The inventor of a suicide machine in Switzerland said he is about to try it out in early 2022.
Philip Nitschke told the Washington Post that the Sarco machine, a coffin-like chamber, would not break any laws in Switzerland, which is one of the few countries that offer the option of suicide.
Nitschke claims that his machine helps take people's lives, "without pain and within minutes," according to the American newspaper.
He adds, "With the press of a button, the room is filled with nitrogen gas, which quickly reduces oxygen levels, causing the user to lose consciousness within a minute," adding that "the user will not suffocate or feel fear or pain, but will lose his life due to deprivation of oxygen after fainting."
The creator describes his device as "elegant and sophisticated", and says that it can be moved to the location that the user wants. Nitschke plans to publish instructions for 3D printing the device online.
However, since Nitschke presented his innovation four years ago, he has faced many criticisms, ranging from surprise and anger, while some criticized the shape of the device and considered it the biggest problem.
At the same time, Nitschke insists that the machine is safe, ruling out that there will be no surprises in the tests that will be held in a Swiss laboratory specialized in assisting suicide, where six people are expected to participate in the experiment.
He confirmed that his non-profit organization, Exit International, would provide instructions to people over the age of 50, who have proven mental health or suffer from incurable diseases.
Both "euthanasia" or "assisted suicide" are legal methods in a few countries. In the United States, people with incurable diseases that lead to their death have the opportunity to choose death, in ten states and Washington, DC.
Other countries, such as Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, allow assisted suicide for people in physical or psychological pain.
Swiss law states that anyone can assist another to commit suicide, as long as the process is "free of any selfish motives, i.e. the assistance is not with malicious intent or for profit".
It is also required that the persons undergoing this process be mentally sound, which is determined by psychiatrists, and these persons must initiate the first step that would end their life.
