Dying to get a digital copy of Nitschke's suicide e-book?

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 13 October 2008 12:22

Business IT - Networking

Banned from being imported or printed in Australia, the “Peaceful Pill eHandbook” Digital Edition from Australia’s own “Dr Death”, aka Dr Philip Nitschke, is being launched today in London – to get around those import laws.

Australia's proponent of euthanasia, Dr Philip Nitschke, has gone to the UK to launch the digital version of his hardcopy book, the “Peaceful Pill eHandbook”.

Although not yet available at the time of writing for digital purchase, the hardcopy edition of the book retails for US $28, with postage additional, for anyone interested in the topic.

According to the website, the e-book will combine “video, audio, images and the printed word”, and promises to remain “always up to date, providing real time updates on key facts and information as they come to hand” – at no extra charge.

At the risk of sounding a tad morbid and inappropriate, anyone actually using the book for its intended purpose probably won’t be too worried about the availability of real-time updates.

The site says Dr Philip Nitschke is “one of the world’s leading experts on voluntary euthanasia”, and claims at the top of the site that he is a “tireless fighter for human rights. He uses his intelligence combined with his resourcefulness to continue to fight for the right to choose.”

However not all in the euthanasia movement are impressed. According to an AAP article published by the ABC, the president of the New South Wales voluntary euthanasia society, Dr Giles Yates, said the e-book was “totally inappropriate”.

Yates is quoted being concerned about the “lack of safeguards” in the publication of “suicide techniques”.

What do the right-to-lifers say, and what’s in the book itself? Please read on to page 2.