Dr Philip Nitschke, a controversial Australian campaigner for right-to-die laws, failed to bring his "suicide collar" device into Britain due to fears it would be seized by customs. The Kairos device, which consists of two balloons that exert pressure on the carotid artery leading to death, was left in Holland before Nitschke spoke at an event in London. The event, held just six days before a vote on assisted dying laws, drew a packed audience of elderly individuals considering assisted suicide. Dr Nitschke claimed he feared being stopped by authorities for "giving dangerous information" and that losing the device would be a setback.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Dr. Philip Nitschke, a controversial Australian campaigner for assisted dying, spoke in London about his "suicide collar" called Kairos, which consists of two balloons that exert pressure on the carotid artery leading to unconsciousness and then death. However, he did not bring the device into Britain because he feared it would be confiscated by customs. This decision came after MPs and campaigners had called for him to be banned from entering the country. Dr. Nitschke is the founder of Exit International, a Swiss euthanasia organization, and has spoken about conducting the first assisted suicide using the collar on a woman in Switzerland as his "test subject". He was invited to speak at an event in west London where nearly every seat was taken by elderly people considering assisted suicide. The talk coincided with a vote by MPs on Lauren Edwards' revived assisted dying Bill, which is set to be debated on the second reading six days later.
Written for “Right to Die Campaigner” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A GP dubbed 'doctor death' failed to bring his 'suicide collar' into Britain amid fears it would be seized by customs.
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it → dub → customs
Hugely controversial Dr Philip Nitschke said he feared it being confiscated so instead left it in Holland before making the trip to Britain for a talk.
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it → say → talk
MPs and campaigners had called on the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, to ban Dr Nitschke from even being allowed to enter Britain.
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MPs → call → Britain
He had planned to do a live demonstration of the Kairos 'suicide collar' at an event in London on Saturday.
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He → plan → Saturday
The Australian spoke exclusively to the Daily Mail at a packed event, held just six days before MPs vote at Second Reading on Lauren Edwards' revived assisted dying Bill.
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MPs → speak → Bill
He was on stage at an Exit Workshop in west London, which was packed, with almost every seat taken by a largely elderly audience who were considering assisted suicide.
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who → take → suicide
Dr Nitschke, the controversial founder of Swiss euthanasia organisation Exit International, defended the device.
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Nitschke → defend → device
The collar, called 'Kairos', consists of two balloons that exert pressure on the carotid artery, leading first to unconsciousness and then to death.
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that → call → death
Dr Philip Nitschke - also known as 'Dr Death - did not bring his 'suicide collar' into Britain (pictured) amid fears it would be seized by customs
The collar, called 'Kairos', consists of two balloons that exert pressure on the carotid artery, leading first to unconsciousness and then to death (Pictured: A model of the 'Kairos' collar)
Earlier this year, Dr Nitschke said that he would conduct the first assisted suicide using the collar on a woman in Switzerland who would be his first 'test subject'.
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who → know → Switzerland
Devices could be legal to use for assisted suicides here if new Bill passes.
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Bill → use → suicides
He told the Daily Mail: 'I have left the device in the Netherlands.
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I → tell → Netherlands
I feared it would be stopped at customs.
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it → fear → customs
We are under pressure from authorities about what they call "giving dangerous information to vulnerable people".
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they → call → people
The device is not expensive to make but we are currently in the testing phase and it would be a real setback to lose it.'
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it → make → it
Dr Nitschk shrugged off the controversy around his visit and the device itself.
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Nitschk → shrug → visit
He said that the interest in his device and the visit to London was the result of the political deadlock over legalising assisted dying.
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interest → say → dying
He said: 'People are a little worried or frustrated by the slow pace of legislated change in the country.
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People → say → country
So they often look around and ask what else is available.'
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what → look → ?
Dr Nitschk said he would conduct the first assisted suicide using the collar on a woman in Switzerland who would be his first 'test subject'
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who → say → Switzerland
Dr Nitschk shrugged off any controversy surrounding the collar (Pictured: Dr Nitschke lies down in a 'suicide pod' in 2024)
Carlos Cabrera, a representative from the Swiss euthanasia clinic, Athanasios, also spoke at the event, explaining the process of an assisted suicide in the country.
He said: 'The Swiss have a unique law and don't restrict it to just Swiss nationals.
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Swiss → shrug → nationals
'Switzerland lets other people benefit from this very progressive legislation.
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people → let → legislation
'When you touch the ground in Switzerland you have indirectly or directly the right to die.
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you → touch → right
'We support people to die without selfish intentions.'
Under Swiss law, there are few restrictions on undergoing an assisted death, with a terminal condition not being a requirement.
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condition → support → death
'When you have the mental capacity to leave this world, you can do it,' Cabrera says.
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Cabrera → have → it
Mr Cabrera told the Mail that between 40 and 60 people from the UK have chosen to end their lives through his organisation.
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people → tell → organisation
One relative of a person considering using the device, said: 'My main concern about all of this is what would happen to us when we returned to Britain.
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we → consider → Britain
'
But Mr Cabrera explained that he has never seen problems with family members being prosecuted.
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members → explain → problems
'All information on what happens in Switzerland, stays in Switzerland.
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what → happen → Switzerland
We cannot give information to UK authorities.
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We → give → authorities
After the discussion about the option of travelling to Switzerland, many in the audience stayed on for a 'do-it-yourself guide' to assisted suicide given by Nitschke.
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many → travel → Nitschke
Participants had to sign waivers to declare that they had not been influenced by Nitschke in order to take part in the talk.
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they → have → talk
