Death with Dignity: Compassion, Controversy, and the Case for Assisted Suicide
Assisted suicide is a highly contentious and emotionally charged topic in the realm of medical ethics, law, and societal values. In a society where modern medicine has allowed to significantly increase the life expectation of the global population, the last years of someone’s life are often accompanied by chronic conditions and sometimes a state of health that is accompanied with a massive reduction of the quality of life. As a consequence, it is not rare that elderly people find themselves in a situation where they are ready and may even wish to let go, but modern medicine upholds the vitals for longer than expected. Or longer than what an individual may wish for.
The practice of assisted suicide involves the act of providing a person with the means to end their life, typically when suffering from a terminal illness or unmanageable pain. While some advocate for the legalization of assisted suicide as an act of compassion, others argue against it, citing moral, religious, and ethical concerns. The control we have over the way we die depends very much on personal circumstances, the legal framework, cultural beliefs and medical options.
There are different types of euthanasia:; passive, active and direct active euthanasia. Passive euthanasia is the termination of life-prolonging measures such as resuscitation, ventilation, dialysis or artificial nutrition. In the case of active euthanasia, medication is administered to directly or indirectly shorten the suffering or life of the patient. Direct active euthanasia, the doctor takes an action with the intention that it will cause the patient’s death i.e. targeted killing; a practice that is prohibited in Switzerland and international.
Assisted suicide is a practice that is mostly associated with illness and multimorbidity. In this case, a person who wishes to commit suicide is given access to a lethal substance, which they take or use themselves without outside intervention. This type of assisted dying is permitted in Switzerland. In recent times, this form of assisted dying has gained significant attention internationally, due to more people finding themselves confronted with the subject matter, and also due to the offering of organization such as «Exit« or «The Last Resort« and its Sarco Pod.
Sarco is short for sarcophagus, a stone coffin, typically associated with ancient civilizations. The so-called Sarco pod is a futuristically designed capsule from a 3D printer that enables suicide through nitrogen hypoxia which may take approximately. five minutes. The Sarco pod plays strongly with the idea of death as a journey, as a transition and departure into the unknown. Making it possible to choose the time and above all, the place of death.
This autonomy and self-determination can bring peace of mind to people that anticipate and wish to plan for the end of their life. Just as travellers might prepare for a voyage with care-considering their luggage, route and companions. Sarco invites thoughtful planning and reflection. It encourages discussions with loved ones and helps individuals articulate their wishes, making the event memorable not just for the person departing, but for those left behind. In its philosophy, it presents death not as an end, but as a significant chapter in life’s journey and enables a farewell that is intentional, compassionate and personal.
While the idea of Sarco pod sounds romantic it raises several concerning aspects and fundamental questions of primarily ethical and legal nature. But also the risk of misuse, regulatory challenges and mental health considerations. Many experts, have serious ethical concerns about assisted suicide or facilitating death. Easy accessibility can lead individuals to make impulsive decisions or use an assisted dying offering without sufficient control and guidance. Especially referring to Iindividuals with mental health conditions, that may make impulsive decisions without proper evaluation, potentially leading to regrettable and finite outcomes.
The topic of death is inherently challenging. Confronting it and discussing it early on is immensely important. Not just for the affected person, but also beloved one’s. Putting in place an advanced healthcare directive (in German “Patientenverfügung) can reduce stress and uncertainty for family members and provides reassurance about the affected individual’s personal feelings and wishes at the end of life. Without doubt, this is one of the most essential and fundamental legal documents in one’s health and longevity planning. The debate surrounding the Sarco Pod and assisted suicide in general underscores the emotional intensity tied to the subject of dying, Whether the Sarco Pod, in its proposed form, will ever be used in Switzerland again remains highly uncertain.
