'Suicide pod' creator plans to bring controversial device to UK and has identified a location
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
The inventor of the Sarco pod has said he is 'very keen' to bring it to the UK, and he has an idea of the sort of location where it might be best placed.
The Sarco pod, sometimes referred to as a 'suicide pod', works by allowing the person inside to push a button which injects nitrogen into the pod, causing the person to lose consciousness and die within minutes.
Before all of that there are tests to make sure someone who says they want to use it is of sound mind and understands what they're doing.
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It was used for the first time in Switzerland on 23 September, with a 64-year-old American woman using it to take her own life.
Dr Florian Willet was present at the use of the Sarco pod and said the woman's death was 'peaceful, fast and dignified', and was taken into police custody in Switzerland afterwards where he remains, while Swiss police confiscated two Sarco pods.
Sarco pod creator Dr Philip Nitschke, who was not present at its first use, said that the woman inside had 'died in about six minutes' and that his invention had 'performed perfectly well'.
Despite the controversy, Dr Nitschke is already talking about potentially bringing the device to the UK.
According to the Mirror, should assisted dying become legal in the UK then Dr Nitschke would want a picturesque location for his pod to be used as the door is transparent and the occupant could have a nice view for their final moments.
He said: "We have a lot of members there, and a lot of UK people following the Sarco project very closely. There would be a lot of scope. I would be very keen to do that.
"It seems to me that it will just provide an additional option for those who don’t want the needle and who don’t want the drink… who do like what I describe as the stylish and elegant means that is provided by this device in some idyllic location."
They report that the Lake District would be a location he might choose and said they could accommodate a person's desire to end their life with a view 'overlooking the lakes or the mountains' if that's what they wanted.
"For people who have got that choice of picking the day and the time… it is the most important day of your life, presumably, the day you die," Dr Nitschke said.
“If you want to be overlooking the lakes or the mountains or looking [at] whatever, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be accommodated. Certainly, Sarco can do that."
If it doesn't become legal to use in the UK then some Brits have indicated a willingness to travel abroad to use the Sarco pod, including an elderly couple who have planned to travel to Switzerland.
A bill on assisted dying is going to be voted on in the House of Commons this coming Friday (29 November), and it's proving to be a highly controversial subject for MPs.
It'll be a free vote, so the parties in Parliament will not be putting any pressure on their MPs to choose a certain way.
Supporters of the bill such as Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall have said it gives people 'power, choice and control' over their own deaths, while opponents such as Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood have warned it could lead to a 'slippery slope to death on demand'.
According to polling from YouGov, the British public largely support the principle of assisted dying becoming legal in the UK, with 73 percent saying they agreed and just 13 percent being against it.
However, support drops to 59 percent when Brits were asked about backing assisted dying in principle and in practice, indicating that some people support the idea, but aren't sure if laws to make it work properly could be created.
The subject remains a very contentious one, with former prime minister Gordon Brown speaking out against it, and Health Secretary Wes Streeting indicating he would vote against it on Friday.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: Health, Mental Health, UK News
Joe Harker