Philip Nitschke
Philip Haig Nitschke (8 August 1947— ) is an Australian author and pro-euthanasia lobbyist best known for his Directorship of Exit International, a voluntary euthanasia advocacy organisation.
Born in South Australia, he was awarded a PhD in laser physics from Flinders University in 1972 before travelling to the Northern Territory to support the Gurindji in their land claim at Wave Hill. Following an injury, Nitschke retrained in Medicine at Sydney University, then returned to work as a GP at Royal Darwin Hospital from 1989-1994. In this capacity he acted as informal spokesperson for a group of Territorian medical professionals campaigning for the legalisation of euthanasia. Nitschke legally assisted 4 terminally ill people to end their lives before the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (NT) was overturned by the Federal Parliament of Australia. In response, he formed Exit International in 1997 to advocate for the legalisation of euthanasia and assisted death.
His views are divisive within the pro-euthanasia movement. Nitschke advocates for a person's right to 'rational suicide', and that voluntary euthanasia should not just be an option for the terminally ill (Davidson, 2014).
He has published two books on the subject, Killing Me Softly (2005) and the Peaceful Pill Handbook (2006); the latter is banned in Australia. After being sanctioned by the Medical Board of Australia, Nitschke publicly burned his medical practicing certificate in 2015, although continued to practice using the honorific ‘Doctor’ conferred by his PhD.
Davidson, J. (2014). Philip Nitschke tribunal: a clinical, jarring discussion on rational suicide. The Guardian: online edition. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/nov/18/philip-nitschke-tribunal-hearing-is-there-such-a-thing-as-rational-suicide
