Swiss police have made multiple arrests after an individual reportedly ended their life using a so-called suicide pod, marking what appears to be the first incident of this kind.
Authorities in the Schaffhausen region announced that they had arrested “several persons” on charges of inciting and aiding or abetting suicide following the reported use of a pod manufactured by the company Sarco on Monday.
Though assisted dying is legal in Switzerland under specific circumstances, the use of the Sarco pod has been met with some opposition.
Officers who arrived at the scene recovered both the device and the deceased’s body.
According to the company behind the controversial device, the Sarco pod is designed to allow individuals seeking to end their lives to operate it entirely on their own, without the need for medical supervision.
The pod was reportedly used at a forest hut in the Merishausen area, a sparsely inhabited region along Switzerland’s border with Germany, as confirmed by local police.
3D Printed Swiss Police (Photo: Denis Balibouse)
The authorities said they were alerted by a law firm about the suicide involving the device. While details remain scarce, the identities of the arrested individuals and the deceased have not been disclosed.
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In July, a pro-assisted dying organization, which supports the use of the Sarco device, announced that they expected it to be used for the first time this year.
Supporters argue that the pod offers a new option that does not rely on medical intervention or drugs, thus expanding access to euthanasia. The device’s portability, made possible by its ability to be 3D-printed and assembled at home, is also seen as a key benefit.
Despite Switzerland’s relatively liberal laws on assisted dying, the Sarco pod has faced opposition. Critics argue that the pod’s sleek, modern design risks glamorizing suicide, and they express concern over the fact that it can be operated without medical oversight.
While assisted dying remains illegal in the UK and most other European nations, thousands have traveled to Switzerland over the years to legally end their lives.
