Madeleine Archer

Madeleine Archer is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Health Law Research (ACHLR) within the Faculty of Business & Law at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Her primary research focus centers on voluntary assisted dying and end-of-life law, with particular emphasis on regulatory frameworks and their implementation across different jurisdictions.

Dr. Archer completed her PhD at QUT, supervised by Professor Ben White, Professor Lindy Willmott, Professor Luc Deliens, and Professor Kenneth Chambaere. Her doctoral research examined assisted dying regulation in Belgium and its influence on health professionals' conduct, forming part of Professor Ben White's Australian Research Council Future Fellowship Project Enhancing end-of-life decision-making: Optimal regulation of voluntary assisted dying. Prior to her PhD, she earned a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws with first class honours in Law from the University of Tasmania, where she also completed her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in 2021.

Dr. Archer's research interests span voluntary assisted dying (both in Australia and internationally), health law, end-of-life law, criminal law, and statutory interpretation. Her work employs qualitative research methods to analyze how legal frameworks impact healthcare practice and decision-making at the end of life. She has made significant contributions to understanding regulatory approaches in Belgium and their implications for Australian jurisdictions.

Her publication record demonstrates a strong focus on comparative analysis of assisted dying regulation, with particular attention to Belgium's system. Her research examines the interplay between legislation, healthcare practice, and ethical considerations in end-of-life decision-making. Recent publications explore topics ranging from the practical implementation challenges of assisted dying to the development of advance care planning frameworks that incorporate voluntary assisted dying options.

Dr. Archer actively contributes to practical applications of her research through projects developing mandatory training for health professionals involved in providing voluntary assisted dying in Queensland and Western Australia. She also serves as a sessional academic in QUT's School of Law and as Unit Coordinator for the QUT Online unit LWQ164 Health Care, Law and Ethics.