Sarco suicide method is temporarily suspended.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Assisted suicide groups that are promoting the Sarco suicide capsule have indicated that they are temporarily suspending the use of this suicide method until the police investigation into the first death is complete.

Jamey Keaton reported for the Associated Press on October 6, 2024 that:

The advocacy groups said in a statement Sunday that... applications were suspended after its first use.

Exit International, whose founder Dr. Philip Nitschke is based in the Netherlands, is behind the 3D-printed device

Keaton further reported that:

On the same day as the woman died, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal.

The Swiss government indicated that Sarco is not compatible with Swiss Law. Swissinfo reported on September 24:

The Sarco suicide capsule – that claims to provide assisted suicide at the touch of a button – does not comply with the law, Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told the House of Representatives on Monday.

Firstly, the capsule does not meet the requirements of product safety legislation and cannot therefore be placed on the market, the minister explained in response to a parliamentarian’s question. Furthermore, the use of nitrogen in the capsule is not compatible with the objective of the law on chemical products.

When it comes to product safety law, jurisdiction must be clarified on a case-by-case basis, said Baume-Schneider. On the other hand, the cantons are responsible for cases where nitrogen is not used in accordance with the regulations.

There are possible legal concerns with the Sarco suicide method is that:

Article 115 of the Swiss Criminal Code allows assisted suicide so long as the person seeking death acts autonomously and the motives of others involved are not selfish. Article 114 prohibits any form of euthanasia or direct active involvement in causing death, regardless of any respectable motives.

There are questions with the Sarco death method because the person does not act autonomously.

Exit International, an organization that is operated by Philip Nitschke, is attempting to expand the scope of the Swiss assisted suicide law.

Further information on this topic:

• Swiss police make arrests related to Sarco death (Link). 
• The Sarco suicide method constitutes torture (Link).