Suicide

Euthanasia on the boil in New Zealand

Jared Yee | 05 May 2012

Two cases of euthanasia in New Zealand have been used to push the legalisation agenda, with politicians agitating for legal change. Each has involved men who helped terminally ill family members to commit suicide.

Five Hawaii doctors offer assisted-suicide to terminally ill patients

Jared Yee | 21 April 2012

A group of Hawaii doctors is offering to write prescriptions for terminally ill patients in order to test whether physician-assisted suicide is permitted under state law, American Medical News reports.

First figures on assisted suicide published

Jared Yee | 31 March 2012

Assisted suicide cases in Switzerland have grown steadily over the past decade to almost 300 in 2009, its Federal Statistics Office reported this week.

German football legend dies by assisted suicide

Jared Yee | 17 March 2012

Timo Konietzka, former Germany international and the first footballer to score a goal in the country’s Bundesliga competition, died on Monday by assisted suicide, his wife reported to German media.

Assisted-suicide booms in Switzerland

Jared Yee | 25 February 2012

The number of patients in Switzerland who killed themselves with the help of assisted-suicide organisations rose significantly in 2011, new figures show.

Auction of Kevorkian paintings and suicide machine a damp squib

Jared Yee | 02 November 2011

Jack Kevorkian’s suicide machine was withdrawn from an auction last week after failing to reach the reserve price.

British nurses could be jailed for mentioning assisted suicide

Jared Yee | 28 October 2011

Nurses will be warned that they could go to prison if they talk to patients about assisted suicide. They will be told that they face prosecution if they are found to have spoken about any aspect of assisted suicide with patients who go on to kill themselves.

44 assisted suicides in UK since CPS guidelines published

Jared Yee | 16 September 2011

More than 40 people have committed suicide since new guidelines for prosecuting people who helped them were issued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Family doctor helped “up to 30” to end their lives at clinic

Jared Yee | 16 September 2011

A former GP from the UK admitted last week to helping as many as 30 people to end their lives at Dignitas suicide clinic in Switzerland.

English coroners turn blind eye to assisted suicide, says report

Michael Cook | 27 August 2011

Coroners are ignoring evidence of assisted suicide, claims an unofficial report on the link between chronic and terminal illness and suicide. “The Truth about Suicide”, from the Demos, a progressive London think tank, claims that about 10% of all suicides in England are linked to chronic or terminal illness.

Nitschke runs suicide workshop in London

Jared Yee | 18 June 2011

In a hall in West London this week, a group of over-50s listened to a talk by “Doctor Death” that detailed the specifics of how they could take their own lives.

Judge sentences former nurse who helped people kill themselves

Jared Yee | 14 May 2011

William Melchert-Dinkel, 48, the former nurse who encouraged the suicides of two people on internet chat rooms, was sentenced last week to 360 days in jail on a work-release program.

Suicide drugs could become available over the counter in UK if euthanasia laws are changed

Jared Yee | 14 May 2011

Suicide drugs could become available from pharmacists if assisted suicide is legalised, two of the UK’s most highly regarded legal and medical experts have said.

91-year-old woman sells suicide kits

Jared Yee | 05 May 2011

It came in a simple white box decorated with a butterfly.

Woman who attempted suicide while pregnant is charged with murder

Jared Yee | 23 April 2011

After her boyfriend betrayed her, Bei Bei Shuai, a 34-year-old pregnant Chinese immigrant living in Indianapolis, ate rat poison to end her misery. She survived, but her baby died of seizures in January, four days after birth

Assisted suicide campaigners conflicted about right to die for those not terminally ill

Jared Yee | 07 April 2011

A leading assisted suicide campaigner, who chose to die in Switzerland despite having no terminal illness, has provoked debate between supporters and opponents of the right to die.

New suicide kits for sale

Jared Yee | 25 March 2011

29-year-old Oregon man kills himself using new “helium hood”

Minnesota’s internet suicide nurse found guilty

Michael Cook | 18 March 2011

A 48-year-old Minnesota nurse has been found guilty of inciting two people to suicide over the internet. William Melchert-Dinkel used internet chat rooms to seek out people who were interested in committing suicide. Pretending that he was a female nurse who also wanted to end her life, he would try to egg them on. Police estimate that he chatted with at least 20 people, made suicide pacts with 10 of them. At least 5 of these ended their lives. He told police that he did it for the “thrill of the

Helium suicides rising after promotion on internet

Michael Cook | 12 March 2011

Helium inhalation promoted by internet suicide and euthanasia sites is becoming a significant factor in Australian suicides.

Is Nitschke linked to suicides of two university students?

Michael Cook | 17 June 2010

Are the young taking Nitschke's advice?