According to reports, a company known as Exit Switzerland will be using a “death capsule” to assist a patient in committing suicide.
The capsule, which is called the Sarco, will allow the patient to die by pressing a button.
The capsule, which looks like a futuristic movie prop, contains nitrogen to starve the patient of oxygen.
According to Dr. Philip Nitschke, the creator of the Sarco, it can be used by individuals who wish to die immediately and peacefully.
Pro-life groups have criticized the use of a 3D printer to make the capsules, which they believe are designed to glamorize suicide.
The website of Exit Switzerland claims that the capsule will be released soon. On June 10, a news report from Switzerland’s NZZ cited Nitschke as saying that the Sarco would be deployed in the country within the next couple of weeks.
A source close to the project said that the company’s preparations for the launch of the Sarco were complete.
The capsule was scheduled to be released in July, and it will feature the selected patient.
Neither Nitschke nor his team have denied the reports. In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, the doctor explained how the capsule works.
According to Nitschke, the patient will first climb into the capsule and be asked a series of questions.
These include who they are, their location, and their thoughts on pressing the button.
Once they have answered these questions, the software will switch the power on to allow the button to be pressed.
He stated that the patient would die immediately if they pressed the button.
The capsule’s oxygen level would drop to less than one percent after 30 seconds.
James Mildred of CARE noted that the device had been condemned by a wide range of commentators.
Many people believe that the Sarco is a product that trivializes suicide. We believe that good societies try to prevent it in every circumstance.
There are also ethical ways to help individuals who wish to end their lives. It’s not clear if the authorities in Switzerland will prosecute the company for using the device.
In 2021, the creators of the Sarco stated that the device had passed the legal review process in Switzerland, which is where assisted suicide is allowed.
However, according to Kerstin Vokinger, a professor of medicine and law at Zurich University, the product might require certification.
As the manufacturer of the Sarco, Nitschke might be putting himself at risk by using it if he were to be reported.
The same conclusions were reached by a court in Switzerland, according to the NZZ report. The report noted that the device does not violate any laws.
