A Swiss organization that operates Sarco, an assisted dying device known as the ‘death capsule’ as it causes death within minutes at the push of a button, has faced strong opposition and declared a halt to use of the device.
According to the Associated Press on the 6th, Last Resort, an assisted dying advocacy group in charge of sales and operation of Sarko, said on this day, “We will stop recruiting new applicants,” and “We will not proceed with assisted suicide procedures for the 371 people currently on the waiting list for the time being.” “I won’t,” he said.
Sarko, which was first unveiled in July of this year, was widely promoted at the launch press conference, saying, “You can sleep forever for just 18 Swiss francs (about 28,000 won).” It is large enough for one person to lie down on, and when you close the lid and press the button, nitrogen comes out and suffocates to death in about 5 minutes. The price of each device is 15,000 Swiss francs, and it is reported that 600,000 Swiss francs were invested in development. It was actually used for the first time on the 23rd of last month. A 64-year-old American woman who suffered from an immune disease committed suicide using Sarco in a forest in Maryshausen, Switzerland.
Switzerland is a country that is proactive about assisted suicide, but when the news of this woman spread, a fierce debate broke out. The Swiss government rejected Sarko’s application for approval as a medical device, saying it had “no medical utility,” and some regions, including Schaffhausen, said they would ban its use altogether. Groups in favor of assisted suicide also opposed allowing Sarko, saying, “There is a high risk of abuse.”
However, Last Resort maintained its stance that it would use Sarko, and Swiss police immediately began an investigation. Additionally, the company’s CEO, Florian Villette, was arrested by the police. Villette is accused of encouraging and abetting the suicide of an American woman by observing her death.
Switzerland has been operating an ‘assisted suicide’ system since 1942. Only people suffering from incurable diseases are eligible and must consult with a doctor twice and go through a period of reflection. However, according to the Swiss media SWI, many people point out that Sarco does not fit with Switzerland’s assisted suicide system, as anyone over 50 can apply for use with just a mental health certificate.
Reporter Lee Ji-yoon [email protected]
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