Kiwi scientist Sean Davison struck off over role in assisted deaths in South Africa
An Auckland-born doctor convicted of helping three people to die overseas has been struck off the register.
Euthanasia advocate Professor Sean Davison appeared before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal on Tuesday via video link from South Africa, where he lives.
In 2019 – while holding a provisional registration with the Medical Sciences Council of New Zealand – the medical laboratory scientist pleaded guilty to three murders in South Africa and was sentenced to three years’ house arrest.
Davison previously admitted counselling and procuring the attempted suicide of his cancer-stricken elderly mother Patricia Davison, 85, who died in 2006. He was sentenced in the High Court at Dunedin to five months’ home detention in 2011.
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The charges involved the 2013 death of his friend, Anrich Burger, a doctor who became a quadriplegic after a car crash; the death of Justin Varian, who had motor neurone disease, in July 2015; and the death of sportsman Richard Holland, who had suffered brain injuries and had no motor function following a bicycle accident.
Davison admitted administering Burger a lethal concoction of drugs, “placing a bag over [Varian’s] head and administering helium with the intent of helium deoxygenation and/or asphyxiation”, and giving Holland a lethal dose of pentobarbital.
The tribunal heard Davison wished to move back to New Zealand to practise pathology after completing house arrest, and was granted a provisional registration.
He disclosed his conviction linked to the death of his mother, but failed to disclose that he had been involved in the murders of Varian and Holland when he knew his involvement was “unlawful conduct”, the tribunal heard.
Assisted suicide and euthanasia are illegal in South Africa.
A lawyer for the Professional Conduct Committee, Jo Hughson, said Davison’s convictions and omissions to the Medical Sciences Council reflected adversely on his fitness to practise, and “undermined the integrity” of the profession.
Hughson stated Davison’s actions demonstrated he believed he was “above the law”.
His role in the deaths was a “deliberate breach of the obligation of all medical practitioners” to protect the “sanctity” of life, and would be seen by the public as “unacceptable” of a person registered in New Zealand, Hughson said.
However, Davison’s lawyer, Robert Stewart, said Davison’s involvement in the men's deaths was borne out of “compassion”.
Stewart told the tribunal that Davison did not believe he was above the law. He submitted that the idea that Davison’s actions demonstrated no respect for human life was “misplaced and simply wrong”, as Davison was respecting the wishes of those who chose to end their lives “in a dignified manner on their own terms”.
Davison rejected the idea that he was unfit to practise in a technical sense, but accepted that he had failed to disclose information, Stewart told the tribunal.
The hearing comes just five weeks before New Zealanders will vote in a referendum on the End of Life Choice Act, which would allow eligible terminally ill adults to access assisted dying.
After a two-hour deliberation, a five-person panel, led by chairwoman Maria Dew, QC, announced that Davison would have his registration cancelled.
The tribunal also censured Davison to “mark [its] disapproval” about these “serious charges”, Dew said.
Davison was ordered to pay nearly $8500 in costs.
The registration body in South Africa will also be notified.