- Controversial suicide capsule used for the first time
- The police had to intervene and at least several people were detained
- How does the Sarco capsule work?
- The debate on the use of the device is ongoing
Controversial suicide capsule used for the first time
The controversial Sarco suicide capsule was used for the first time. A 64-year-old American woman is the first person to die voluntarily in this unconventional device.
The woman who died in the capsule reportedly suffered from a "very serious illness associated with severe pain" and had wanted to die "for at least two years".
The Sarco suicide capsule is designed so that the occupant can press a button which, according to its designers, injects nitrogen gas into a sealed chamber. The person then falls asleep and dies within minutes[1].
After the first death in this capsule, the Swiss company that developed Sarco, The Last Resort, said in a statement:
"On Monday 23 September, at around 16.01 CET, a 64-year-old woman from the Midwest region of the USA died after using the 'Sarco' device."
According to The Last Resort, the woman's death was "peaceful, quick and respectful" and occurred "under a canopy of trees in a private forest retreat in the canton of Schaffhausen, close to the Swiss-German border".
"Sarco inventor Philip Nitschke said his device "functioned exactly as it was designed", saying it ensured "a peaceful, drug-free death, at a time of the person's choosing". Florian Willet, co-chairman of the organization, was reportedly the only person who monitored the death on the device.
According to The Last Resort, around 120 applicants are currently hoping to use the machine to end their own lives, and around a quarter of those waiting are British.
The police had to intervene and at least several people were detained
However, the first use of the Sarco suicide capsule was not without problems. The police, including forensic experts, arrived at the scene after a law firm reported that a suicide had been committed with the device.
However, Swiss police said on Tuesday that several people had been detained at the time of the incident and prosecutors had opened an investigation into allegations of complicity in the suicide.
"The public prosecutor's office in the canton of Schaffhausen has opened criminal proceedings against several individuals accused of encouraging and inciting suicide and assisting suicide... Several others are in police custody," the regional police reported.
For its part, the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant reported that police detained a photographer who wanted to take pictures of the device being used and confiscated the Sarco capsule.
In July, the Swiss newspaper Blick reported that Peter Sticher, the public prosecutor in Schaffhausen, had written to the company's lawyers saying that any operator of a suicide capsule could face criminal proceedings if it was used in this country. Any conviction could lead to a prison sentence of up to five years[2].
Fiona Stewart, a member of The Last Resort's advisory board and lawyer, said that the company had acted in accordance with the advice of its own lawyers at all times, and that an autopsy on the deceased would now be carried out at the Institute of Legal Medicine in Zurich (IRMZ).
How does the Sarco capsule work?
The controversial Sarco suicide capsule was developed by the Netherlands-based assisted suicide group Exit International.
First launched in 2019, the portable, human-sized, sealed capsule allows those who want to die to do so at the touch of a button.
The oxygen it contains is then replaced by nitrogen, causing death by hypoxia: at the push of a button, the oxygen content in the air drops from 21% to 0.05% in less than 30 seconds. People lose their orientation and perception, reportedly experience euphoria and eventually lose consciousness.
The capsule must be activated by the person, giving them full control over the situation. It has been designed to provide a calm and aesthetic environment prior to death and can be used in any desired location, as it is mobile and easily transportable.
The debate on the use of the device is ongoing
"The Sarco device was used on the same day that Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, the Swiss Minister of the Interior, told the National Council that she considers its use in Switzerland illegal.
"The Sarco suicide capsule is illegal in two respects. On the one hand, it does not comply with the requirements of the Product Safety Act and must, therefore, not be put into circulation. On the other hand, the corresponding use of nitrogen does not comply with the article of the Chemicals Act regarding its purpose," the minister said.
Some Swiss legislators also argue that the law governing the use of such devices is unclear and that legal loopholes need to be addressed first.
Swiss law allows assisted suicide: the country has some of the loosest assisted suicide laws in the world. The country's legislation allows assisted suicide under certain conditions, for example, if the person providing the assistance has no selfish motives (e.g., financial interests). This means that a person can help another person to commit suicide if there is no personal gain.
In addition, the patient must take the action that leads to his or her death, which is usually the administration of a prescribed drug. Swiss law also specifies that the patient must be of sound mind and able to make his or her own decision. Although most cases involve terminally ill persons, Swiss law does not require a person to be terminally ill.
There are non-profit organizations in Switzerland, such as Dignitas and Exit, which help people to regulate the assisted suicide process. These organizations help not only Swiss residents but also foreigners who can apply for assisted suicide if they meet the requirements. Although the process is legal, Switzerland tries to ensure that people decide to commit assisted suicide responsibly and after thoroughly weighing up all other options for treatment or support.
