"I just felt very strongly that I was going to honour this woman who I had known for such a long time and who I thought was an amazing person,"said the doctor with 36 years'experience.

"Beverley had been very honest. She told me exactly what her intentions were and the honest answer was I was completely supportive of her right to deal with this the way she wanted to."

A coronial investigation ensued,and after consulting with his lawyers,Dr Carr also chose to tell the Medical Board of Australia what he had done. The board investigated his admission and reprimanded him – one of the lightest sanctions available.

"It basically says'You're a naughty boy,don't do it next time',"Dr Carr said.

In September,coroner Caitlin English detailed Dr Carr's admissions in afinding about Ms Broadbent's death. However,she said her death was caused by a different drug,not the one Dr Carr prescribed her.

She sent a copy to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency which includes the medical board,but she did not specifically recommend any action be taken against Dr Carr. Coroner English said it was unclear where the drug that killed Ms Broadbent came from.

Dr Carr said given his lawyers feared he could be suspended or charged with assisting a suicide (an offence that carries a penalty of up to 5 years'jail),he was surprised and relieved by the result. However,he said he was also prepared to be part of a court case that would test the community's sentiment on the issue.

"I think this is something which nobody really wants to tackle and it's all swept under the carpet because it's too hard,"he said.

"Clearly if the authorities think this whole process is completely wrong,then they should be suspending people like myself or putting me in jail. The fact they're not doing that suggests there is a strong feeling that it is not that wrong."

Dr Carr said he had no doubt other doctors were dealing with similar patients and ethical conundrums. He said if Ms Broadbent had options for assisted death in circumstances she decided were intolerable,she may have chosen to live longer.

"One of the things Beverley said to me was that she was going to have to kill herself before she wanted to die because I was unable to promise her[that I would help her in future]."

A spokeswoman for the Medical Board of Australia declined to comment on the reasons for its decision in Dr Carr's case,but said it considers the level of risk to the public.

"The Board is required to take the minimum level of regulatory action needed to manage this risk,as per the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law and the Regulatory Principles,"she said.