Philip Nitschke | |
|---|---|
 Nitschke in 2016 | |
| Born | 8 August 1947 Ardrossan, South Australia, Australia |
| Education | University of Adelaide (B.Sc.) Flinders University (PhD), University of Sydney (Sydney Medical School) (M.B.B.S.) |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Known for | Influencing euthanasia debate worldwide The Peaceful Pill Handbook |
| Medical career | |
| Profession | Physician and author |
| Sub-specialties | Euthanasia medicine |
| Research | Euthanasia and voluntary assisted death |
| Awards |
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Philip Haig Nitschke[1] (/ˈnɪtʃkɪ/; born 8 August 1947) is an Australian humanist, author, former physician, and founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International. He campaigned successfully to have a legal euthanasia law passed in Australia's Northern Territory and assisted four people in ending their lives before the law was overturned by the Government of Australia. Nitschke was the first doctor in the world to administer a legal, voluntary, lethal injection,[2] after which the patient activated the syringe using a computer. Nitschke states that he and his group are regularly subject to harassment by authorities. In 2015, Nitschke burned his medical practising certificate in response to what he saw as onerous conditions that violated his right to free speech, imposed on him by the Medical Board of Australia.[3] Nitschke has been referred to in the media as "Dr Death" or "the Elon Musk of assisted suicide".[4][5]
- ^ "NITSCHKE, Philip Haig - The University of Sydney". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
- ^ "Australian Man First in World To Die With Legal Euthanasia". New York Times. 26 September 1996. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ Billias, Maria (28 November 2015). "'Doctor Death' goes to blazes". NT News. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ^ Goodkind, Nicole (1 December 2017). "Meet the Elon Musk of assisted suicide, whose machine lets you kill yourself anywhere". Newsweek. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
- ^ "A design for death: meeting the bad boy of the euthanasia movement". The Economist. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2021.