The American woman who became the first person to take her own life in Switzerland's new “suicide pod” was ordered to cool down by a morbid machine before taking her last breaths.
After entering the Sarco suicide pod on Monday, the machine allegedly told the 64-year-old woman, who has not been publicly named, to press a button that would trigger an euphoria.
“If you want to die, push this button,” the machine said, according to AFP.
The 3D-printed chamber, called a sarco, short for “sarcophagus,” fills its chamber with nitrogen gas, causing the user's oxygen levels to drop to lethal levels.
This process knocks the individual out, causing death within 10 minutes. The pod comes with an emergency exit button.
The controversial pod, however, has not yet been approved for use, leading to several arrests over the death of an American woman in a forest cabin in Marieshausen, regional police said.
Florian Wilt, co-president of The Last Resort, the Swiss affiliate of assisted suicide group Exit International, was the only witness to the woman's death, which he described as “peaceful, swift and dignified”.
Dr Philip Nitschke, director of Exit International, said on Tuesday that he was “pleased that Sarco performed exactly as it was designed to do… to provide an optional, drug-free, peaceful death at the time of the person's choice.” for.”
Switzerland is one of the few countries where foreigners can legally travel to end their own life through assisted suicide, which does not have to involve a doctor but can involve outside help.
The law states that a person must take his own life without the “external assistance” of a doctor and that those who help him die do not do so for “selfish motives”.
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But unlike the Netherlands, where Exit International is based, Swiss law still strictly prohibits the practice of euthanasia, which differs because it must involve a medical professional such as a doctor.
While signs pointed to SarcoPod being approved in the country, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baumschneider suggested on Monday that the capsules would not gain legal status.
“This product does not meet the requirements of the Safety Act, and as such, it should not be put into circulation,” he said, adding, “The relevant use of nitrogen is inconsistent with the intended purpose of the Chemicals Act. kept.”
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the 988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988Lifeline.org.
With post wires