Unplugging the “Tesla of euthanasia”

Assisted suicide has undergone many iterations, from physician-assisted lethal injections to indirect euthanasia, where high doses of morphine are administered to ease the pain—and suppress a person’s respiratory function. Now Switzerland—under the leadership of “Dr. Death” Philip Nitschke—has developed Sarco, a 3D-printed sarcophagus-shaped suicide machine.

Assisted suicide has been legal in Switzerland since 1942. Nonetheless, authorities just announced that Sarco will not be permitted in their country, despite last month’s initial rollout.

Dubbed the “Tesla of euthanasia,” Sarco would allow customers to order a custom-made and portable death pod. Such technology allows doctors to take a hands-off approach as the machine handles the bulk of the process. As they enter the pod, users are asked three questions: “Who are you?” “Where are you?” and “Do you know what happens if you press the button?” If they can verbally answer each question, the software begins to replace the 21 percent oxygen levels with nitrogen gas. Within 30 seconds, the oxygen levels are less than 1 percent, lulling users into a deadly and permanent sleep.

Despite its sleek exterior and futuristic interface, Sarco’s design is a poor façade for what actually occurs. This death pod is nothing more than a modern, nitrogen-filled gas chamber built to eliminate the unfit from familial and societal care: the terminally ill, aged, and those in chronic pain. Along these lines, James Mildred, director of engagement at the pro-life group CARE, criticized Sarco for glamorizing suicide and encouraging the unnecessary “destruction of human life.”

Ultimately, legal and ethical concerns led Switzerland to act. Article 115 of the Swiss Criminal Code prohibits assisted suicide that is motivated by “selfish” reasons, including financial gain or fame. Indeed, Sarco’s hands-off approach poses several ethical challenges as lawmakers wrestle with who would be held responsible for the death.

Such suicide pods present perverse incentives for users. Some may be tempted by the hype to end their life, especially if it’s a lonely one, in a public and attention-grabbing way. Others may feel compelled to relieve their family from the burden of care or as a response to indirect pressure from doctors who view euthanasia as a cheaper solution than long-term care. In either case, such futuristic death pods take advantage of suffering, vulnerable, and lonely persons by encouraging them to take an easy way out.

When many people imagine their death, they pray for a peaceful passing surrounded by their friends and family. In many cases, melodic hymns sung by those who love them most on earth are gently replaced by the sounds of angelic worship as they enter eternal glory. Sarco presents a very different experience as persons are isolated in a small enclosure where they spend their final moments interacting with the latest artificial simulation software program. This is nothing less than an attack on the Christian worldview and a Biblical anthropology.

Indeed, the psalmists’ declaration “It is [God] who made us, and we are His” is the foundation of the Church’s stance on assisted suicide. When men and women consider theological and moral questions about life, it is important that they first recognize their own nature as beings created in the image of God.

Despite technological advancements of the last 75 years that suggest otherwise, artificial attempts to control the creation of life and the taking of life are beyond the God-given purview of human dominion. (I would exempt capital punishment from this, as a right given to states by God—Brad Littlejohn explores this distinction best here.)

Nonetheless, today’s story ends on a positive note. Issues within bioethics often feel like an uphill battle against personal desire and public opinion. As the decision by the authorities in Switzerland shows, however, technological progressivism is not inevitable. Good policies and lawmakers who protect life and promote human flourishing can do a lot to curb the anti-human technologies that strip human beings of their personhood in the name of faux compassion.