He was a 45-year-old man without a terminal illness. But this euthanasia campaigner helped him to die.

Editor’s note: This post deals with suicide. Some readers may find the article triggering.

Lucas Taylor’s body was found alone in a park in Germany in April 2012.

The Melbourne man – who had moved to Germany (via South Korea) earlier that year – had suffered a fatal overdose of a drug he had bought in Peru for just $14.

The drug Lucas took is known as the Peaceful Pill.

After his death, his mother Judi Taylor discovered that her son was an active member of forum of  the online euthanasia community founded by Australian euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke, Exit International. Nitschke is an outspoken advocate of the Peaceful Pill.

Lucas was a perfectly healthy person. He did not have a terminal illness. While Judi told the Daily Mail he was experiencing some trouble finding work, she said that suicide is not something she could have contemplated her son doing. Judi believes that her son was “death-coached” on the forum.

He was just 26 years old.

Nigel Brayley took his own life earlier this year.

The 45-year-old Perth man was found 200 metres from his home last year, after also having taken the Peaceful Pill.

Having recently lost his job, and being subjected to police questioning related to the death of his wife, Nigel was clinically depressed.

Nigel received information about obtaining and using the Peaceful Pill workshops run by Exit International. He also corresponded personally with Nitschke via email, explaining that he was going to take his own life.

Nitschke told 7.30 reporter Caitlyn Gribben – who had received copies of the emails from Nigel’s parents – that he was aware of Nigel’s depression during this correspondence, but did not refer him on to any other medical professionals:

Philip Nitschke

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Did you try to stop him? Did you communicate with him that perhaps he should seek some sort of counsel?

PHILIP NITSCHKE: No – I – look, it’s not – if a person comes along and says that to me that they’ve made a rational decision to end their life in two weeks, I don’t go along and say, “Oh, have you made a rational decision? Do you think you’d better think about it? Why don’t you go off and have a counsellor come along and talk to you?” We don’t do that.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Why not, if they’re suicidal and depressed?

PHILIP NITSCHKE: When he says he’s suffering, that I should come along and say, “Oh, well, I’m not going to – no, I’m not going to give you the information because you might use it.” Should we have put him into a psychiatric institution? Should we have restricted him in some way? Of course not. He was not at that level of depression and people like that should not have their freedom curtailed. So I would object to that idea that you’re saying he’s depressed, therefore we shouldn’t talk to him.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Nigel Brayley clearly says that he is going to commit suicide within the next two weeks.

PHILIP NITSCHKE: Yes. Yes.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Did you think you had a duty of care, an obligation as a doctor, to tell Nigel to seek medical care from a GP or a psychiatrist?

PHILIP NITSCHKE: No, no.

After the broadcast of the 7.30 investigation on July 3rd, there were calls for Philip Nitschke was suspended by the Medical Board of Australia. 

This week, that occurred.

According to News Corp, the euthanasia campaigner was suspended after he was deemed to pose “a serious risk to the health and safety of the public”:

Dr Nitschke said the medical board told him his view that people have a right to choose to take their own life was incompatible with his responsibility as a doctor.

The suspension, which came into effect at midnight – two hours after Dr Nitschke was informed – prevents him from practising anywhere in Australia and is an interim measure pending the outcome of an inquiry.

Nitschke has spoken out against the suspension. He tweeted:

A drink at midnight to mark the end of 25 years a doctor. Now to appeal this politically motivated de-registration pic.twitter.com/KNwcJiMbwq

— Philip Nitschke (@philipnitschke) July 23, 2014

The chairman of depression organisation Beyond Blue,  Jeff Kennett, has criticised Nitschke’s actions. Kennett says that that, although he supports euthanasia for the terminally ill, Nitschke’s actions destroy the legitimacy of his own cause.

This is from an interview he did with ABC’s AM earlier in the month:

JEFF KENNETT: I was appalled. My concept of euthanasia does not extend to helping and giving advice to a 45 year old guy who clearly did not have a terminal illness.

And for Dr Nitschke to say that he didn’t think it was his responsibility to refer this gentleman to another practitioner with skills that might have rehabilitated this gentleman, I find appalling. I think he’s done his cause, that is euthanasia, a great deal of damage.

Mr Kennett said he could not get behind the idea of assisting a 45 year old man who was not terminally ill.

Jeff Kennett

JEFF KENNETT: And I would have thought Dr Nitschke should have said: Well, look, before you go down this path, go and see professor so-and-so or a psychiatrist A, B, C and D. Yes, you’re going through difficulties at the moment and yes they might seem insurmountable, but I can assure you there are many people in your position who have either recovered from their temporary illness or been able to manage it.

And I just think the way Dr Nitschke expressed himself that he didn’t see it as his responsibility to do that to be absolutely abhorrent.

CAITLYN GRIBBIN: Philip Nitschke says the fact Nigel Brayley was so insightful in his decision to die meant he had not lost capacity to make decisions, he was still of sound mind, and Dr Nitschke says it was just not his role then to intervene.

JEFF KENNETT: Well, I’ve never heard so much rubbish in all my life. He’s a medical officer and I don’t accept that argument at all. But surely it’s the obligation of all of us to help those who are suffering problems of the day, even though they may have extended beyond the day, back to good health.

To have healthy bodies walking around saying I want out, I can understand that. What I can’t understand is a medical professional actually supporting them to go out, to leave us.

What do you think? Did Dr Nitschke go too far? Do people have the right to end their lives when they want? Or should Dr Nitschke have done everything in his power to keep a physically healthy man alive? 

If this post brings up issues for you, or you just need someone to talk to, please call Lifeline on 131 114. You can also visit the Lifeline website here and the Beyond Blue website here.