Euthanasia advocate's talk cancelled

Victorian doctor and euthanasia advocate Rodney Syme has had a major speaking engagement cancelled by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Dr Syme, who is Vice President of Dying with Dignity, was due to give an address on the gap between the reality and rhetoric of palliative care.

The college cleared the topic but has since refused to allow Dr Syme to speak at the conference later this year.

"It's an extraordinary example of academic censorship," Dr Syme told ABC radio 774.

Dr Syme believes the palliative care sector lobbied the college to prevent him from speaking.

"It illustrates the depths that people who are opposed to having a debate will go to try and stop the debate happening," he said.

Dr Syme says the college issued him with an apology but would not disclose who had made the complaint.

The debate has been reignited in Victoria after the parliament voted to launch an inquiry into end of life issues and palliative care last week.