Warning: This article discusses suicide.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the Sarco pod had been approved for legal use in Switzerland. SwissMedic, the country’s medical product regulatory agency, has clarified that it has not been approved.
A prototype of a ‘suicide pod’ has been developed by a pro-euthanasia group as an alternative method for assisted death.
Philip Nitschke, a former physician and founder of Exit International, designed the suicide capsule machine. His goal was to create a “peaceful, reliable, drug-free” way of dying, which could be controlled entirely by the individual, including those with severe conditions like locked-in syndrome.
The 3D-printed pod is intended to provide a legal alternative to current assisted dying methods, where doctors typically administer liquid sodium pentobarbital. This drug induces sleep within minutes, followed by a coma, and eventually, death.
Nitschke’s approach differs from existing methods. In a 2021 interview with LADbible, he explained, “I’ve always wanted to remove the need for professionals to prescribe complicated drugs. The idea of using an inert gas came up—if you have an elegant, attractive capsule, you can climb in and fill it with nitrogen. The oxygen level rapidly drops, leading to cerebral hypoxia, which causes unconsciousness and death within minutes.”
Nitschke elaborated on how the ‘suicide pod’ operates in a conversation with Swiss-info: “The individual lies inside the capsule and is asked a series of questions. Once answered, they can press a button to activate the process at their own pace. The interior fills with nitrogen, reducing oxygen levels from 21% to 1%. The person may feel slightly euphoric before losing consciousness, with the entire process lasting about 30 seconds.”
Death occurs due to hypoxia (oxygen deprivation) and hypocapnia (carbon dioxide deprivation), with no sense of panic or choking.
While Nitschke stated that the nitrogen might induce euphoria before unconsciousness, the Sarco pod has not been approved for use.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Additionally, you can call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 via the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline.
