Euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke says he will appeal a Medical Board of Australia decision to suspend him over his links to a man who had sought advice about how to kill himself.
The board last night used its emergency powers to suspend Dr Nitschke, who opened a clinic in Adelaide last year, after ruling that he posed “a serious risk to the health and safety of the public”.
A spokeswoman for the board has confirmed to AAP that the suspension, which prevents Dr Nitschke from practising anywhere in Australia, is an interim measure pending the outcome of an inquiry.
The ruling, which came into effect at midnight, follows the suicide of Perth man Nigel Brayley, who died in May after communicating with Dr Nitschke.
“The Medical Board of Australia is focused on public safety and managing risk to patients,” the board said in a statement issued today.
The ruling was made under a section of the law that “enables the board to limit a practitioner’s registration in some way to keep the public safe”, the statement said.
Dr Nitschke, who was notified of the suspension at about 10pm yesterday, said he would appeal the decision.
“This is to my mind a clear case of a difference in ideology leading to a suspension. In other words, it’s a political suspension,” Dr Nitschke told AAP today.
It’s understood the medical board found that Dr Nitschke presented “a serious risk to public health and safety that needs to be managed” and that he had breached his duty to “protect and promote the health of individuals in the community”.
Dr Nitschke said the board had sent him a letter explaining his beliefs were “incompatible with medical practice”.
“Obviously the lawyers will be working out their strategy in the sense that we have a right to appeal as they pointed out, and we’ll certainly be doing that and at that appeal drawing attention to the fact this is a rather grubby little political act,” he said.
Dr Nitschke and his supporters have started a fund to finance his legal battle, and this morning claimed to have received about $6000 since they began taking donations at midnight.
Mr Brayley, 45, died in May after taking euthanasia drug Nembutal.
His wife Lina, 37, died in February 2011 after she fell from the top of a quarry while taking photographs.
The death was initially believed to be an accident, but it emerged after Mr Brayley took his life that he was being investigated for his alleged involvement.
Dr Nitschke has confirmed that Mr Brayley attended an Exit International workshop in Perth in February and purchased the banned Peaceful Pill eHandbook.
He has said Mr Brayley’s death was “a clear case of rational suicide”.
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
