This weekend I was watching an interview - on television - about a controversial topic: the right to decide to die. The Australian - former physician - Philip Nitschke was interviewed. His nickname is Dr. Death. He is the world's best known advocate for a chosen life span. He is now coming up with something new, which he has worked on in the Netherlands in recent years: the Sarco, a suicide chest.

Already for twenty years, Nitschke is working on products to allow people to end their life in an easy and human way. He invests himself in the development of his suicide chest, in which someone dies within a few minutes.

Nitschke, founder of self-determination organisation "Exit International" and author of the suicide manual "The Peaceful Pill", conceived the coffin because members of his self-determination organisation expressed concerns about other existing methods he advises. Some methods are illegal, such as a costly deadly powder from China that can be seized by customs.

There are also drinks available on the internet. But people with a death wish are not always able to swallow. To remove all objections, Nitschke developed the suicide chest. It works with liquid nitrogen, which is legally available. The person in the coffin dies after the liquid is released on the bottom of the chest.

Nitschke thinks nobody will experience an awful death in his machine. "Someone in the coffin feels a bit drunk, disoriented, and then loses consciousness. This happens in about one and a half minute. The oxygen disappears and after five minutes you die." Death is caused by a lack of oxygen in the brain, which eventually stops the heart. "There is no risk of throwing up," says Nitschke. "You lie down, press the button and die."

Only a prototype is currently available. The intention is that people can print and build the chest with a 3D printer. The design files will be provided on the internet.

The designer who designed the box thinks his design will be very useful. "Of course, I had to think about this assignment, it is not an loveable product, at least it's suitable for everyone and safe."

Beginning of September, the organisation "Laatste Wil" (translation: Last Wishes) announced to have found a legally deadly powder for its members. Their members do not want a doctor or supervisor at their bed and do not want to meet the minimum age requirements. They want to die, even when they are not ill. Controlled with own mind and hands, without the need for obscure powders from China or saved/collected medicines.

According to our previous Dutch governments proposal, people would be able to die with the aid of a dedicated supervisor, a specialist in supporting the process of a chosen death, even though there is no incurable suffering as required by euthanasia. It is questionable if this proposal will be implemented due to our recent formed new government that includes two political parties with a Christian background. The rules and laws for euthanasia are indisputable by a large part of our parliament and therefor is not expected to change.

However, members of the organisation "Laaste Wil" ask for more autonomy and no rules to wait for government approval, but allow people to end their life when they are ready.

Nitschke knows that there is demand for a self-chosen death worldwide. "I think it's very mature, it's a right to have an option for a peaceful death, not a right for only ill people, it's a right for everyone," he says. The former physician sees suicide as a fundamental human right. "The society should not have anything to do with it. A peaceful death should be an option, so I'm building this machine."

Nitschke further explains there is no danger of accidents: "We build in a test so people cannot accidentally use the coffin. Your mental abilities are first tested on the basis of a number of questions; To see if you can make clear decisions. If you pass the test, you will get a 4-digit code that you need to type in to open the chest. Only then you can climb into the coffin, then you get the question: Do you want to die? If you press 'yes', you will die peacefully in minutes."

Conclusion

Although this topic is in many countries taboo, in the Netherlands we have quite liberal views and laws with regard to self determination to end your own life. However, it is still required to be of a certain age as well as being irrevocably ill. Although our former ministers wanted to relax the rules, our current ministers may not convert these ideas into new laws because some of the political parties in power have a Christian background. Interestingly, the later is something really strange to me since we supposed to have a secular society, meaning no religious influence on our rules and laws. But the realities are different, apparently! Although such products like Nitschke is developing are controversial, and are not products you would like to see in the shop windows around the corner, I personally believe people shall be able to do what they want, including the decision to end their life - in a human way - when they want to end their life.

Questions

• What is your view on self determination regarding chosen death?
• Do you think the government shall prohibit self chosen death by laws?
• Do you think a product like Nitschke's suicide chest should be forbidden?

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