: The Rex Centre, 58A Macleay St, Kings Cross, SYDNEY
When: 10am, Friday 6 August
Inquiries: Call 1300 10 EXIT (3948) or +61 3 9850 8192

Canberra Science Forum to debate Euthanasia

2010-08-02T09:37:00.004+10:00

Australian Science Festival & Radio National Australia Talks

present from the National Convention Centre, Canberra at 5.45pm Tuesday Aug 3 and broadcast nationally

Dying With Dignity

http://bit.ly/cjK2Ci
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/australiatalks/

What choices do we have about dying? What extent of control can we have over the situation? How can we maintain our dignity in the process?

Dying is often kept behind closed doors in our society. We typically shy away from it, yet we openly discuss sex. Death happens to all of us, but is not always something we plan or prepare for in life.

While many people find dying difficult to talk about, it is important to be well informed about the varying views and decisions there are to consider. This forum will help to demystify death and get us talking openly about what has traditionally been a taboo subject.

ABC Radio National's Paul Barclay will explore this controversial topic in a special live Australia Talks program with

Dr Philip Nitschke, Founder and Director of Exit International,
Associate Professor Patrick McArdie, Australian Catholic University
Dr Scott Blackwell, Palliative Care Australia's President Elect
Dr Kaarin Anstey, Director of the Ageing at ANU's Centre for Mental Health Research.

Dr Nitschke will argue that Euthanasia is as much a question of science and technology as it is one of medicine and law.

For over a decade the question of an individual's “right to die” has been seen as one requiring a legal and ultimately a political solution. Strong opposition from predominantly conservative religious bodies has effectively parallized the political process leaving the option of a peaceful death at the time of one’s choosing an unavailable dream for most Australians.

I will argue that the solution lies not in politics and law, but rather in the innovative use of science and technology. With the development of simpler and more reliable and effective methods of “self-deliverance,” the role of legislators becomes irrelevant. Indeed, it is the failure of the political process that has driven research and development in this area and led to a number of recent significant advances. We now see large numbers of elderly Australians with the ability to choose the manner and timing of their peaceful death if and when they want and expressing an increasing disregard for the political process.

The Clean Feed Internet Filter is Dead: Long Live the Queen

2010-07-10T14:10:00.005+10:00

I refer tongue in cheek to the Queen, but the personal imprimateur of Australia's new Prime Minister Julia Gillard does have a feel of sovereign power about it. 'What a difference a new Prime Mininster makes' is an equally apt headline for this abrupt change of policy by the Australian Labor Government.

CAPTION: Prime Minister Gillard changes Sen Conroy's mind

Yesterday, as Australia was nearing close of business for the week, a 'former 'arch enemy of Exit International, Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy, announced that the Government's Clean Feed web filter would not go ahead; at least not until the Refused Classification guidelines - those allegedly used to compile the Government's secret blacklist of banned websites - were also re-examined.

So, instead of Exit's Peaceful Pill website being blocked by Christmas, the new direction heralded by the Gillard Government has bought the organisation time. This change of policy is expected to lead to a delay of at least 2 years in any government censorship actions. Quite possibly, the Clean Feed will now never become law in Australia.

As the Sydney Morning Herald reported the breaking news on Saturday 10 July, " [t]he Gillard government has moved to limit the political fallout from its controversial plans to filter the internet by deferring its proposals indefinitely."

In attempting to explain this change of policy, Minister Conroy has claimed that the Government must ensure that the classification system "correctly reflects current community standards".
Too bad that was not a requirement before. If it had been Exit's precious resources would not need to have been diverted to a national tour of Hacking Masterclasses where we taught our members how to by-pass the proposed filter with web proxies and virtual private networks.

The news that the filter is on its way to being buried for good, has also been welcomed by ISPs and by the King of the online world, Google, who has been consistently critical of the secret blacklist because it was a slippery slop towards limiting Australians' access to legitimate content, eg. euthanasia material.

While Julia Gillard has been reported as still supporting the filter where it applies to child pornography, the Government has also announced that a national stakeholder group will be established as part of the combined Commonwealth - State review process. Exit will now write to the Minister requesting membership of this group. After all, our perspective is unique. The banned Peaceful Pill Handbook is one of only two books to be outlawed in this country for nearly 40 years (since 1973).

At the current time, the Government's Refused Classification category covers material that is deemed 'revolting' and 'abhorrent' and which 'offend[s] against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults'. It also covers material that 'promote[s], incite[s] or instruct[s] in matters of crime or violence'.

Given the amount of crime depicted on TV, in popular film, crime novels etc, it seems nothing short of black magic to deem the carefully written and compiled Peaceful Pill Handbook instructional in crime and hence legitimate for such special censorship treatment.

Exit will notify members of developments on this issue. We would, in time, urge everyone who believes it their right to access the best end of life information on and offline to contribute to the national review of the Australian classification process. A fine of $275,000 and/or 10 years jail for the sale, hire or public exhibition of a book seems archaic to say in the least.

July 2010 Peaceful Pill eHandbook Update Now Available

2010-07-05T17:28:00.005+10:00

July 2010 Updates Include:

Ch 5 - Hypoxic Death & the Exit Bag

NEW Video - How to ensure a helium cylinder is completely full

Ch 10b Drug Options - Amitriptyline
New section on the preparation & taking of the tricyclic antidepressant - Amitriptyline

NEW Video - 'The Endep Exit'

Ch 12 - Obtaining Nembutal
* Powdered Sodium Pentabarbital from China (see photo)
* Updated Information on mail-order Nembutal
* More updates from Tijuana

Access the most recent update at:
http://content.yudu.com/Asty4/ThePeacefullPilleHan/

Making Helium Foolproof

2010-06-24T12:12:00.007+10:00

In recent months, there have been several reports of people attempting to use ‘Balloon Time’ Helium Cylinders for a peaceful death, only to discover that their cylinder did not contain the stated amount of gas (250 litre - small or 420 litre - large). Some people have even found that the helium cylinders were less than full on purchase.

While a low gas volume in a cylinder may be little more than an inconvenience when the gas is used for the inflation ofparty balloons, it can cause serious difficu-ties and disruption when used for a peace-ful death.

In light of these reports, Exit is now issuing the following caution:

Always check that the cylinder is full before use!

While the amount of gas in a cylinder can be measured by weighing the cylinder, the small weight difference from full to empty makes this technically difficult.

The easiest way to establish that the cylinder is full is to measure the pressure of the gas. A full cylinder will have a pressure of ~ 1800 kPa (or ~250psi). Gauges suitable to carry out this test are available from http://www.peacefulpill.com/

If the measured pressure differs significantly fromthe above, the cylinder should be discarded.
The most likely cause of a cylinder showing less than the full pressure is a faulty cylinder tap.
A faulty tap can allow a slow leak of the gas over a period of time. Clearly, the longer a cylinder is stored, the greater the possibility of a leak and the more need for the gas pressure to be checked.

To show how the pressure of a Balloon Time helium cylinder can be checked, a step-by-step YouTube film has been produced by Exit and is i-cluded in this Deliverance Newsletter (and as part of the 30 June 2010 update of The Peaceful Pill eHandbook).

Note 1: An Exit flowfitting ensures that asingle, small (250 litre) cylinder contains suff-cient gas for a peaceful death.If the gas pressure is correct, one cylinder is all that is needed.

Note 2: Recent testing by Exit of Balloon Time helium cylinders has found no evidence to support the oc-casional claim that the gas has been deliberately contaminated (eg. by the addition of oxygen by the manufacturer). Only very small levels of insignificantimpurities were found in Exit’s gas analysis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bdkZyMQq4Q

Dr Somogyi's Last Appeal to the Federal Police & Politicians

2010-06-20T11:44:00.004+10:00

73 year old retired engineer and mathematician, Dr Miklos Somogyi, of Toorak, died of prostate cancer at Bethlehem Hospital, Caufield on 21 May. At the time of his death he was paralysed from his disease and heavily sedated because of the pain.

A few days before his death he spoke to Exit International Director Dr Philip Nitschke and recorded a video message to the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Tony Negus and to his local Federal member Kelly O’Dywer.

With only months to live in late 2009, Dr Somogyi imported the euthanasia drug Nembutal from Mexico for his personal use. The drug was intercepted by Australian customs and seized by the Australian Federal Police.

Dr Somogyi then took matters into his own hands writing to the Federal Police Commissioner asking for the drug to be released to him given his grave medical circumstances or for the AFP to arrest him as would be proper if he had broken the law.

The AFP replied to Dr Somogyi on 22 Feb stating that they could not respond to his request, suggesting that he take the matter up with his local Member of Parliament. Dr Somogyi then contacted the newly elected 33 year old member for the safe blue ribbon Liberal seat of Higgins in Victoria Kelly O’'Dywer. Ms O'Dwyer was non committal saying that the issue would not be resolved for a very long time.

A video message recorded by Dr Somogyi has now been placed on YouTube.com and stands as a clear indictment of the harsh legal environment in all too many western countries, which ensures that people are unable to take control of their dying days.

Speaking from Darwin, Dr Nitschke said it had been an extremely difficult time for Miklos and his wife Erika. “Miklos was forced to live on in utter indignity when his greatest wish was for a peaceful, dignified death. Imposing this form of ‘medical treatment’ is not consistent with a compassionate society”.

To view Dr Miklos Somogyi’s YouTube statement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK1yBJhLlkI

Euthanasia Hacking Masterclass on ABC 7.30 Report

2010-04-14T16:17:00.004+10:00

Euthanasia Hacking Masterclass

Screening Nationally Wed 14Apr10 @ 7.30pm

With the news that the proposed Federal internet filter would target Exit International and the distribution of end of life material through The Peaceful Pill eHandbook, Exit wanted to make sure its members had access to its pro-euthanasia material, so it turned to the Pirate Party of Australia, says Computerworld.

"The Pirate Party hates the Internet filter and readily put Exit International in contact with member David Campbell, from Newcastle IT shop ClearComputers”, says the story, adding:

"The brief? To teach 70-year olds to bypass the Internet filter.
Campbell accepted the challenge, and proved breaking the filter is not just child’s play. Your grandma can do it too!"

Come to Exit's Euthanasia Web Censorship/ Hacking Masterclass

2010-03-27T19:16:00.002+11:00

Resist the Government's 'Clean Feed'
Come to Exit's Web Censorship/ Hacking Masterclass

Exit international will hold a “Web Censorship/ Hacking Masterclass” for Australian Seniors interested in ensuring their continued free access to the World Wide Web at 10.30am on Thursday 1 April at the Dougherty Community Centre, 7 Victor St Chatswood (Sydney) . All welcome.

This special event will be hosted by Exit Director, Dr Philip Nitschke and will feature one of the country's foremost IT experts and critics of the Net Censorship.

Background:
The Australian Government is currently introducing into Parliament a Bill which will see mandatory Internet filters placed on all PCs in Australia, with no opt-out clause.

The so-called 'Clean Feed' as proposed by Communications Minister, Senator Stephen Conroy (Vic) has been pitched to the Australian people as necessary to rid the country of pornography (and child pornography in particular). However, when the Government's secret Blacklist of would-be banned websites was leaked, it was found to contain webpages on a range of issues that the Government finds politically problematic and objectionable.
Voluntary Euthanasia was one of them.

Included on the Government Blacklist is the Exit International website - 'The Peaceful Pill eHandbook' (http://www.peacefulpill.com/) - and Exit pages on http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=exityourtube&search_type=&aq=f. The Exit sites were the only voluntary euthanasia webpages so effected.

In pursing this State-sanctioned policy of blanket Net Censorship, Australia joins the likes of Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, Nth Korea and Burma in having a Government rather than the people decide what information can and cannot be accessed online.

The Masterclass:
Exit has convened this special Masterclass with two main goals.

To give practical advice to those who believe that it is for individuals, rather than any Government, to determine what they will read and access online

To show Seniors actively resisting the paternalistic 'we know best' attitude of the Rudd Government when it comes to Internet access in Australia

Participation:
If you would like to participate in the Masterclass, bring your laptop computer with wifi modem to the Dougherty Community Centre, 7 Victor St, Chatswood at 10am Thurs April 1.

If you do not have a laptop computer but wish to observe the Masterclass you are very welcome to also attend. The Masterclass will be especially tailored to suit those who have limited or little computer expertise.
This event is free. Morning tea will be served. All Exit Members welcome.

For further Information: Email contact@exitinternational.net or ring Exit on 1300 10 3948 (EXIT).

Dublin Exit Meeting to Go Ahead

2010-03-19T21:04:00.000+11:00

After third and then fourth venues - the Macro Building and the Carmichael Centre - buckled under church pressure and cancelled bookings, almost preventing the planned meeting of the Australian, pro-choice voluntary euthanasia group Exit International to go ahead, the organisation's director, Dr Philip Nitschke, announced that the meeting would go ahead at independent Seomra Spraoi.

"In the space of 5 hours today, we had no fewer than 2 venues (4 in total) cancel our bookings which is quite extraordinary. While in other countries we have occasionally had venues withdrawn from us because those leasing the premises disagreed with our ideas, we have never had 4 separate venues refuse to host a meeting" said Dr Nitschke from Dublin tonight.

When we came to Ireland we understood that there may be some opposition, but we did not expect such a well orchestrated campaign of censorship. It is simply unacceptable in a civilised, western country such as Ireland to have one section of the population threaten everyone else in this way."

"Voluntary Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide are important cutting edge social issues. It is only right that they be discussed by the community. Silencing one's right to free speech is the most cowardly way of keeping people in the dark. We are extremely grateful to Seomra Spraoi and Ciaran Macaoidh at the Irish Atheists for their support and preparedness to defend free speech on this issue.

"I fully respect the Churchs' right to hold their opinions but I take issue with those who try to ram their opinions down the throats of non-believers and people who elect to reconcile their faith with their right to know about safe suicide."

The Exit International meeting will now be held at 3 - 5.30pm on Friday 19 March. Seomra Spraoi is located at 10 Belvidere Court, Dublin 1.

Inquiries Lindy Boyd - 02071-931-557

2nd Dublin Venue bows to pressure and cancels Euthanasia Meeting

2010-03-17T02:56:00.003+11:00

Buswells Hotel has become the most recent venue in the Irish Republic to cancel a booking made by the pro end of life choices organisation Exit International.

Despite phoning Exit on this morning (Tues) to reconfirm that the booking for a meeting on Friday 19 March would go ahead, by 2.20pm the General Manager, Mr Paul Gallagher, had intervened stating the booking was hereby cancelled.

While the Hotel has refused to give reasons for the cancellation, Exit Director, Dr Philip Nitschke has launched a scathing attack on what he calls strong arm pressure tactics of the Church which he suspects is behind the last minute venue withdrawal.

Speaking from London where he held a public meeting and workshop for over 100 yesterday, Dr Nitschke said he could "not abide the cowardice of venues who not only cowtow to behind-the-scenes religious machinations but in doing so, attempt to silence community debate on a very important social issue such as assisted suicide."

"It is one thing not to agree with the idea that the elderly and the seriously ill should have choice in the manner and timing of their death, but it is another thing entirely to say that no one should be allowed to talk about these issues."

An careful observer of an number of Irish pro-life blogs, Dr Nitschke said in recent days it had become apparent that certain parts of the Church were lobbying to make sure that Exit would not be able to have a meeting. "With no venue, meetings become almost impossible" he said. "The end result of this is that people are denied information and choice."

Dr Nitschke said it was shameful that hanging remained the leading cause of suicide in Ireland. "Hanging is a grim, macabre death and Ireland should be ashamed that elderly citizens and people who are seriously ill are forced to such a desperate act.

Our meetings empower people with information to ensure that careful, informed decisions can be made when and if a time should come that one's quality of life is so poor that death is a preferable option."

Dr Nitschke said he was pleased to say that a public meeting would now be held at the new time of 3pm at the Macro Resource Centre, 1 Green St Dublin 7.

The meeting is free and open to all.
Inquiries:
Lindy Boyd - 02071-931-557 or contact@exitinternational.net

Exit “Safe Suicide” Dublin Workshop Relocated

2010-03-10T18:32:00.003+11:00

DIY Workshop moved following pressure on HSE

The first Irish Safe Suicide DIY Information workshop scheduled for 19 March has been relocated from the Outhouse in Capel St following pressure on HSE Chief Executive, Professor Brendan Drumm and the Irish Medicines Board.

The event will now take place from 1 - 5pm at Buswells Hotel, 26 Molesworth St, Dublin

Speaking from Australia, Exit International Director Dr Philip Nitschke said he was glad a new venue had been found, but disappointed in some of the misinformation about the workshops that was being spread.

“The statement by the Irish Medicines Board that the euthanasia drug Nembutal is “not approved for use in Ireland” misses the point. Seniors, OAPs and people who are seriously ill come to these workshops to find out about the most reliable and peaceful strategies to end their lives, should that be their wish. Nembutal is the best end of life drug and universally used in the growing number of countries with assisted suicide legislation and those attending should know of its existence.

Dr Nitschke said he had been with many people who had peacefully ended their life using this drug. Often this was a legal choice, such as in Switzerland where the drug is given orally, or in the Northern Territory of Australia where the drug was used in 1996 to provide the first ever legal lethal voluntary injections to four terminally ill patients.

The machine developed by Dr Nitschke to deliver the drug is now on display in the London British Science Museum.

Dr Nitschke said he expected that most attending would be well elderly people seeking the information they need so as to plan ahead in case their situation should deteriorate.
Exit International Public Meetings & Workshops will be held at:

London - Monday 15 March (11am - 3pm)
Dragon Hall
17 Stukeley St

Dublin - Friday 19 March (1 - 5pm)
Buswells Hotel
26 Molesworth St

Topics covered will include:
* DIY Death - Why accurate information is essential in the current legal climate
* Sourcing liquid veterinary Nembutal from overseas & legal considerations
* Long term storage, reconstitution and testing of lethal drugs
* The Exit spot test kit for confirmation of barbiturates
* The US "single substance" end of life protocol
* The Hypoxic death (helium v. nitrogen) a practical lawful option
* The role of other prescription and non prescription substances

Inquiries
Ms Lindy Boyd 020 71931 557 or email: contact@exitinternational.net

Euthanasia Doctor to Test Irish Blasphemy Laws

2010-03-02T13:25:00.003+11:00

Australian atheist, physician and Assisted Suicide advocate, Dr Philip Nitschke, will hold the first Voluntary Euthanasia Public Meeting and DIY Workshop on a peaceful death in Dublin on Friday 19 March..

The event will present a challenge to Ireland’s new blasphemy laws.

The Director of the pro-choice group Exit International, Dr Nitschke says it “is almost impossible to talk about a person’s right to die, without offending some section of the religious community.

“As an atheist I am often asked to debate the ethical issues involved in providing a person with information that will allow them to end their life peacefully and reliably at a time of their choosing. I am constantly up against this idea that somehow life belongs to God. I disagree strongly with that assertion.”

In 1996, Dr Nitschke became the first doctor in the world to provide a legal, lethal, voluntary injection to four terminally ill patients before Australia’s Rights of the Terminally Ill Act which made assisted suicide lawful was overturned by the Federal Parliament.

"The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act was overturned after only 9 months thanks to the Church-sponsored ‘Euthanasia No’ campaign which ensured a conscience vote on the Act in Parliament which saw the law rescinded” said Dr Nitschke.

“Since that time, the majority of criticism of our activities has come from the Catholic Church and more recently from evangelical Christians”.

"This is despite the organization attracting a significant minority of its membership from self-acclaimed Christian worshippers".

“Many in Exit International do not see their religion as antithetical to their equally-strong belief that a person should have control to make their own end of life decisions".

"Not all Christians see their life belonging to God. Increasingly I hear our elderly members say: ‘God did not bring me into the world as a vegetable and I’m sure he would not want me to leave that way either’” said Dr Nitschke from Australia.

According to Dr Nitschke, over the years Exit has received significant interest from elderly folk in Ireland wanting information about their end of life choices. It is these requests that have prompted Exit to schedule its first meeting and workshop in Dublin this March.

An initial meeting will be held in London on Monday 15 March at Dragon Hall.

The following workshop topics will be covered:

DIY Death - Why accurate information is essential in the current legal climate
Sourcing liquid veterinary Nembutal from overseas & legal considerations
Long term storage, reconstitution and testing of lethal drugs
The Exit spot test kit for confirmation of barbiturates
The US "single substance" end of life protocol
The Hypoxic death (helium v. nitrogen) a practical lawful option
The role of other prescription and non prescription substances

For further information visit: http://www.exitinternational.net/

The Dublin Public meeting will be held at 11am at The Outhouse, 1 Capel St, Dublin 1.

The public meeting is free and open to all.

The Exit Workshop follows straight from the public meeting at12 noon – 3pm and is restricted to people aged over 50 years, and the seriously ill.

Exit workshops are free for members (€35 non-members).

Inquiries:

Dr Philip Nitschke +61-407-189-339

Email: philip@exitinternational.net

Exit UK (Lindy Boyd) +44-(0)2071-931-557

Email: lindy@exitinternational.net

Web: http://www.exitinternational.net/

Youth suicide - Twisting the truth for a Headline

2010-02-24T11:46:00.013+11:00

On Monday 15 February, two Australian newspapers (The Age & Sydney Morning Herald) ran front page stories by journalist, Julia Medew, based on a new report titled “Deaths from toxicity to Pentobarbitone reported to an Australian coroner” by the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.

In the report was the finding that in the 10 years surveyed a small number of deaths (51 of an approximate 20,000 suicides) could be attributed to Pentobarbitone. 14 out of the 51 deaths examined were of people aged 20 - 39 years.

This led both newspaper to publish sensationalist tabloid headlines such as

Euthanasia drug snares younger Australians
http://www.theage.com.au/national/euthanasia-drug-snares-younger-australians-20100214-nzgl.html
and

Young people gain access to euthanasia drug
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/young-people-gain-access-to-euthanasia-drug-20100215-nzon.html

Australian Associated press journalist, Melissa Jenkins, went one step further with her headline

Young Aussies told of euthanasia pill
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/6805406/young-aussies-told-of-euthanasia-pill/

Follow up articles then also appeared.
The first by the journalist who “broke” the story, Julia Medew titled

Call to charge Nitschke for 'aiding' suicide
http://www.theage.com.au/national/call-to-charge-nitschke-for-aiding-suicide-20100217-odx9.html

And a second by well known Australian reactionary commentator, Andrew Bolt, titled which appeared in Melbourne’s Herald Sun tabloid on Friday 19 February.

The dead are not the only casualties of euthanasia
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/column_the_merchant_of_death

While each of these journalists might have thought they had the scoop of the Century, what would later be revealed was that none had done their homework!

Of course those under 40 didn’t learn about Nembutal from Exit. Why would they? No, instead it was revealed that they worked in either the Vet industry or in animal laboratories and therefore had knowledge of and access to the drug!

A letter to the Editor of the Age published 23 February by the Head of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine, Professor Joan Ozanne-Smith, provided much-needed clarification on just who could be considered responsible for these deaths.

Professor Ozanne-Smith wrote:

Deaths from Nembutal
RECENT media reports have referenced data from a report compiled from the National Coroners Information System about deaths from Nembutal. The reports referred to 51 deaths due to Nembutal toxicity reported to Australian coroners between July 2000 and November 2009.

It should be noted that:
The NCIS report provided information about the number of deaths from pentobarbitone toxicity. Nembutal is one brand name for pentobarbitone. Nembutal may have been the source of the pentobarbitone for some deceased, however it cannot be assumed it was the only source.

It is incorrect to assume that only 11 of the 38 deaths with a completed coronial investigation involved a person who had a significant physical illness, deteriorating health problem or chronic pain. The report states that in only 11 cases could this fact be verified.

With much of the coverage of the NCIS report focusing on the deaths of young people, it is important to note that subsequent analysis of the data shows at least nine of the 14 individuals aged under 40 who died from pentobarbitone toxicity worked in a veterinary or animal laboratory environment - a detail not in the original report. Thus, these people may have had knowledge of the drug and/or access to it from their work experience or workplace.

We do not think the data supports the view that younger people are generally accessing Nembutal/pentobarbitone via euthanasia information, or that only 11 of the individuals who died from pentobarbitone toxicity had a physical illness or chronic pain. (emphasis added)
Professor Ozanne-Smith
Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine

My own letter, which The Age refused to publish stated something similar.

Dear Editor,
While journalists can hardly be expected to have postgraduate level knowledge of statistical analysis, even the most junior of reporters should surely have been taught the importance of a rudimentary knowledge of the topic about which they write.

Had health reporter Julia Medew done the most basic background research, she, like I, would have been informed by the National Coroners Information System office that 'at least 9 of the 14 persons aged under 40 years who died from toxicity to pentobarbitone over the past 10 years worked in the veterinary or animal laboratory environment (and thus it is assumed had knowledge of the drug and access to it via this means).'

Ms Medew may then have saved herself and Fairfax the embarrassment of hollow reporting on a topic which deserves much more serious consideration and community debate than the tabloid headlines ("Euthanasia drug snares younger Australians" The Age 15Feb10) afforded.
Philip Nitschke
Exit International

But hey, let’s not let the truth stand in the way of a good beat-up. Nothing sells like the outrage of a youth suicide story.

No doubt I will spend the next decade explaining to my opponents and even former supporters that Exit doesn't "promote Nembutal to the young" rather we explain its role in helping the seriously ill and elderly obtain a peaceful death.

“But I read it somewhere”

Well, what you read was rubbish! The journalist didn’t do her homework,and was seduced by the desire for a headline that would shock!

Philip Nitschke
Exit International

When 6gm of the Euthanasia drug Nembutal suddenly becomes a "marketable 100gm"!

2010-02-16T14:33:00.001+11:00

The decision of the Australian Federal Police and Australian Customs to launch prosecution against a 61 year old Melbourne woman charging her with importation of “a marketable quantity” of the euthanasia drug Pentabarbitone (Nembutal) an example of the increased harassment of elderly Australians seeking end of life choice.

The AFP have claimed the cancer sufferer imported a “marketable” quantity of Nembutal and that the penalty for such an offence is 25 years imprisonment or $550,000.

Speaking from Darwin Exit director Dr Philip Nitschke said the charge was ludicrous.

“Elderly people bring in one or two bottles of the drug for their own possible personal use. Each bottle contains 6gm of the drug Pentabarbitone (Nembutal) and 94 gm of water. To claim that importing 6gm in a bottle is the same as the importation of 100gm of the drug defies logic.

“One bottle has 6 gm of the drug, not the 100gm claimed, and well under the 50gm “marketable” limit.

“This police tactic is designed to mislead and frighten elderly people who have done little more that seek the option of a personal end of life choice.

Dr Nitschke said there had been a number of incidents in recent months that have targeted members of the Exit International voluntary euthanasia organisation. These include raids on the group’s Melbourne office, drug searches on several properties, and the questioning of a number of members of the organisation in several states.

“This appears to be deliberate policy of harassment orchestrated at the highest level, since the police actions fit clearly with current Federal thinking on the issue. The message being sent by the government is that any attempt to privately seek a method of a peaceful death will be met with the most savage penalties from the State.

Australian Prime Minister Rudd said recently on national television that he had no interest in changing Federal laws on voluntary euthanasia.

Low pressure Nitrogen delivery system for a peaceful (and undetectable) hypoxic death

2010-02-04T18:46:00.006+11:00

Interest in Nitrogen as the gas of choice for peaceful undetectable hypoxic death has grown as post mortem forensic tests have become increasingly common in establishing the presence of Helium as a cause of death.

A low pressure (~3kPa) constant flow delivery system provides the gas flow needed (> 15l/min) making use of a pressure regulator and large (~2mm) jet.

The re-fillable 8litre cylinders are readily available, and can be initially filled with air to practice the procedure needed for a peaceful death.

Picture shows the low pressure Nitrogen delivery system & 2mm Jet fitting

Details of the regulated low pressure Nitrogen delivery system will be published in the March 2010 update of the Peaceful Pill eHandbook and demonstrated at the 2010 Exit International Workshop series.

US Constitutional Expert Slams Australian Government Clean Feed

2010-01-26T13:54:00.002+11:00

Distinguished Professor of Law at Wayne State University Michigan and legal advisor to Euthanasia rights organization Exit International in Australia, Professor Robert A. Sedler, has slammed the Australian Government’s proposed Clean Feed policy as "blatantly inconsistent with the democratic principle of freedom of speech."

Speaking from Detroit where he has been providing on-going advice to Exit International Director Dr Philip Nitschke in regard to US” Australian publishing laws, Professor Sedler has expressed dismay that a modern democracy such as Australia has chosen the slippery path of censorship in attempt to protect the nation’s children. Sedler observed that while freedom of speech is not constitutionally protected in Australia as it is in the United States, it is nonetheless a value shared by all democratic societies. It is also an important value in the common law tradition, which Australia follows, and so the Australian Parliament, like its British counterpart, should avoid enacting laws that compromise freedom of speech.

In the US, we have a way of protecting children from unsuitable online materials at the receiving end - it is called parents. People have a right to read anything in the privacy of their homes, so any restriction on receipt of materials at the receiving end violates our First Amendment.

Speaking from Darwin, Dr Nitschke has noted that US Bill of Rights protections make a mockery of Senator Stephen Conroy’s statements that the Australian Government is working with international policing authorities to create a combined international black list of would-be banned websites.

At the Senate Budget Estimates hearings in October 2008, Senator Conroy is on record as saying he had been “encouraging greater cooperation between law enforcement agencies across the world so that we can try, where possible, to combine black lists. However it would seem that this is simply not possible in the US where the civil right of free speech is taken much more seriously.”

This is why The Peaceful Pill Handbook has always been published in the US rather than Australia. Here at home we have seen the way the Government’s classification process is open to corruption by Government. The speed with which the former Attorney General Philip Ruddock was able to instruct the Classification Review Board to overturn the Office of Film and Literature Classification 18+ classification of the Peaceful Pill Handbook is a case in point” said Dr Nitschke.

According to Professor Sedler, an essential principle of the First Amendment is that adults cannot be limited to reading or viewing only what is suitable for children. I would hope that the Australian Government reconsiders their mandatory Internet filter plans. This is not an initiative which I would consider will gain any support from Australia’s traditional allies, least of all countries like the US, Canada or Europe where citizens’ human rights are enshrined against government interference of this nature. It should not be adopted by a democratic society that follows that common law tradition.

Autopsy testing prompts change in common suicide method

2010-01-15T12:56:00.003+11:00

The development of testing facilities for gases commonly used by the elderly or seriously ill seeking a peaceful death has prompted a warning to its members by euthanasia group Exit International.

Following the development in 2007 of a technique to test residual gas in the lungs of those recently deceased, Exit has been notified the first use of this technique in Australia. People intending to use helium to peacefully (and legally) end their lives no longer have the comfort of knowing that their cause of death will be undetectable at autopsy.

The practice of using a gas like Helium to obtain a peaceful and totally undetectable death has been common place in Australia. In 2009 over 30 Exit members used this technique to end their lives; many chose this method because they believed the cause of their death would be undetectable.

The first autopsy report showing that the cause of death of a NSW Exit member due to inhalation of the gas helium was received by Exit in December 2009

Exit Director Dr Philip Nitschke said that this was a concerning development and noted that “detectability” was an issue of crucial importance to many. Indeed providing information on the ease of detection of many of the methods used to obtain a peaceful death was one of the reasons cited by the Office of Film & Literature Classification Review Board when they banned The Peaceful Pill Handbook in Australia. Luckily though this information is still available in the electronic version of the Handbook (the eHandbook)

Many elderly people want to end peacefully their lives and not have others know they have taken this step. This leads some to choose the hypoxic method using an inert gas like Helium, rather than the use of an illegal drug like Nembutal which is readily detectable. The test developed allows a sample of the residual gas in the lungs of the deceased to be removed at autopsy and then searched for using GC-MS equipment.

The presence of Helium, Argon or Neon in the lungs will be noted as a relevant finding in the death. The only gas that can be used to obtain a peaceful death and will not alert investigators is Nitrogen, whose presence in the lungs would be expected..

We have issued this information to our 5000 members in the form of a January update to The Peaceful Pill eHandbook see P 84 – 86 on the detectability of inert gas used for hypoxic death.

In this update, we make it clear that the only method left for those wanting total undetectability is to replace the gas used with Nitrogen.

The Peaceful Pill eHandbook deals with the use of Nitrogen: see P 72 – 73 and video “The Nitrogen Alternative”

Nitrogen is now likely to become the gas of choice used by those seeking an undetectable death.

Dr Nitschke said that it was highly unlikely that the use of Nitrogen would ever be detectable.

“Doing a Debbie”- Using the Media and Courts to Effect Change

2009-08-21T15:24:00.004+10:00

“Doing a Debbie”- Using the Media and Courts to Effect Change - Opinion 9Aug09

The news stories that have captured global attention this week are that of UK MS sufferer Debbie Purdy & quadriplegic, Chris Rossiter in Perth Western Australia. Both Debbie & Chris have successfully used the public depiction of their plight to draw attention to the existing unjust legislation that controls & constrains their end of life options.

This week a breakthrough came in Debbie's long-running battle to establish whether her partner Omar would be at legal risk if he were to help her travel to Switzerland to take advantage of that country's assisted suicide legislation. The House of Lords decided that Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, needs to provide rules for the courts in such cases. Understandably unimpressed by this announcement, the DPP has stated that any guidelines he formulates will apply to all cases, not just those of people helping loved ones to board a flight to Switzerland.

Debbie was thrilled and Exit congratulates her on her efforts. That said we are disappointed that Ms Purdy has once again chosen to lash out at our activities, claiming she wants “safeguards, counselling and medical advice” before any information on end of life choices should be provided. “Nitschke” she said, “does not insist on safeguards, making his work dangerous to vulnerable people”

While this is a re-statement of a common-enough sentiment by some in the end of life choices movement - that doctors must control the process of being helped to die & that suicide assistance should only be available to those seriously physically ill - Exit's rapidly growing member of well elderly folk suggest there are plenty of people who disagree with Debbie. The average age of Exit members is 75 years. Most say they see their access to information and hence knowledge of their choices as an insurance policy for the future. Surely this is not difficult to understand?

Paradoxically, Debbie’s win in House of Lords is likely to be a boon to the DIY model of end of life information and decision-making. With the codification of assisted suicide laws by the DPP in the UK, we should expect significant liberalisation of the circumstances in which it is lawful to provide assistance. The fear that currently stops many from taking the steps needed to obtain their own supply of Nembutal may well dissipate.

At Exit's forthcoming series of November UK workshops (scheduled for London, Edinburgh & Dublin), we expect that demand for end of life choices knowledge in general, & reliable DIY strategies in particular, will be strongly, largely as a result this clarification by the DPP. Debbie Purdy has worked hard for the right to safely go to Switzerland to die. Her legacy is much broader, in that it will almost certainly result in better access to the means of a peaceful, reliable death without leaving home.

*****

In Australia, Exit member quadriplegic Chris Rossiter has decided he’s had enough. He wants a peaceful death, either by travelling to Switzerland or, if that isn’t possible, by exercising his right to refuse fluids & nutrition. Neither course will be easy for a man who is unable to move & totally dependent on care for his every need.

His Exit-appointed lawyer, high-profile solicitor John Hammond, will be representing Chris next Friday when the matter goes before the Chief Justice in the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Exit hopes that Justice Martin will acknowledge Chris' right to exercise his rational choice, thereby reassuring Chirs' Brightwater Nursing Home of the lawfulness of complying with Chris' stated wishes.

However, if Chris does choose to refuse food & fluids, we need to be clear about what is going on. If Chris is allowed to make this choice, we - society via our lawmakers - are effectively condoning a form of state-sanctioned torture. Sure, Chris will be given “sedation”, but it is naïve to think that this process is simply a case of sleeping towards your own death.

Last but not least there is an intriguing twist to Chris' story. Chris has stated repeatedly that he wants his death to matter, he wants to effect change. To this end, when Exit was approached by Robert Chua, Founder & Chairman of Hong Kong TV's 'Health and Lifestyle' channel, suggesting the establishment of a 24/7 webcam to monitor Chris’ journey, Exit immediately took the idea to Chris who supported the idea. As I mentioned Chris, if we are going to acknowledge that a death by starvation is lawful, let’s ensure the world knows what is involved.

I will be travelling to Hong Kong next Friday and will join Robert Chua in launching his new 'Euthanasia' weekly program and to join several TV debates & interviews on end of life choice. The establishment of a Hong Kong chapter of Exit is also planned.A highlight of the planned media will be a live cross to Debbie Purdy in northern England. No doubt we will have to agree to disagree that not everyone will fit her idea of who and who does not deserve access to end of life information.

Philip Nitschke
Darwin, August 2009

Recent US arrests - Lessons Learnt

2009-03-10T11:26:00.005+11:00

Recent US arrests - Lessons Learnt

The arrest last week of four senior members of Final Exit Network in the US has sent shock waves through the voluntary euthanasia movement around the world. Final Exit Network (as opposed to Final Exit (Australia) / Exit International) was targeted in a six month sting operation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). A member of the GBI posed as a patient seeking assistance with their suicide. Final Exit Network’s president Ted Goodwin and Exit Guide Claire Behr were arrested in Georgia, the organisation’s medical director Dr Lawrence Egbert and Nicholas Sheridan were arrested in Maryland.The four have been charged with assisted suicide, tampering with evidence and violating Georgia's anti-racketeering act. They face the possibility of penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment if convicted.

Although legal opinion on the case varies there seems agreement that it will be very difficult to make such charges stick. The issues will revolve around whether the role of an “Exit guide” constitutes “assisting”. A very likely outcome of these ridiculous legal proceedings is that there will be the sought clarification of the law - and that can only be considered to be a good thing - although none of the supporters of VE around the world would wish such an ordeal on the 4 arrested.To ensure that this is the outcome though good legal advice and support will be needed by the four and this will cost. Exit International supports the call for financial assistance for the “Georgia Four”.

Exit International sees these events as further evidence for the need to promote end of life options that are independent of the need for assistants. Unfortunately inert gas hypoxia using Helium is not one of those methods. It is very technique dependent. For many using this method to obtain a peaceful exit, the need for close training and watchful involvement at the time of use is essential.Some steps can be taken to reduce such need.

The development of the flow control fitting (available http://www.peacefulpill.com/ in May 09) by Exit was one such strategy. With this modification problems that commonly arise trying to control the gas flow using the Balloon Time cylinder tap are eliminated. One less reason to have an attending expert.

Even with such modifications though, it is doubtful whether the inert gas hypoxia will ever become the method of choice for those seeking independence, autonomy and reliability. While we recognise that some wanting to die will seek out the inert gas method as it is the only one offering the possibility of undetectibility even at autopsy, and some will also ask to have present a knowledgable stranger to reassure, comfort and even hold their hand, we find repeatedly that if reliability is assured, and the technique simple, the request for the presence of strangers evaporates.

These recent US events again show why giving people access the best reliable lethal drugs makes the very best sense given the current legal framework. Most people can take drugs orally. The process is a simple one. Instruction is not required, and the person seeking death can make their choice about who to have present without concern for the need for an attending expert. With no need for the presence of an Exit Guide, there is no legal case to answer.

The Georgia Four need the support of the global Voluntary Euthanasia movement.

Donations can be sent to:http://www.finalexitlibertyfund.org/

Mailing address:

Final Exit Liberty Fund

c/o ERGO

24829 Norris Lane

Junction City

OR 97448USA

February 09 Update of The Peaceful Pill eHandbook

2009-02-22T19:23:00.001+11:00

In the coming days the Peaceful Pill eHandbook will be updated with new information on:

Purchasing Nembutal over the Net
New sources of over-the-counter Nembutal in South America
New sources of over-the-counter Nembutal in SE Asia
Clearer instructions on how to use Nembutal to achieve a peaceful, dignified death
Where to buy Helium in the UK

The new video edition of this Amazon best-seller is available from peacefulpill.com

The benefits of taking a print edition of a book online and with video include:

* Contains 2.5 hours of videos + full illustrations/ photos

* Available for immediate download on up to 3 PCs/ Macs

* Can be saved to hard disk for later use

* No software required

* Sale price (US$75) includes 24 months of updates & additions

US Right to Life "expert" reveals agenda

2005-07-14T08:59:00.000+10:00

Burke Balch, who heads the US National Right to Life committee's, Robert Powell Centre for Medical Ethics, adressed the national Right to Life conference in Melbourne this week.

In his address titled Opposing Euthanasia & Death by Omission in the US Balch outlines strategies that could be employed to force a reopening of the abortion debate in Australia and ways in which Exit International could be brought down.

His address followed the presentation by Senator Eric Abetz (Lib, Tas) who detailed the religious right's latest Canberra success - the passage of the Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide related material offences) Bill 2005 which will make it impossible for adult Australians to use the telephone or internet to discuss their end of life options.

This was then followed by Melissa Frost's presentation, Exposing Dr Philip Nitschke - The wolf in sheep's clothing. Melissa is the embittered daughter of Exit member Raymond Frost who took his life earlier this year making use of a plastic bag.

Despite her claim to have been "very close" to her father Melissa was unaware of his membership with Exit and the NSW VE society, and seems also to have been unaware of her father's death for six weeks as his body lay undiscovered in his home. Hard to reconcile these facts with the claimed "closeness" she had with her father.

The Australian Right to Life movement have brought in the US expert to prompt some fresh thinking to their tired agenda. It remains to be seen if it will make any difference.

Swiss suicide clinic death prompts Exit fund

2005-06-14T23:06:00.000+10:00

The news of the third Exit member to successfully travel to Switzerland to take advantage of that country’s humane approach to assisted suicide has prompted Exit to establish a fund to assist those unable to afford the trip.

On May 13 Brisbane resident Andre Verschoor died in Switzerland with the assistance of Dignitas.

Dr Nitschke, Director of Exit International said that “an increasing number are choosing the Swiss option where the drugs are be provided and administration supervised. Dignitas is the organisation used by all Exit members choosing this option.

A common concern often expressed is that many do not wish to die away from home in a foreign country. Another problem is that many of our members simply do not have the money to make such a trip, or are too unwell for the journey.

Many who are well enough to travel also consider taking the Mexican option where they can obtain the best euthanasia drug – Nembutal – and returning with it to Australia”.

Mr Verschoor would easily have qualified for the short lived NT euthanasia law. He would not then have had to make such an arduous and expensive trip.

Exit has allocated $10,000 to the fund to assist members in financial difficulty to make the trip to Zurich.

Dignitas Director Dr Ludwig Minelli is to be a keynote speaker at the Exit International conference to be held in Brisbane on Nov 5-6

For Information: Philip Nitschke 0407-189-339 14th June, 2005.

2005-06-05T00:14:00.000+10:00

Image from segment cut from Mademoiselle and the Doctor

ABC captitulates and censors own documentary

2005-06-04T23:37:00.000+10:00

Media Release: ABC Bans segment of Documentary by Leading Film Maker

News that ABC television has at the 11th hour censored key sections of the new documentary "Mademoiselle and the Doctor" made by award winning film-maker Janine Hosking and scheduled for screening on ABC TV on Sunday 5th June at 10pm raises questions about the independence of the national broadcaster in the face of increasingly conservative religious forces and political interference.

"The decision is indefensable", said Nitschke, The ABC have had the version scheduled for television for 6 months and have already censored sections of the film for legal reasons. The revisit the issue at the last minute, insisting that even more material be removed - even after the television reviews have appeared in the press - smacks of political interference.

"The claim that the cuts were needed for "moral" not "legal" reasons also makes no sense. The "moral" objections seem to have come from the presenter Geraldine Doogue. To then seek advice on whether to censor or not only to Beyond Blue head Prof Ian Hickie less than 48 hours before screening is also unacceptable".

Beyond Blue was recently critisized by Nitschke in his book with Fiona Stewart, "Killing me Softly: VE and the road to the Peaceful Pill

Together with the filmmaker, Nitschke has called on the ABC to black out and label as "censored" the sections that have been removed."The ABC commitment to this documentary has been lukewarm at best despite the film being reviewed in The Age newspaper as the best film of the year" said Nitschke.

"Not only have they scheduled the film at a time when most of the target audience, elderly Australians, will be asleep, but have placed it in the Compass religious time-slot. This is ironic as Lisette Nigot denied religion outright, a point of view she discusses in the film.Nitschke restated his call for the ABC to run the documentary without further damaging cuts.

The sequences cut from the version to be screened can be viewed on the Exit International website
www.exitinternational.net

For Information: Dr Philip Nitschke 0407-189-339 2nd June 2005

Nitschke addresses Senate hearings

2005-04-11T14:50:00.000+10:00

"the proposed Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Bill 2005 is a blatant Federal government attack on free speech and the worst example of moral censorship since the banning of Lady Chatterly",
Dr Philip Nitschke, Director Exit International

The opportunity to speak to the EXIT submission(below) in Canberra has been given following a number of submissions from church and Right to Life organisations savagely attacking Exit and me personally.
I will take up this offer and speak to the Senate Committee at public hearings on Thursday 14th at 10 am in Parliament House, Canberra.

Submission from Exit International lodged 1 April 2005

INQUIRY INTO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CRIMINAL CODE AMENDMENT (SUICIDE RELATED MATERIAL OFFENCES) BILL 2004

Dear Senators

Thank you for the opportunity to again provide a submission about the above proposed legislation. We note that there has been the addition of two new clauses 474.29A(3) and (4) and wish to add to our original submission of 20 Aug 04. We would also request the opportunity, as previously offered, to present material in person to the Senate committee

In Exit International’s opinion the amendments do nothing to improve the nature and intent of the Bill and the Bill should be rejected outright. As Exit sees them, the proposed changes simply obfuscate further the very blurry parameters that this Bill sets up in regard to talk about dying with dignity.

Let us be clear, this Bill’s main aim is to prevent rational adult Australians from using a carriage service to access any type of information about their end of life options. It should be realized that the censoring of this type of information will only promote the shameful national statistic of death by hanging as the leading means of suicide in this country. That is unless you intend to ban also shoe laces, belts, sheets etc.

If this Bill Is passed, Exit will need to cease its core activity of providing accurate information on end of life options to our growing group of elderly members. To criminalize the use of the telephone used by so many of our elderly members to stay In touch with important end of life issues strikes at the very heart of a free society. We again stress - Information of this nature should not be censored as this Bill intends. It is not only un-Australian for the Australian government to dictate to its citizens what they should or should not read, ask, ponder upon, it sets a precedent for ignorance.

Ignorance breeds desperation. Desperate people do desperate things. We can do better.

Philip Nitschke
Director
Exit International

NOTE: This submission is to be added to the earlier Exit submission lodged in August 2004

Proposed Legislation threatens VE & Free Speech

2005-03-12T16:41:00.000+11:00

I am disgusted with the news that the Australian Government is about to pass legislation which will have a debilitating impact upon freedom of speech in this country. Digital books are about to be burned.

The Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Bill will make it a crime for a person to use the Internet to "view, copy, download or transmit 'suicide promotion material'". This means all manner of right-to-die/end-of-life choices information will be prohibited in Australia.

According to the Internet rights/ free speech group Electronic Frontiers Australia "the proposed offence appears to have the primary purpose of silencing the speech of one particular high profile Australian resident [Philip Nitschke].

This Bill makes it illegal to even possess information about suicide or end-of-life choices as we prefer to call it, regardless of whether or not this material is ever loaded on the Internet. And regardless of whether such information is ever used. Ideas and words will be censored.

Under the legislation to be introduced this week, corporations would be fined up to $500,000, individuals $120,000 for using the Internet to incite or promote suicide.

The Australia Labor Party has shown little interest in countering this attack on free speech and it is uncl;ear whether they will insist on Senate committee review. And even if they did, this will be ignored as we reach July 2005 when both Australian houses of parliament will be under the control of the anti VE John Howard government.

This is the same government that overturned the world's first voluntary euthanasia laws in the Northern territory, banned the importation of Exit bags, made it near impossible to obtain access to reliable lethal drugs and will now restrict all passage on information on end of life options transmitted by phone, mobile phone, fax, email or the internet.

Their next step will presumably be to ban all books dealing with the subject, and we await with anticipation the Howard government's reaction to the publication later this month of my book " Killing me Softly - From VE to the Peaceful Pill"

The Catholic Politician behind this offensive legislation is Justice Minister Chris Ellison.

Feel free to email Senator Ellison with your thoughts - he sure needs some sound advice.

Even better, send your views on the importance of Freedom of Speech straight to the top by emailing the Prime Minister John Howard.

2005-02-23T13:10:00.000+11:00

Cover of Killing me Softly, Published by Penguin available March 2005

New Book on the Peaceful Pill

2005-02-23T13:01:00.000+11:00

New Book looks at the history and development of the Peaceful Pill and its role in the voluntary euthanasia debate

Further Information from Exit International

‘A book that advances the debate on dying painlessly and with dignity is welcome – particularly at this time.’ – Janet Holmes a Court

‘Should people be able to learn how to end their own lives? Philip Nitschke makes a powerful and moving case for individual choice in this debate.’
– Peter Singer

Killing Me Softly
Voluntary Euthanasia and the Road to the Peaceful Pill

Dr Philip Nitschke and Dr Fiona Stewart

Penguin…$32.95
Publication/embargo date: 24 March 2005

Killing Me Softly is a radical and compelling examination of the current euthanasia debate.
Frustrated by continuing controversy and political inaction in this area, prominent activists Philip Nitschke and Fiona Stewart present a powerful argument in favour of our right to die as we choose. Their concerns include the way in which the medical profession has assumed ‘ownership’ of death, and the fact that existing laws restrict our end-of-life choices. They offer a future where a ‘Peaceful Pill’ could revolutionise euthanasia just as the contraceptive pill transformed birth control a generation ago.

This book is recommended reading, not just for those who already believe we have the right to choose a dignified death but also for anyone still to be persuaded.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr Philip Nitschke is the world’s leading authority on voluntary euthanasia and the first doctor in the world to legally administer VE. Philip gained a PhD in laser physics from Flinders University before going to the NT to work with Gurindji land rights leader Vincent Lingiari. It was not until his mid 30s and after an accident while a NT wildlife ranger that Philip studied medicine, attending Sydney University Medical School. He is now Director of Exit International.

Dr Fiona Stewart is a public health sociologist working as an academic, newspaper opinion writer and consultant. She became involved in the euthanasia debate after meeting Philip Nitschke at Brisbane’s Festival of Ideas in 2001.

DR PHILIP NITSCHKE IS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW

For further information please contact:
Fran Haysey, Publicist, Penguin Group (Australia)Tel: 03 9811 2652 or email: fran.haysey@au.penguingroup.com

2005-02-22T13:43:00.000+11:00

The Northern Territory Rights of the Terminally Ill Act is burnt by Philip Nitschke on the steps of Parliament House after the Australian government overturned the Act, March 1997

2005-02-22T13:13:00.000+11:00

Dr Philip Nitschke with the Deliverance machine - now on display at the British Science Museum in London

The Peaceful Pill

2005-02-14T12:51:00.000+11:00

The Peaceful Pill is a metaphor for a means of achieving a dignified, peaceful death at a time and place of one's choosing. Exit International created a homemade peaceful pill in January 2004. With testing understandably problematic, we have since turned our attention to creating a Nembutal like substance. Known as the Peanut Project, this intiative brings together a small group of seriously ill and elderly members to manufacture for themselves a Peaceful Pill.

None of this group plan to use the Pill any time soon. They are simply seeking reassurance that should the time arise, when age or illness diminish their quality of life to such a degree to make death preferable that they will have the means within their control.

Death with dignity is a basic human right. For more information check out http://www.exitinternational.net.

Regards,

Dr Philip Nitschke
Director