The debut of a ‘death capsule’ designed to carry out assisted suicides at the push of a button has been ‘aborted’, its creator has revealed.
Euthanasia expert and inventor Dr Philip Nitschke said the first person expected to use the device is suffering from a “deterioration in mental health”.
Dubbed Person X, the American woman in her 50s was due to die on July 17, but her death in the ‘Sarco’ capsule has now been ‘permanently postponed’.
“Given his situation, it is clear that this is a person who should now be receiving mental health care, rather than any type of assisted suicide,” Dr. Nitschke said.
The controversial advocate of assisted dying, nicknamed “Doctor Death”, is now said to be involved in pre-selecting the next person to use the device.
Australian euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke (pictured), also known as “Dr Death”, is a former physician and director of voluntary euthanasia campaigner Exit International.
An early version of the Sarco Pod, which can be operated internally and works by reducing oxygen levels. No one has used it yet. The final prototype is in the final stages of preparation.
The Sarco, short for sarcophagus, is designed to allow the euthanasia patient inside to press a button and die “within seconds,” according to Dr. Nitschke’s company, Exit International.
The pod – which looks like something out of a science fiction movie and has been compared to a Tesla car: filled with nitrogen to deprive the occupant of oxygen, leaving the patient unconscious before dying.
Although the Australian researcher claims his device would give people the chance to end their lives “peacefully”, pro-life groups have warned the capsules “glamorise suicide”.
Last month, reports pointed to “imminent” use of the Sarco in Switzerland, with many expecting it to be used within this month.
But Exit International said the “media storm” surrounding the machine had contributed to the woman’s worsening mental health.
Dr Nitschke said he had been concerned about “multiple episodes of significant cognitive lapses bordering on pre-psychosis” as the date of the woman’s planned euthanasia approached.
On the day it was scheduled to be used for the first time, the euthanasia charity The Last Resort said it expected it to be used within a year.
Speaking about the next potential “patient” to use the machine, Dr. Nitschke said it would be necessary to inform them about possible media attention.
“Given the media scrutiny surrounding Person X, all prospective customers should be warned of the possibility that, despite our best efforts to keep his death private, any first use of Sarco will be the subject of intense media interest and reporting,” he said.
Swiss prosecutors warned earlier this month that anyone helping someone use the capsules could face up to five years in prison.
Schaffhausen cantonal public prosecutor Peter Sticher warned of “serious consequences” for Nitschke for “incitement, complicity and suicide for selfish reasons.”
In a letter obtained by Swiss media, Sticher said: “There is no reliable information about the method of murder.
“It is not entirely clear who has control over which mechanical process during the dying process.”
Prosecutors said that under Article 115 of the canton’s penal code, it would be impossible to establish who committed the murder.
Prospective users would have to complete an online survey before receiving a module location and access code, such as a drop box.
Then, inside the capsule, they confirm who they are, where they are, and whether they know what happens when they press the button.
If they continue, a flood of nitrogen will reduce the oxygen level from 21 percent to just one percent, supposedly killing them within 30 seconds.
Nitschke explained: “Death occurs by hypoxia and hypocapnia, deprivation of oxygen and carbon dioxide, respectively. There is no panic or asphyxia.”
The doctor’s plans to use Sarco for the first time have sparked an uproar among pro-life organizations, including CARE.
James Mildred, director of engagement at CARE, said: ‘Philip Nitschke’s device has been condemned by a wide range of commentators.
‘Many people believe that it trivializes and even glamorizes suicide.
We believe that suicide is a tragedy that good societies seek to prevent in all circumstances.
‘There are ethical ways to help human beings that do not involve the destruction of life.’
Swiss prosecutors warned earlier this month that anyone helping someone use the capsules could face up to five years in prison.
The project has hit numerous obstacles in the past and it is unclear whether Swiss authorities could take legal action over the use of the machine.
Sarco’s creators said in 2021 that it had passed legal review in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal and hundreds of people use the services of organisations such as Dignitas and Exit (a separate group from Dr Nitschke) every year.
But Kerstin Noëlle Vokinger, a professor of law and medicine at the University of Zurich, has said Sarco may need to be certified under the country’s Medical Devices Act, which is not happening.
Dr Nitschke, as a manufacturer, could therefore be at risk by using Sarco if he were to be sued and a court came to the same conclusions as Vokinger, NZZ reports. A previous legal report stated that he does not infringe any laws.
- For help and support, call the Samaritans free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.
