Switzerland Investigates Sarco Suicide Pod After Legal Concerns

Why in the news?

Swiss authorities are scrutinizing the Sarco pod after a death involving the device, raising questions about its legality under assisted suicide laws and product safety regulations.

About the Legal Scrutiny Over Sarco Suicide Pod in Switzerland:

  • Swiss police arrested four people after the suspected death of a 64-year-old American woman in a “suicide capsule.”
  • The Sarco pod was designed by Australian physician Philip Nitschke, founder of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International.

What is Euthanasia and Assisted Dying?

  • Euthanasia involves a physician administering a lethal drug to end a patient’s life, often due to a terminal illness.
  • Assisted dying refers to individuals self-administering the lethal substance, with medical involvement only in providing the drug.
  • It’s not necessarily linked to terminal illness.

Switzerland Investigates Sarco Suicide Pod After Legal Concerns

What is the Sarco Pod?

  • The Sarco pod is a 3D-printed, airtight capsule that uses liquid nitrogen to create a low-oxygen environment, leading to death by suicide.
  • Users must pass an online mental fitness test before receiving a  24-hour access code to operate the pod.
  • Critics argue that the Sarco pod exploits a legal loophole, as Swiss law allows assisted suicide but not external assistance or devices like the Sarco.
  • The Swiss Interior Minister expressed concerns that the device violates product safety laws and the Chemicals Act.

Sources Referred:

PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times