Swiss Police Arrest Over Sarco Suicide Pod Use

Swiss police have arrested several individuals following the first use of the controversial Sarco suicide pod, invented by Philip Nitschke, which allows assisted suicide via nitrogen-induced hypoxia. The incident involved a 64-year-old American woman who died in a forest hut in Schaffhausen. The Sarco pod has raised significant legal and ethical concerns, as active euthanasia is illegal in Switzerland but assisted dying is permitted. Authorities cited non-compliance with Swiss product safety laws and the Chemicals Act. The Last Resort, an assisted dying group, facilitated the procedure and stated that the woman had undergone psychiatric evaluation and died peacefully. Prosecutors have opened criminal proceedings for incitement and aiding and abetting suicide.