This week, a 64-year-old American woman ended her life using the controversial “suicide pod” in Switzerland, bringing it into the spotlight. She utilized a portable 3D-printed chamber known as Sarco for her suicide.
In this pod, one simply has to lie down and press a button, after which it takes five minutes to end one’s life. Interest in the suicide pod has surged globally, and it is being heavily searched on Google. Here are all the questions people want to know about it: The Sarco pod, also known as Pegasos, is a euthanasia device featuring a detachable 3D-printed capsule attached to a stand containing a canister of liquid nitrogen. It allows a person to end their life by inhaling an inert gas. This is the Sarco suicide pod, which claims to provide a painless and peaceful death within five minutes.
To use Sarco, the individual wishing to die must first undergo a psychological evaluation. They then enter the capsule, close the lid, and must answer automatic questions before pressing the death button. As soon as the button is pressed, the pod chamber begins filling with nitrogen, rapidly lowering the oxygen level. The person loses consciousness within two minutes and dies within approximately five minutes.
The pod has a provision for this as well. If at the last moment you decide against dying, an emergency exit button is available inside the pod, which stops the entire process and immediately opens the lid.
On September 26, 2024, a 64-year-old woman from the Midwestern United States used the Sarco pod in a cabin in a forest near the German border in the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen. Following the incident, Swiss authorities arrested several individuals and launched a criminal investigation to determine if the organization’s actions had violated any laws by allegedly encouraging suicide.
The Sarco pod induces breathing obstruction through inert gas, resulting in a peaceful and painless death. Here’s how it works:
The pod is filled with nitrogen gas, which rapidly decreases the oxygen level inside the sealed chamber.
As nitrogen replaces oxygen, the individual loses consciousness within two minutes. Death occurs within approximately five minutes.
This process leads to hypoxia or a lack of oxygen, resulting in a peaceful death without pain or struggle. If the individual changes their mind, an emergency exit button is available inside the pod.
Individuals wishing to use the Sarco pod must first undergo a psychological evaluation to ensure they are making a voluntary decision to end their life. This is done to screen out individuals facing temporary mental health crises. The machine asks a series of questions and analyzes the intent and mental state of the individual wishing to die.
The Sarco pod has a series of automated questions. Some of these questions include:
Who are you?
Where are you?
Do you understand what will happen when you press that button?
These questions aim to ensure that the individual is aware of their identity, location, and the choices they are making regarding the pod. It also records a final statement from the individual explaining their reasons for wanting to die. This recording is later submitted to Swiss authorities for verification.
If a user fails to answer the automated questions correctly, the machine’s process does not proceed. The system prevents the pod from releasing gas.
This machine was developed by Australian doctor Philip Nitschke. It was designed in 2017 with a focus on euthanasia. He later partnered with Dutch industrial designer Alexander Bannink. Nitschke created this voluntary machine to promote his organization, Exit International, which he founded in 1997. Its primary mission is to advocate for and support euthanasia.
The Sarco pod is a controversial assisted dying device that has faced various legal challenges in Switzerland alone. It has raised ethical concerns globally. Even in Switzerland, there is significant opposition to its various methods. There is an ongoing debate worldwide about whether devices like Sarco could romanticize suicide and pose risks without proper medical supervision, potentially leading to misuse.
