Assisted suicide for CHF18 ($20)?

This would be an “egalitarian” death, says Fiona Stewart, a founding member of the organisation The Last Resort.

Compared to the current cost of CHF10,000-CHF15,000 ($11,300 – $17,000), the suicide capsule “Sarco” offers individuals looking for options in assisted suicide a cost-friendly option.

To induce death, individuals climb into the pod-looking chamber and press a button inside that releases nitrogen into the chamber. The individual dies as a result of nitrogen hypoxia, a method which the makers claim is not painful.

This “doctor-free” method of assisted suicide would be cheaper and therefore more accessible to more individuals looking to end their lives. Another benefit of the “doctor-free” method, says Stewart, is that there would not be a “man in a white suit” standing by as a person dies, as this is something many individuals do not want.  

But there are disagreements about the Sarco method: some people do not agree with taking doctors out of the equation.

Erika Preisig, president of Basel-based Lifecircle, says having a doctor involved prevents unnecessary suicides.

Another point of contention is the manner in which an individual dies in the capsule. Exit, the most prominent assisted-suicide organisation in Switzerland, says it is inhumane that individuals die without being able to hold the hands of their loved ones.

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