April 20, 2024
end of life issues

Fiji says No to suicide clinic

Michael Cook

Australian euthanasia activist Dr Philip Nitschke seems to have jumped the gun by telling the media that the South Pacific island of Fiji was considering his plans for establishing a suicide clinic in the city of Nadi.

Australian euthanasia activist Dr Philip Nitschke seems to have jumped the gun by telling the media that the South Pacific island of Fiji was considering his plans for establishing a suicide clinic in the city of Nadi. He envisages a southern hemisphere version of Dignitas offering assisted suicide at budget prices.

“There are some people with a lot of money who would love to see an option outside of Switzerland. While Australia seems to mess around interminably with these pieces of legislation failing, the idea of being able to lawfully get on a plane to Fiji and have access to the best of the drugs and the knowledge of a peaceful, supervised death has a lot of appeal.”

The service would only be open to seriously ill people who had been examined by a psychiatrist. After a two-day cooling-off period, they would be ready for their lethal dose of barbiturates. Fiji would benefit through increased tax revenue and sales of funeral services. More tourists would come to visit the graves of loved ones.

However, the project seems doomed in the deeply Christian and conservative nation. “The Attorney-General’s Chambers received a submission from Dr Nitschke in August 2011,” a government spokesman said. “As with all submissions received by the Chambers, details of the proposal were requested. There is no plan to establish such a facility.” ~ FijiLive, Aug 24; Sydney Morning Herald, Aug 24

Michael Cook
Creative commons
assisted suicide
Fiji
Philip Nitschke

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