Sarco Suicide Capsule Applications Suspended in Switzerland

Advocacy groups promoting the controversial Sarco suicide capsule have suspended new applications following a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland, which resulted in the death of a 64-year-old American woman. The Last Resort's president, Florian Willet, is in pretrial detention, while Swiss authorities have released others initially detained. The capsule, developed by Exit International, releases nitrogen gas to induce death, and its legal status in Switzerland is under debate, given the country's permissive assisted suicide laws. Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider declared the device illegal, although Exit International claims it complies with Swiss law. The incident has sparked ethical discussions and legislative scrutiny over assisted suicide practices in Switzerland.