Loathed by both supporters and opponents of legalised voluntary euthanasia, Australian activist Dr Philip Nitschke is thinking of moving to the UK because it has more "enlightened" attitudes. Australia has banned his how-to suicide book and has even made it illegal to distribute information about suicide over the internet. He is no better liked in the UK, but he is drawing small crowds for his suicide seminars. He is planning to launch a DIY kit for testing the strength of his favourite suicide drugs at "tutorials" in May. It will be launched by an English woman who is suffering from the fatal genetic condition Huntington's disease. "We will go to her house, test the substance she has got and hopefully be able to reassure her that she has the drug she's paid for and that its efficacy is not in doubt," Dr Nitschke said.

Nitschke provokes strong feelings wherever he goes. Recently his invitation to speak at the Oxford Union, the world's foremost debating society, was withdrawn after the other pro-euthanasia speakers refused to share the platform with him.  Nitschke was annoyed, but philosophical: ""I can tell you, I'm pretty pissed off, as it's not the kind of company I want to keep". Dignity in Dying, a British euthanasia society, said: "We want these workshops banned. They are irresponsible." And Dominica Roberts, of the ProLife Alliance, said: "He is a terrifying person and should be banned. I am amazed they are letting him in the country."

One place, somewhat surprisingly, where Nitschke is welcome is Singapore. "We get repeated requests for information from Singapore so we think it would be reasonable to see what the interest really is," Nitschke told Asia Sentinel. "We’re unclear about the reaction but we’ll see how things go." In Singapore suicide is a crime and people who slash their wrists or take an overdose unsuccessfully are often handcuffed to their hospital beds by police. Assisting a suicide is a crime punishable with a mandatory jail term.

Nonetheless, it appears that Singapore is flirting with legalised euthanasia. Nitschke is scheduled to give one of his seminars there on May 13. Last year health minister Khaw Boon Wan called for an open debate. "I do not know if Singaporeans are ready for euthanasia," he explained. "But I do know that ageing will throw up many more human stories of agony and suffering. All societies will have to prepare for longer life spans and the many dilemmas that they will have to confront. We must seek a humane way out of such dilemmas." Nitschke plans to temper his remarks to fit within Singapore's laws. Eventually he hopes to set us a branch of his group, Exit International, there. ~ Australian, Apr 20; Time, Apr 13; People, Apr 19