Assisted suicide is considered a controversial and personal topic. Does it mean death with dignity, or does it inevitably lead to an ethical dilemma? With a renewed discussion around the suicide capsule “Sarco”, the topic of assisted suicide has become prominent again in recent weeks. The "Sarco" capsule is a high-tech device where a patient can release nitrogen at the push of a button, apparently causing a swift death. Swiss authorities have so far refused to approve this device. When a seriously ill person decides to voluntarily end their life, they usually have a long and arduous journey behind them. How difficult these last steps can be is shown in two reports by SWI swissinfo.ch: Journalist Kaoru Uda accompanied two people from Japan in the process of assisted suicide. Both incurably ill, both fully dependent on their parents despite being of legal age. Yoshi (name changed) and Aina both registered with the organisation Lifecircle in Switzerland. While assisted suicide is ...
