The device works by flooding a 3D-printed capsule with nitrogen gas at the press of a button from the occupier, reportedly leading to painless asphyxiation without ingesting a poisonous substance.
Though assisted dying is legal in Switzerland under well-defined rules (read more about this below), Sarco has been stirring controversy even among the most liberal advocates of ‘death with dignity’ due to doubts over whether death by asphyxiation is really painless.
The usual method practised in Switzerland involves the patient opening the valve that allows a barbiturate to flow into their vein, causing them to fall asleep peacefully.
The first person approved to use Sarco on July 17th was an American woman identified by the Swiss media as Jessica Campbell (though this is not her real name). The 55-year-old from Alabama has been suffering from a variety of debilitating health problems — including kidney failure and a painful disease of the nervous system.
After trying to kill herself (unsuccessfully) with an overdose of painkillers, Campbell became interested in a quick and painless death in the Sarco pod.
After contacting Exit International organisation that created the capsule, and undergoing the process of determining whether she was a suitable candidate (that is, sound of mind and persistent in her wish to die), Campbell was cleared, cashed out her life savings of 40,000 USD and flew to Switzerland.
What happened afterwards?
In a lengthy article published on July 31st and based on a letter Campbell wrote, Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) reported about various conflicts that arose between Campbell and her ‘minders’ from The Last Resort (a sub-group of Exit International) once she was already in Switzerland.
They arose from misunderstandings and diverging expectations of each party, but ultimately created unsurmountable grievances on Campbell’s part.
Regardless of whether they were justified or not, these ‘offences’ drove a wedge between the two parties, which ultimately led to The Last Resort’s refusal to help her die.
What did Campbell complain about?
She evoked a wide-range of complaints, ranging from her planned death becoming a “media circus” to the fact that the group pushed her to spend her money indiscriminately, reportedly telling her she “won’t need it after I die.”
“I felt manipulated and exploited,” she added.
“If I had known that the deeply heartless people who held my fate in their hands were mainly driven by their own media presence and marketing, I would never have subjected myself to this ordeal,” she pointed out.
For its part, The Last Resort denies Campbell’s accusations, saying she spent her money herself for last-moment wishes like a ride on a scenic mountain train.
She was also aware ahead of time that there would be some media interviews and agreed to participate, the organisation said.
“She seemed to enjoy all the attention and conversations with journalists.”
What happened in the end?
NZZ reported simply that “Campbell died on Friday.”
It did not offer any explanations about where and how she died — presumably at another Swiss assisted dying clinic.
The newspaper did, however, mention that “a psychiatrist examined her on Wednesday, and found her of sound mind” — one of the conditions to be eligible for assisted dying in Switzerland.
What other conditions that must be met?
Switzerland’s Federal Court has ruled the following: people must die by their own hand by taking medication themselves. A doctor cannot administer a lethal injection without being liable for criminal prosecution.
Only people over the age of 18, who are mentally and physically capable of discernment, can make the decision to die.
People must also be aware of actions they are undertaking and have given due consideration to this decision.
In addition, they must be consistently sure that they wish to die. They must make this decision themselves and not be influenced by others.
More information about assisted dying rules in Switzerland is found here:
READ ALSO: What you should know about assisted dying in Switzerland
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