Warning: This article contains references to suicide
The inventor of a controversial 'suicide pod' has said it will ask users three questions before they choose to die.
Dr Philip Nitschke, a former physician and founder of the group Exit International, says he made the suicide capsule machine in an effort create ‘peaceful, reliable, drug-free’ method of dying, and one that could be used in the complete control of even those who have very severe illnesses such as locked-in syndrome.
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The 3D-printed capsule - which has not yet been approved for use - would give someone who wishes to die legally an alternative to existing legal assisted dying methods, in which patients would have to have a doctor administer liquid sodium pentobarbital.
The solution makes them fall asleep after a few minutes, then into a coma before they eventually die.
But Nitschke's machine approaches the concept of assisted dying a little differently.
Speaking to LADbible in 2021, Nitschke said: "I’ve always wanted to remove the role [and the] need for professional people to prescribe difficult drugs to use.
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"The idea of using a gas, in this case an inert gas came up, because if you can find a suitably elegant and attractive container, climb in, and then flood that container with an inert gas like nitrogen so that the level of oxygen rapidly drops, you rapidly go into a state of cerebral hypoxia, which is pretty quick, and you’ll faint very quickly and die within a few minutes.
“That’s the idea behind it.”
Speaking to the MailOnline in August, Nitschke said the capsules for assisted dying he'd been developing were 'ready' to be used.
"We're talking to a number of people who are wanting to be the first to use it," he told the publication.
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The pods cost between $4,000 and $8,000, according to their inventor.
Nitschke went on to explain that users would be asked three questions upon entering the machine.
They are: 'Who are you?', 'Where are you?' and 'Do you know what happens if you press the button?'
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"If they answer those questions verbally, the software then switches the power on so that the button can then be pressed," the inventor added.
"And if they press the button they will die very quickly. When you climb into Sarco the oxygen level is 21 percent but after you press the button it takes 30 seconds for the oxygen to drop to less than one percent."
If you or someone you know is struggling or in mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
You can also call 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 at the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline
Topics: Mental Health, News, Technology