The use of the Sarco suicide capsule, also known as the “Tesla of euthanasia,” has been temporarily suspended following the recent passing of an American woman who utilized the controversial device.
The Sarco was invented by Dr. Philip Nitschke, the founder and director of the pro-euthanasia group Exit International. It was first used on September 24, 2024, to assist in the passing of an immunocompromised 64-year-old woman from the Midwest.
Sarco ‘Su!cide Pod’ Use Halted Weeks After US Woman, 64, Toook Her Own life In It
Swiss authorities have clarified that the Sarco device had not received the necessary approvals when it was utilized to assist in the passing of an unnamed American individual.
A criminal investigation into the pod is pending and all of the 371 active applications have been suspended, according to the National Review.
Switzerland is one of the few countries that permits travelers to legally take their lives under its assisted sucide practices, which do not require a doctor but can include outside help.
The pod requires the user to activate it themselves, with a modulated voice directing them to press a button if they “want to d!e.”
Once pressed, the capsule is flooded with nitrogen, which drags the user’s oxygen levels to deadly levels until they eventually enter a hypoxic state before asphyx!ating.
“When she entered the Sarco, she almost immediately pressed the button,” Nitschke said, according to the National Review.
“She didn’t say anything. She really wanted to d!e. My estimate is that she lost consciousness within two minutes and that she died after five minutes. We saw jerky, small twitches of the muscles in her arms, but she was probably already unconscious by then. It looked exactly how we expected it to look.”
Police arrested several people connected to the American’s death, including a Dutch photographer covering the assisted suic!de.
It is not known if Nitschke was among those arrested.
