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Assisted suicide pod now legal in Switzerland offers ‘painless death’

  • ‘Sarco machine’ floods capsule interior with nitrogen and reduces oxygen to help person die
  • Pod clears legal reviews in Switzerland and is set to start operations sometime next year

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‘Sarco machines’ – 3D-printed capsules designed for use in assisted suicide – have passed a legal review and can operate in Switzerland. Photo: Exit International
Tribune News Service
A company based in Australia has created a 3D-printed pod that offers people a “painless” assisted death and the pod may be available soon to residents in Switzerland.
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The pod was created by a non-profit organisation called Exit International, which offers assisted suicide services. It dubbed the pod the “Sarco machine”.

While assisted suicides in Switzerland are conducted with the ingestion of liquid sodium pentobarbital, Exit International is planning to offer an another option.

Philip Nitschke, found of Exit International, told local outlet the Swiss Info that the pod floods the inside with nitrogen before slowly reducing the oxygen levels to 1 per cent. Nitschke said the process takes less than 30 seconds and the person will feel disoriented before becoming unconscious.

“The person will get into the capsule and lie down. It’s very comfortable,” Nitschke told Swiss Info. “They will be asked a number of questions and when they have answered, they may press the button inside the capsule activating the mechanism in their own time.”

Philip Nitschke, founder of Exit International, with the assisted-suicide pod dubbed the ‘Sarco machine’. Photo: Exit International
Philip Nitschke, founder of Exit International, with the assisted-suicide pod dubbed the ‘Sarco machine’. Photo: Exit International

The pod cleared legal reviews and is set to start operations sometime next year, the Swiss Info reported.

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