(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) An assisted dying group expects that a portable suicide pod will be used for the first time in Switzerland within the next few months, offering a method of death without medical supervision. The Sarco capsule, which resembles a futuristic space-age device, was first unveiled in 2019 and operates by replacing the oxygen inside it with nitrogen, leading to death by hypoxia. The cost for using the pod is expected to be $20.
The Last Resort organization has said that it sees no legal barriers to the use of the Sarco capsule in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is generally permitted as long as the individual carries out the lethal act themselves. Addressing a press conference, Florian Willet, the chief executive of The Last Resort said, "Since we have people indeed queueing up, asking to use the Sarco, it's very likely that it will take place pretty soon."
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Willet further elaborated on the process and said, "I cannot imagine a more beautiful way [to die], of breathing air without oxygen until falling into an eternal sleep."
'Press This Button' to Die
Before using the Sarco capsule, individuals must undergo a psychiatric assessment to ensure they have the mental capacity to make the decision-a key legal requirement. Once approved, the individual enters the purple capsule, closes the lid, and answers a series of automated questions to confirm their identity and understanding of the process.
Philip Nitschke, the inventor of the Sarco and a prominent figure in right-to-die activism, explained the mechanism: "If you want to die, the voice says in the processor, 'Press this button'." Upon pressing the button, the oxygen level in the air drops from 21 percent to 0.05 percent in less than 30 seconds. "Within two breaths of air of that low level of oxygen, they will start to feel disoriented, uncoordinated, and slightly euphoric before losing consciousness," Nitschke said.
"They will then stay in that state of unconsciousness for around about five minutes before death will take place."
The Sarco capsule monitors the oxygen level, the user's heart rate, and the oxygen saturation in their blood, allowing operators to determine the moment of death accurately. Nitschke stressed that once the button is pressed, there is no way to reverse the process.
Details about the first user and the exact date and location of the initial use of the Sarco capsule remain undisclosed. Fiona Stewart, a lawyer on The Last Resort's advisory board, said the importance of privacy and respect for the individual's wish for a peaceful passing.
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"We really don't want a person's desire for a peaceful passing in Switzerland to turn into a media circus," Stewart said. The use of the Sarco capsule will occur "in a very secluded location, in the beauty of nature," on private property.
When asked if the first use would happen this year, Stewart responded affirmatively, "I would say yes." The minimum age limit for using the Sarco capsule is set at 50. However, exceptions may be made for individuals over 18 who are seriously ill. "We would not want to deny a suffering person based on their age," Stewart noted.
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