Complaints of “the most serious unprofessional conduct” regarding Philip Nitschke have been referred to a Northern Territory tribunal in a move that could see the voluntary euthanasia advocate stripped of his medical registration.
The Medical Board of Australia said it had referred Dr Nitschke to the Northern Territory’s Health Professional Review Tribunal on 12 counts, including “allegations of professional misconduct and unprofessional conduct”.
The board said it had received “a number” of complaints against Dr Nitschke, who is already suspended from practising as a medical practitioner.
An appeal against that suspension has begun in Darwin.
The allegations from the board mean a tribunal hearing will be held “in due course” and ultimately decide if Dr Nitschke will be permitted to continue practising as a doctor.
In emails obtained by the ABC, Mr Brayley admitted to Dr Nitschke he was not “supporting a terminal medical illness”, but said he was “suffering”.
Dr Nitschke has been accused of moving into uncharted territory by agreeing to assist Mr Brayley despite knowing he was not terminally ill.
“I have a lot of dealings with a lot of people who are ending or thinking about ending their lives – to try and claim because of my position as a doctor I have to frustrate and thwart their plans is a ludicrous notion,” Dr Nitschke said when speaking ahead of today’s hearing in Darwin.
“It really is coming down to a very fundamental difference in positions by the medical board and my beliefs. It is those beliefs that are going to be argued out over the next days.
“The Medical Board have made it clear in their submissions they find that particular view, support for rational suicide, not compatible with modern medicine.”
The Medical Board said there would now be a hearing into their allegations of professional misconduct.
“These allegations have been lodged with the Northern Territory Health Professional Review Tribunal, which will schedule the matter for hearing in due course,” it said in a statement.
“In the meantime, the hearing of Dr Nitschke’s appeal against the board’s decision to take immediate action to suspend his medical registration – as an interim step to manage risk to the public, pending other inquiries – is continuing this week.”