Suicide Pod: ‘Does Not Comply’ with Swiss Law, Says Interior Minister

A 64-year-old American women, suffering from a severe autoimmune condition, died in a controversial ‘suicide pod’ in Switzerland. Commenting on this, Switzerland’s interior minister, Élisabeth Baume-Schneider, stated that the suicide capsule does not meet product safety requirements as it uses nitrogen which is not compliant with Swiss law.

Switzerland has been among a very few countries that legalizes travelling to its country for assisted suicide. Swiss law allows assisted suicide with some conditions including, no “external assistance” and if some people help the person die, they should not have any “self-serving motive.’ Swiss law also maintains a strict prohibition against euthanasia.

However, the Assisted suicide group Exit International has already maintained its position that the woman’s death has complied with Swiss law, mentioning that the woman underwent a psychiatric evaluation before her death and confirmed her decision was her own as she has expressed her desire to die two years prior, after being diagnosed with the illness.

What is this Suicide Pod?

The pod, called the Sarco, is a capsule looking device, which allows people within it to commit suicide, promoting assisted suicides. Switzerland has been the very few country that has allowed assisted suicide under strict regulations, however, the Sarco’s use has not yet been legally approved. 

How does it work? It induces death through the release of nitrogen gas in a sealed chamber, just by pushing a button present inside. This leads to absence of oxygen , and then supposed to fall asleep and die by suffocation in a few minutes.

The Sarco capsule is designed by Australian physician and euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke. While commenting on the death of  the woman, he said she had “an idyllic, peaceful death.’ and the capsule has given her “the death she wanted.”

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Assisted Suicide of American Woman

The American woman was diagnosed with a serious illness two years ago and wished to die after years of suffering. She initiated the process herself by pressing a button within the capsule, as per reports.

Florian Willet, a German scientist and co-president of The Last Resort (Swiss branch of Exit International), described the death as “peaceful, quick, and dignified.” He was present at the woman’s death.

Explaining the details of the assisted suicide, Nitschke, a medical doctor, said that she had lost consciousness “within two minutes” and had died after five minutes. As per reports, he has observed the woman’s death via video and was analysing the readings from an attached oxygen and heart rate monitor.

He said, “We saw jerky, small twitches of the muscles in her arms, but she was probably already unconscious by then.”

The controversy around the suicide pods have grabbed global attention with few countries claiming that assisted suicides are not legally and morally correct. Swiss Authorities have made arrests of four people connected to the death.

ALSO READ: Switzerland: Several Arrested Over Suspected Deaths Involving Suicide Capsule’