A group advocating for a controversial suicide capsule announced on Sunday that they have paused the application process due to a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland. More than 370 applications had been received last month.
Florian Willet, the president of The Last Resort in Switzerland, is currently in pretrial detention following the first use of the device, known as the “Sarco,” by a 64-year-old woman from the U.S. Midwest. The incident took place in a forest near the German border.
Swiss authorities arrested Willet and others, although some individuals have since been released. The use of the Sarco has sparked a debate among lawmakers in Switzerland, known for its lenient laws on assisted suicide.
Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland as long as the act is carried out without external assistance and without any self-serving motives from those involved.
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The advocacy groups revealed that 371 individuals were in the process of applying to use the Sarco in Switzerland as of Sept. 23. Applications were put on hold after the first use of the device.
Exit International, founded by Dr. Philip Nitschke in the Netherlands, developed the 3D-printed Sarco, which cost more than $1 million to create.
The Sarco capsule allows a person to inject nitrogen gas into a sealed chamber while seated in a reclining position. This results in the person falling asleep and passing away from suffocation within minutes.
Exit International claims that Willet was the sole individual present during the woman’s death and stated that it was a peaceful and dignified passing. However, these claims have not been independently verified.
On the same day as the woman’s death, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider informed parliament that the use of the Sarco was illegal. The woman was reportedly suffering from severe immune compromise.
Exit International’s legal team in Switzerland believes that the use of the device is lawful.
“It was purely coincidental that Ms. Baume-Schneider made her statement after the Sarco was used, and it was not our intention,” the advocacy groups stated in their Sunday announcement.
This article contains sensitive content related to suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, please contact the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. by calling or texting 988. You can also access an online chat at 988lifeline.org. In Switzerland, inquiries about suicide prevention can be directed to a group called “Dargebotene Hand,” or The Offered Hand.
By Jamey Keaten
