Care Not Killing has already issued a press statement about Philip Nitschke's current UK tour.

Australian Nitschke is the founder of pro-euthanasia group Exit International. His campaigning led to the brief legalisation of voluntary euthanasia in the Northern Territory of Australia. During its legalisation, he assisted four people to end their lives. After eight months, Australia's Federal Parliament overruled the Northern Territory law. Euthanasia is no longer legal in any state of Australia.

Nitschke's suicide workshops are common-place in the Southern Hemisphere. His most high profile suicide victim was 69 year old Nancy Crick who, on 22nd May 2002 took a lethal dose of barbiturates and died. Nitschke had suggested that Crick was suffering from a bowel cancer recurrence - he received a lot of criticism, especially after it was revealed that she was not terminally ill at all.

His Peaceful Pill Handbook was prohibited by both the Australian and New Zealand Offices of Film and Literature Classification, because it instructs on drug manufacture and other crimes. There are now severe restrictions on its sale and distribution in New Zealand.

Nitschke's other pro-death initiatives include euthanasia devices - the "CoGen" device, which generates carbon monoxide, inhaled using his "exit bag" - and intentions to accompany people to parts of the world where lethal medication can be purchased (for example, Nembutal in Mexico).

Read more about Dr Death, his forthcoming electronic Peacefull Pill Handbook, and the relationship between Nitschke and America's Hemlock Society.