As the incoming Director of Exit International, public health sociologist, Dr Fiona Stewart, has called the Medical Board’s gag order<\/strong> on her husband, Dr Philip Nitschke an outdated, regressive attack on free speech.<\/p>\n ‘The conditions which the Medical Board have placed on Philip belong in last century’ she said.<\/p>\n ‘They are an antiquated attempt to stifle debate on this cutting-edge social issue now and for the future. It seems crazy that just a few weeks ago California became the 4th US state to legislate on this issue.<\/p>\n ‘Meanwhile in Australia, the MBA has ruled that no Australian doctor can mention the word euthanasia or assisted suicide to a patient or members of the public. They can’t even talk about Dignitas if asked’ she said.<\/p>\n ‘This leaves seriously ill people in the dark about their options which is a cruel and inhumane situation’ she said.<\/p>\n ‘Denying people access to information takes one back to the dark ages where Big Brother determined the subject of public debate’.<\/p>\n ‘The mediation is really the result of Dr Nitschke not being able to afford any more legal representation.<\/p>\n ‘Unlike the Medical Board which can spend tax payers dollars as they want, Philip doesn’t have a bottomless pit of money.<\/p>\n ‘He has already spent the best part of $250,000 on fighting the MBA.<\/p>\n In July, the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory ruled that the Medical Board had acted illegally<\/strong>. He says he doesn’t have another million dolllars<\/strong> to prove them wrong over the course of a 3-4 week hearing’ she said.<\/p>\n Speaking from Switzerland, Dr Stewart said Exit International’s activities will largely continue unabated.<\/p>\n To this end, an ambitious series of workshops is planned for Australia<\/strong> commencing in Darwin on Friday 27 November.<\/p>\n Cities include: Darwin, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Hobart and Adelaide. Dates are on the Exit Website. ‘<\/p>\n The workshops will be conducted by Dr Stewart. Dr Nitschke will be in attendance.<\/strong><\/p>\n ‘As I am a public health sociologist and not a medical doctor, I am not under the jurisdiction of the Medical Board. As long as I remain within Australian law, I am free to continue Philip’s message and his pioneering work’ she said.<\/p>\n In regard to the future of Exit, Dr Stewart has announced that this week Exit will launch a survey of members<\/strong> to see how thousands of Exit supporters in Australia and internationally, view the Australian Medical Board’s restrictions on Dr Nitschke and his work at Exit International.<\/p>\n The results of the survey will be released in Darwin on Friday 27 November and will determine Dr Nitschke’s future work on voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide.<\/p>\n In the interim, Philip plans to consider fine-tuning his acclaimed Ed Fringe comedy show, ‘Dicing with Dr Death’, which received rave 4 star <\/a>and 5 star<\/a> reviews<\/strong> at its debut at Ed Fringe in August 2015. She said he hopes to perform Dicing in Melbourne in March 2016<\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n * As per the agreement, this media release has been shown and not objected to prior to release by the Medical Board of Australia.<\/p>\n On 23 July 2014 the Immediate Action Committee of the Medical Board of Australia suspended my medical registration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A hearing was held in Darwin in November 2014 at which the Tribunal upheld the complaints of the Medical Board.<\/p>\n I appealed this decision and on 6 July 2015 the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory found this suspension to be unlawful<\/span> and ordered that my medical registration be immediately reinstated.<\/strong><\/p>\n In Darwin in November 2014 the Medical Board referred a further 12 complaints<\/strong> to the NT Medical Tribunal about my conduct while a registered medical practitioner dating back to my involvement in 2011 with Motor Neurone Disease sufferer Wendy Benton in South Australia.<\/p>\n It was anticipated\u00a0that there would be a further costly 4-6 week hearing of the complaints in November 2015.<\/p>\n At a mediation meeting held in Darwin in September 2015, I reached agreement with the Medical Board to resolve the forthcoming Tribunal proceedings.<\/p>\n I remain a registered medical practitioner<\/strong><\/span> with conditions placed on this registration including:<\/p>\n I will not practice medicine outside the Northern Territory.<\/p>\n Medical practice includes that I will not use my skills and knowledge as a medical practitioner<\/strong> in the management<\/strong>, administration<\/strong>, education<\/strong>, research<\/strong>, advisory<\/strong>, regulatory<\/strong> or policy<\/strong> roles and any other roles that impact on safe, effective delivery of services in the medical profession.<\/p>\n Furthermore I have undertaken not to provide advice or information<\/strong> to any patient<\/strong> or member of the public<\/strong>, including via workshops<\/strong>, The Peaceful Pill Handbook<\/em><\/a> on how to suicide and I must remove my name<\/strong> from The Peaceful Pill Handbook<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n I have agreed to these conditions being imposed in order to put an end to this matter with the Medical Board.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n At this stage, I do not propose to comment further.<\/p>\n Dr Philip Nitschke MB BS PhD<\/p>\n 26 Oct, 2015<\/p>\n Media Enquiries<\/strong><\/p>\n Exit International Media Officer (Acting):<\/strong> \u00a0Dr Fiona Stewart,\u00a0 Aust: 0417 398 401 or Switzerland + 41 796 30 87 58.<\/p>\n\u00a0Media Release*<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u00a0Resolution of Complaints by the Medical Board of Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n