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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 9 May 2018

104-year-old Australian promotes right to assisted suicide

By JAMEY KEATEN impose it on other people,"
GENEVA (AP) — A 104-year- he said from his hotel room
old British-born Australian near Basel's Spalentor tow-
scientist who is planning to er gate.
kill himself on Thursday says Doctors say Goodall plans
he doesn't think the drugs to take his life with an injec-
used for assisted suicide tion of the barbiturate pen-
should be available to just tobarbitol, a chemical of-
anyone, but that doctors ten used as an anesthetic
should be able to prescribe but which is lethal at exces-
them. sive doses. Those who take
In an interview Tuesday their lives through assisted
with The Associated Press suicide in Switzerland of-
just two days before he ten get injections 15 times
plans to take advantage greater than that of typi-
of Switzerland's assisted-sui- cal medical doses for an-
cide laws, David Goodall esthesia, said Dr. Christian
spoke of his determination Weber, a Swiss anesthesi-
to end his life. He also talk- ologist who will help set up
ed about his disbelief in the 104-year-old Australian scientist David Goodall sits in a wheelchair beside Carol O'Neil, an Aus- Goodall for his suicide on
afterlife, his childhood after tralian nurse who has been caring for Goodall and who is a volunteer with the nonprofit, right-to- Thursday.
being born the year World die group Exit International, in Basel, Switzerland, Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Goodall said after reach-
War I began and his family, Associated Press ing middle age, people
who lives across three con- should be allowed to de-
tinents. prohibiting him from taking more accepting of assisted Goodall has a libertarian cide themselves whether to
Goodall, described by the his own life among his com- suicide. bent but he knows that use medicine to take their
right-to-die group Exit Inter- plaints, but he is not ill. Hundreds of people — some religious people — own lives.
national as its first member, Goodall, a botanist, said he some far more frail than which he is not — might "I wouldn't suggest that it's
said he's been contemplat- tried clumsily to take his life Goodall, who uses a wheel- take exception to not let- available to everyone, and
ing the idea of suicide for himself at least three times chair — travel to Switzer- ting nature take its course. just going and buying it off
about 20 years, but only — and then finally decided land every year to take "If people for religious pur- the shelf," he said. "I think
started thinking about if for to get professional help. their lives. The best-known poses interfere with the free there are plenty of people
himself after his quality of He has been looking to group to help foreigners will of other people, I think who might misuse that. But I
life deteriorated over the draw attention to his de- end their days in the Alpine that's most regrettable. By would accept that it should
last year. He cited a lack sire to end his life in hopes country is Dignitas, but oth- all means, let them follow be done by doctors' pre-
of mobility, doctor's restric- that countries like Australia ers include Life Circle in Ba- their own choice in respect scription — but they should
tions and an Australian law change their laws to be sel — Goodall's choice. to the end of life, but don't be free to prescribe."q