A pro-euthanasia group has invented a ‘s**cide pod’ prototype as an alternative to assisted death.
Euthanasia is the act of intentionally ending life to relieve a person’s suffering, a controversial practice with strong opinions on either side.
People who are pro-euthanasia argue that in a civilized society, everyone should be allowed to do what they want with their bodies and that it’s immoral to force a person to live in pain and suffering.
Religious opponents of euthanasia believe that only God should decide when a person’s life should end.
In contrast, others fear the law regulating euthanasia would be abused if the practice were legalized.
Dr. Philip Nitschke, nicknamed ‘Dr. Death,’ has sparked controversy amid this debate regarding his plans on the matter.
The Sarco pod is a 3-D printed capsule that fills its chamber with nitrogen while rapidly reducing oxygen levels. Credit: SarcoThe former physician, who is the founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International, wants to ‘de-medicalize the dying process.’
He wants to ‘remove any kind of psychiatric review from the process and allow the individual to control the method themselves,’ per Exit International.
Dr. Nitschke intends to do this through his creation, the Sarco pod.
The Sarco pod, also known as a ‘s**cide pod,’ is a coffin-like 3-D printed capsule that fills its chamber with nitrogen while rapidly reducing oxygen levels once a button is activated from the inside.
Dr. Nitschke shares that as the person enters the pod, they will be asked three questions.
In an interview with MailOnline, he says: “The person will climb into the machine, they will be asked three questions and they will answer verbally – ‘Who are you?’ ‘Where are you?’ and ‘Do you know what happens if you press the button?’
“And if they answer those questions verbally, the software then switches the power on so that the button can then be pressed.
“And if they press the button they will die very quickly.”
Dr. Nitschke continues on the Exit International website: “The person will feel a little disoriented and may feel slightly euphoric before they lose consciousness. The whole thing takes about 30 seconds.
“Death takes place through hypoxia and hypocapnia, oxygen and carbon dioxide deprivation, respectively. There is no panic, no choking feeling.”
According to The Independent, the process inside the pod would be filmed and the footage would be given to a coroner.
Snopes reports that Dr. Nitschke previously claimed the capsule had passed a ‘legal review’ and would be available for use in Switzerland in 2022 – a claim that has since been debunked. At the time, he did not reveal further details nor did he initially share which experts carried it out.
Campaign for Dignity in Dying reports that since 1942, assisted suicide in Switzerland has been legalized ‘as long as the motives are not selfish.’
When Snopes reached out to numerous Swiss nonprofit organizations that aid in assisted s**cides, they reportedly expressed skepticism in whether such machines would ever be used under the current rules.
Daniel Huerlimann, a legal expert and assistant professor at the University of St. Gallen, was asked by Sarco to determine whether using the capsule would break Swiss laws.
He summarized to the BBC that the pod ‘did not constitute a medical device’ and would not be covered by the Swiss Therapeutic Products Act, which regulates the handling of therapeutic products, per Swissmedic.
Countering this, Kerstin Noelle Vkinger, a doctor, lawyer, and professor at the University of Zurich, told the Swiss newspaper Neue Zurcher Zeitung: “Medical devices are regulated because they are supposed to be safer than other products. Just because a product is not beneficial to health does not mean that it is not also affected by these additional safety requirements.”
Although it remains unclear whether the ‘s**cide pod’ will ever be put into action, Dr. Nitschke and his futuristic pods continually face criticism for ‘glamourizing’ death.
