Preface
The Peaceful Pill eHandbook has been created at a time when
there are very few places in the world where older people and
those who are seriously ill can get information about their end
of life choices.
In 1996, the Northern Territory of Australia led the world,
becoming the first place where it was lawful for a terminally
ill patient to request medical assistance to die. The law that
made this possible was the Rights of the Terminally Ill (ROTI)
Act. Under ROTI, four of my seriously ill patients - Bob
Dent, Janet Mills, Bill and Valerie self-administered a legal,
lethal overdose of drugs; a Peaceful Pill if you like. All died
peacefully in their sleep, surrounded by people they loved.
I know this because back then I was their treating doctor. I was
the one who put the needle into their veins. And I was the one
who purpose-built for them the small ‘Deliverance Machine’
that ran the laptop computer program that gave them ultimate
control over their life and their deaths. On each separate
occasion, the computer presented a short series of questions:
1. Are you aware that if you go ahead to the last screen and
press the ‘yes’ button you will be given a lethal dose of
medications and die?
2. Are you certain you understand that if you proceed and
press the ‘yes’ button on the next screen you will die?
3. In 15 seconds you will be given a lethal injection … press
‘yes’ to proceed.
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