NEWS 7
ausdoc . com . au 11 OCTOBER 2024
NEWS 7
Arrests over Nitschke ’ s death pod
The former GP describes the first patient death inside his euthanasia machine . |
AAP |
Carmel Sparke DR Philip Nitschke ’ s controversial suicide |
pod — dubbed the Tesla of euthanasia — |
has reportedly been used for the first time , |
triggering several arrests by police . |
The arrests followed reports that a |
64-year-old woman used the ‘ Sarco ’ ( short |
for sarcophagus ) in a remote forest in the |
north of Switzerland . |
Cast along sleek , aerodynamic lines , the |
pod releases nitrogen gas , which lowers the |
amount of oxygen to around 1 % when the |
occupant inside presses a button . |
The design was originally the brainchild |
of Dr Nitschke , the former Australian |
GP and euthanasia campaigner , based on the idea that it was a drug-free alternative to the typical medical euthanasia methods and carried no risk of vomiting . |
Dr Philip Nitschke inside the ‘ Sarco ’,
July 2024 .
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Police in the Schaffhausen region said |
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they arrested “ several persons ” on suspi- |
married to Dr Nitschke . |
“ We saw jerky , small twitches of the |
was not legal either . |
cion of inciting and aiding and abetting |
“ When she entered the Sarco , she |
muscles in her arms , but she was probably |
The Last Resort website lists advanced |
suicide , after the woman , who was said |
almost immediately pressed the button ,” |
already unconscious by then . |
old age , poly pathologies , serious illness and |
to have health conditions relating to a |
Dr Nitschke told de Volkskrant , a Dutch |
“ It looked exactly how we expected it |
early dementia as reasons a person might |
severely compromised immune system , |
newspaper . “ She didn ’ t say anything . She |
to look .” |
seek an assisted suicide using the pod . |
used a Sarco last month . |
really wanted to die . |
A Swiss health minister , Elisabeth |
“ The Last Resort does not assist young |
The co-president of the group behind the device , The Last Resort , Austral- |
“ My estimate is that she lost consciousness within two minutes , and that |
|
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Baume-Schneider , said that the capsule did not meet the requirements of prod- |
people to die unless they have a serious physical illness ( ie , not psychiatric ),” the |
ian lawyer Dr Fiona Stewart ( PhD ), is |
she died after five minutes . |
uct safety law and that its use of nitrogen |
organisation said . |
GP practice staff must have vaccinations : RACGP
Dr Barri Phatarfod
GP based in Byron Bay , NSW , and founder of Doctors for Refugees .
IN 1984 , I was a couple of years into my medical degree at Monash University and had started to become more aware of world issues .
In our early 20s , we were convinced our advocacy could right the many global wrongs . It was an optimistic time , with initiatives like the Band Aid concert and the fight for LGBT + rights , among other progressive causes , getting some traction .
In the pursuit of medical and scientific progress , human rights can sometimes be forgotten . The World Medical Association formed in 1947 to keep these fundamental rights front and centre for the medical profession .
I am grateful to Australian Doctor for its continuing support for this , even when issues have been politically contentious .
Antony Scholefield GP practices will have to ensure all staff members receive recommended vaccinations based on their role and their contact with patients under the RACGP ’ s draft accreditation standards .
A 115-page draft of the college ’ s sixth edition of the practice standards , which will be rolled out in 2026 , was released for consultation two weeks ago .
The new indicator CG . 8 states : “ The exact immunisation requirements and recommendations [ for your staff ] will depend on the risk of infection based on your practice ’ s location , patient population and each practice team member ’ s duties .”
The wording is a change from the fifth edition , which says practices should “ encourage ” the vaccinations recommended by the Australian Immunisation Handbook .
Other proposed changes include a requirement that practices provide the clinical team with current Australian evidence-based guidelines related to clinical care , emergency care and medicines .
It uses the Australian Medicines Handbook — jointly owned by the RACGP — and Therapeutic Guidelines : Antibiotic as examples of guidelines related to quality use of medicines .
There is also a new section on environmental sustainability that says practices must have documented
‘ The immunisation requirements … will depend on the risk of infection .’
sustainability strategies and at least one staff member “ with the role and responsibilities of environmental sustainability champion ”.
It provides a long list of examples , including using laptops over desktop computers where possible , LED light bulbs , “ no junk mail ” signs , recycled toilet paper and only running dishwashers when full .
Under the section on clinical information systems , the new draft says all practice records must be digital , use nationally recognised medical coding and list the patient ’ s sex assigned at birth , gender and pronouns , as well as known allergies .
“ Paper-based systems are no longer acceptable ,” states the RACGP ’ s FAQ .
There has been long-running debate on whether the college standards for practice accreditation demand too much , particularly over the potential costs in meeting them . However , overall , the college says the mandatory indicators have reduced from 117 in the fifth-edition standards to 76 in the sixth-edition draft .
Dr Louise Acland , chair of the RACGP Expert Committee — Standards for general practices , says that her team wants feedback on “ the real-world application ” of the draft standards .
The consultation is open until 20 October .