Although the passage of euthanasia laws in
the Australian states of South Australia and Tasmanis is far from certain,
activist Dr Philip Nitschke is already making plans. He wants to set up a
euthanasia clinic in Adelaide or Hobart as soon as it is legalised.
“There is a need for a service to
provide end of life expertise for those considering using the new legislation.
This is a specialist area where few doctors have expertise,” Dr Nitschke
said on Sunday.
Dr Nitschke is the only doctor in Australia
who has actually euthanased people legally – under the Northern Territory’s
short-lived right-to-die legislation in the late 90s. He is the founder and director of Exit International, a voluntary euthanasia group based in Darwin.
He believes that the clinic would operate
on an out-patient basis. “It is unlikely that those seeking an assisted
suicide following the Australian legislation will end this lives in the clinic.
Rather they will receive the information and necessary drugs but end their
lives in their own homes.” ~ AAP,
Mar 7
