Latest news with #DrPhilipNitschke
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Is the controversial suicide capsule coming to Britain? Australian right-to-die campaigner known as 'Dr Death' aims to bring euthanasia pod to the UK
A controversial suicide capsule could be coming to the UK after the assisted dying Bill passed its final Commons vote yesterday. Dr Philip Nitschke, the Australian right-to-die campaigner known as 'Dr Death' who is behind the Sarco euthanasia pod, said he will be 'enthusiastically' seeking to bring the technology to Britain for the first time. The coffin-like device offers patients a way to end their lives painlessly by flooding a sealed chamber with nitrogen gas that leads to loss of consciousness and death within ten minutes. A camera records their final moments and the video is sent to a coroner. Dr Nitschke said he intends to start 'enthusiastically pursuing the option of using the device in the UK' as soon as the assisted dying Bill becomes law. The campaigner said he has already had inquiries from 15 Britons seeking to use the Sarco pod and expects this number to increase with the passing of the Bill. 'We'll be looking to find UK-registered doctors to assist and of course someone who wants to use it and satisfies all of the requirements under the law,' he told The Times. 'The doctors involved would know that this would attract attention and possible close scrutiny, which by and large most doctors aren't enthusiastic about, so we'd have to find someone a little crusading.' If it becomes law, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will let terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live apply for an assisted death. The person wishing to die would take an approved substance, provided by a doctor but administered only by the person themselves. So far the Bill does not detail what the medication should be. Last year police made arrests after the Sarco pod was used for the first time by a 64-year-old American woman in Switzerland. Swiss authorities confiscated the capsule and took one of the pod company's founders, Florian Willet, who was present at the death, into custody on suspicion of aiding and abetting suicide. He was detained for ten weeks after police claimed there were strangulation marks on the neck of woman who had died. It comes after MPs on both sides of the assisted dying debate made impassioned interventions ahead of the Commons vote yesterday. Former home secretary Sir James Cleverly opened the debate for opponents of the Bill, speaking movingly of losing his closest friend to cancer this year as he warned that he could have 'lost' these precious final moments had assisted dying been available. Meanwhile Mother of the House Diane Abbott described it as the 'most fateful Bill that we discuss this Parliament'. The Labour MP warned that, under the Bill in its current form, 'there will be people among the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society who lose their lives unnecessarily'. 'It is literally a matter of life and death,' she added. 'I have heard talk today of the injustices of the current situation. What could be more unjust than someone losing their life because of poorly drafted legislation?' Former security minister Tom Tugendhat warned that legalising assisted dying would represent 'a huge shift in the relationship between the individual and the State'. The Tory MP said: 'It's about the power over life and death. Not just over ourselves, because we already have the power to end our own lives, it's called suicide. It is not a crime – it hasn't been a crime in this country for decades. 'This is a different power. This is about the power of the State through its agents to exercise power over life and death. 'Yes, agreed; yes, approved of in advance; but when the State takes a life, even with consent, that is a huge shift in the relationship between the individual and the State.' But one of the Bill's leading backers, Tory MP Kit Malthouse, wanted to give a voice to dying people 'not because they want to be rescued, but because time and time again, they're begging us for mercy'. The former Cabinet minister added: 'We honour life by giving it meaning and power. And the one thing that dying people ask for in their agonising final moments is control over the disease that is destroying them.' Campaigners from both sides had spent the day in rival but respectful demonstrations outside the Houses of Parliament. A cheer erupted as the result was announced on a livestream. Many cried and hugged each other, while others popped champagne. Rebecca Wilcox, Dame Esther Rantzen's daughter, called her mother, who is terminally ill, in front of supporters and told her she wished she was there. Ms Wilcox said that she even gave Bill proponent Kim Leadbeater's mother a 'big hug' following the result announcement and added: 'I don't know whether to have a drink or a really big cry. It was quite extraordinary.' Meanwhile Labour MP Dr Peter Prinsley said: 'As a young doctor, I found the measures that we're debating today completely unconscionable, but now I'm an old doctor, I feel sure this is an essential change.' He added: 'There is an absolute sanctity of human life, but we are not dealing with life or death, rather death or death. For there is also a sanctity of human dignity and fundamental to that is surely choice. Who are we to deny that?'
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Suicide pod inventor ‘vows to bring device to UK' after assisted dying vote despite mystery over ‘murder' of woman
THE inventor of the controversial Sacro "suicide pod" has vowed to bring the death device to the UK - despite it facing scrutiny over the alleged murder of a woman. It comes as MPs on Friday passed landmark assisted dying laws in a knife-edge final vote. 4 4 4 4 Terminally ill adults are set to be given the legal right to end their lives. The decision paves the way for the biggest shake-up in end-of-life care in decades after weeks of furious lobbying on both sides. The Bill now moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny before it can become law. If passed, it would mean adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live will be allowed to apply for a medically assisted death, under strict safeguards. Dr Philip Nitschke, who invented the bizarre-looking Sacro pod used in assisted dying, said he hoped to use the device in the UK. It is a human-sized pod which replaces the oxygen inside it with nitrogen, causing death by hypoxia. Dubbed the "Tesla of euthanasia", it is self-operated by a button on the inside, providing death without medical supervision. A camera inside records their final moments, and the video is handed to a coroner. Dr Nitschke said: 'As soon as we know that the final legislation is in place, we'll start enthusiastically pursuing the option of using the device in the UK. 'We'll be looking to find UK-registered doctors to assist, and of course, someone who wants to use it and satisfies all of the requirements under the law. First woman to die in 'suicide pod' may have been strangled, prosecutor claims "The doctors involved would know that this would attract attention and possible close scrutiny, which by and large most doctors aren't enthusiastic about, so we'd have to find someone who's a little crusading.' Dr Nitschke invented the Sarco in 2012. Last year, he developed a double pod that could be used by a couple who wish to die together, The Times reports. He said: 'If we were able to make use of the device available in the UK, there would be quite a few more applications, I imagine, because people want to die in their own home, or more importantly, be able to take the Sarco to some nice place in the UK rather than having to try and go to some strange country.' The suicide pod activist started the process of assisted dying using the pod last year with The Last Resort organisation - an assisted dying group based in Switzerland. However, the pod became the centre of an alleged murder investigation after the first woman to die inside it was allegedly found with strangulation marks on her neck. died last year inside the controversial capsule set up in a forest in Switzerland. The woman is said to have initiated the dying process herself by pressing a button while lying in the pod in the middle of the forest. What measures are included in the bill? would exclude those with eating disorders. It followed concern over the wording of the potential law would provide a loophole for those with anorexia to end their own lives. The Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olne tabled the amendment. The Royal College of Psychiatrists also expressed concern over any people with mental disorders such as anxiety or depression using the Bill in a similar way. END-OF-LIFE CARE Another amendment requiring ministers to assess the impact on palliative care within a year also passed. Charity Marie Curie warning this alone would not "make the improvements needed" in end-of-life care. REFLECTION PERIOD Some parts of the Bill have stayed the same, however. Two doctors must be independently satisfied a person is eligible for assisted dying. The medics must do their assessments at least seven days apart. There must be a 14-day "reflection period" if the High Court decides the patient can undergo assisted dying. If the two doctors are still satisfied once the period has been completed, the patients will be prescribed lethal drugs. THE PAPERWORK Brits who want to end their lives early must show have the mental capacity to make a choice about ending their life. They must also be deemed to have expressed a clear, settled and informed wish, free from coercion or pressure. If the patient can prove this, they will then have to make two separate declarations, witnessed and signed, saying they want to die. WHAT IS IN THE BILL? The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill applies to those over 18, who are living in England or Wales, and have been registered with a GP for at least 12 months. They must have the mental capacity to make the choice. They must be informed and free from coercion or pressure before making the choice. According to the Bill, they must have a terminal illness and be expected to die within six months. It requires them to declare their wish twice, both witnessed and signed. Two doctors must be satisfied that these requirements are met before the application is approved. A doctor would prepare the substance being used to end the patient's life, but the person would take it themselves. Coercing someone into declaring they want to end their life will be illegal, with a possible 14-year prison sentence. However, a forensic expert who checked her body shortly after she died found injuries near her neck that appeared similar to strangulation marks. The American woman was reportedly terminally ill and had been dying for two years. She was diagnosed with Osteomyelitis - a disease that could have manifested the alleged injury marks on her neck - according to Dutch media. But her death raised a host of legal and ethical questions in Switzerland, where active euthanasia is banned but assisted dying has been legal for decades. Cops took several people into custody, including Dr Florian Willet, the president of The Last Resort organisation. The right-to-die activist, 47, suffered a mental breakdown after being arrested by Swiss Police last year, according to Dr Nitschke. As part of the probe, prosecutors investigated whether he strangled the woman, but that was ruled out. Willet was released in December after being held in pre-trial detention for 70 days. He reportedly died in Germany with the help of a specialist organisation, though it is not known exactly how he died. YOU'RE NOT ALONE EVERY 90 minutes in the UK, a life is lost to suicide. It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
Daily Telegraph
06-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Telegraph
Suicide pod doctor dies after ‘strangling' claim
Don't miss out on the headlines from Innovation. Followed categories will be added to My News. A prominent euthanasia advocate has died months after he was detained by Swiss authorities on suspicion of strangling the first person to use a controversial 3D-printed 'suicide capsule' after the device allegedly failed to work. Dr Florian Willet, 47, died in Germany on May 5, according to an obituary by Australian right-to-die activist Dr Philip Nitschke posted on the website of The Last Resort, the assisted dying group founded by Dr Willet. 'He is dearly missed,' Dr Nitschke wrote. Dr Nitschke, the founder of pro-euthanasia group Exit International, is the inventor of the 'Sarco' capsule, which was used by a chronically ill US woman in a Swiss forest on September 23 last year. Dr Willet was the only person present for the death and called police who later took him into custody. The 'Sarco' cost $1.5 million to develop, according to Dr Nitschke, and allows a person sitting reclined in a seat to push a button that floods the chamber with nitrogen gas. Within minutes, the user is supposed to slip into unconsciousness before they die of suffocation. On October 26, Dutch newspaper Volkskrant reported the Swiss prosecutor had indicated in court that the 64-year-old woman might have actually been strangled. Dr Nitschke said 'this allegation has no foundation'. He said Dr Willet was held in pre-trial detention for 70 days until December 2. Dr Florian Willet has died in Germany. Picture: Supplied 'When Florian was released suddenly and unexpectedly from pre-trial detention in early December 2024, he was a changed man,' he wrote. 'Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who was deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation. In the early days of 2025, Florian 'fell' from the third floor of his Zurich apartment building. He would spend the following three months undergoing surgery and in rehab in Switzerland. During this time he was cared for by a full psychiatric team.' Dr Willet's psychiatric discharge report in January stated that he was suffering from 'an acute polymorphic psychotic disorder (F23.0) which is currently subsiding under antipsychotic therapy, and which has developed following the stress of the pre-trial detention and the associated processes', according to Dr Nitschke. 'Florian's spirit was broken,' he wrote. Euthanasia campaigner Dr Philip Nitschke and his Sarco pod. Picture: Supplied 'He knew that he did nothing illegal or wrong, but his belief in the rule of law in Switzerland was in tatters. In the final months of his life, Dr Florian Willet shouldered more than any man should. He was bravely present when the Sarco was used. Everyone needs a Florian by their side in their final moments. Florian has now paid the ultimate price — his life — for his compassion. Florian will live forever in our hearts.' Dr Nitschke first broke his silence on the controversy in a November interview with the Associated Press, telling the wire service he was 'desperate' about the plight of Dr Willet. 'It is absurd because we've got film that the capsule wasn't opened,' he said. 'She got in herself, pressed the button herself.' Other people were also arrested after the woman's death, including a journalist with a Dutch newspaper, but were later released. Dr Nitschke said the woman, from the US midwest, had 'compromised immune function' that made her 'subject to chronic infection'. In a separate interview, Dr Nitschke said Dr Willet had told him the death had been 'peaceful, fast, and dignified'. Dr Nitschke said he had been told the pod's use would be legal in Switzerland, one of the few countries foreigners can come to legally end their life. — with NCA NewsWire Originally published as Suicide pod doctor dies after 'strangling' claim
News.com.au
06-06-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
Suicide pod doctor dies after ‘strangling' claim
A prominent euthanasia advocate has died months after he was detained by Swiss authorities on suspicion of strangling the first person to use a controversial 3D-printed 'suicide capsule' after the device allegedly failed to work. Dr Florian Willet, 47, died in Germany on May 5, according to an obituary by Australian right-to-die activist Dr Philip Nitschke posted on the website of The Last Resort, the assisted dying group founded by Dr Willet. 'He is dearly missed,' Dr Nitschke wrote. Dr Nitschke, the founder of pro-euthanasia group Exit International, is the inventor of the 'Sarco' capsule, which was used by a chronically ill US woman in a Swiss forest on September 23 last year. Dr Willet was the only person present for the death and called police who later took him into custody. The 'Sarco' cost $1.5 million to develop, according to Dr Nitschke, and allows a person sitting reclined in a seat to push a button that floods the chamber with nitrogen gas. Within minutes, the user is supposed to slip into unconsciousness before they die of suffocation. On October 26, Dutch newspaper Volkskrant reported the Swiss prosecutor had indicated in court that the 64-year-old woman might have actually been strangled. Dr Nitschke said 'this allegation has no foundation'. He said Dr Willet was held in pre-trial detention for 70 days until December 2. 'When Florian was released suddenly and unexpectedly from pre-trial detention in early December 2024, he was a changed man,' he wrote. 'Gone was his warm smile and self-confidence. In its place was a man who was deeply traumatised by the experience of incarceration and the wrongful accusation of strangulation. In the early days of 2025, Florian 'fell' from the third floor of his Zurich apartment building. He would spend the following three months undergoing surgery and in rehab in Switzerland. During this time he was cared for by a full psychiatric team.' Dr Willet's psychiatric discharge report in January stated that he was suffering from 'an acute polymorphic psychotic disorder (F23.0) which is currently subsiding under antipsychotic therapy, and which has developed following the stress of the pre-trial detention and the associated processes', according to Dr Nitschke. 'Florian's spirit was broken,' he wrote. 'He knew that he did nothing illegal or wrong, but his belief in the rule of law in Switzerland was in tatters. In the final months of his life, Dr Florian Willet shouldered more than any man should. He was bravely present when the Sarco was used. Everyone needs a Florian by their side in their final moments. Florian has now paid the ultimate price — his life — for his compassion. Florian will live forever in our hearts.' Dr Nitschke first broke his silence on the controversy in a November interview with the Associated Press, telling the wire service he was 'desperate' about the plight of Dr Willet. 'It is absurd because we've got film that the capsule wasn't opened,' he said. 'She got in herself, pressed the button herself.' Other people were also arrested after the woman's death, including a journalist with a Dutch newspaper, but were later released. Dr Nitschke said the woman, from the US midwest, had 'compromised immune function' that made her 'subject to chronic infection'. In a separate interview, Dr Nitschke said Mr Willet, who was the only person present for the death, had told him it had been 'peaceful, fast, and dignified'. Dr Nitschke said he had been told the pod's use would be legal in Switzerland, one of the few countries foreigners can come to legally end their life.
