Results of post-mortem weaken euthanasia case

The pro-euthenasia campaign in Australia was in disarray yesterday because of news that an elderly woman who committed suicide last week might not have been terminally ill.

A post-mortem examination on Nancy Crick, 69, who took an overdose in front of 21 relatives and friends, reportedly concluded that she was not suffering from cancer at the time of her death, but an inoperable twisted bowel.

Mrs Crick believed she had cancer, as did her family and supporters. She had been through three operations and earlier this year received palliative care.

Australia's foremost advocate of voluntary euthanasia, Dr Philip Nitschke, played down the development, saying: "It is irrelevant because she either had bowel cancer or the consequences of bowel cancer, and the quality of her life was such that she thought death was preferable."

But the post-mortem results undermined the argument that terminally ill patients should be allowed to die at a time of their choosing.

The Australian Medical Association said yesterday it proved that "licensing the death of an individual, whatever the motives ... is always going to be fraught with danger".

The Gold Coast coroner has reportedly refused to release her body, instead issuing warrants for her medical records.

Police are considering charges of assisting suicide against witnesses to Mrs Crick's death. Under Australian law, being present when someone commits suicide is tantamount to assisting.