The SARCOPOD and MAID

 I learned about a new acronym in medical terminology that I was not aware of before —MAID.

An interesting article about MAID, which stands for Medical Assistance in Dying, came out, specifically about a pod that’s been built in Switzerland, called the “Sarco Pod,” where ending one’s misery, so to speak, is made more comfortable, for lack of a better word.

The company is SARCO 

The Sarco was inspired by UK man Tony Nicklinson who had locked-in syndrome. The lawyers of Tony approached Exit to ask if Philip Nitschke could invent a device that could be activated by the blink of an eye (this was the only movement Tony had). This got Philip thinking. Using his background in experimental physics, Philip set to work to create the Sarco. Sadly, Tony died before the project could be finished for him.

In the future, the blueprints for this Sarco Pod will be posted online, and you will apparently be able to 3-D print the machine wherever you are in the world and postulated that AI could assess whether you met the criteria to end your own life, versus having to go to a human doctor.

Apparently, Switzerland is consistently thought of as the most libertarian of societies on Earth, according to the article by Vox. It is ranked as the #1 country in the Human Freedom Index report, put out by a libertarian think-tank Cato Report.

Authorities in Switzerland took a dim look at this device by arresting several people.

Apparently, demand is increasing for this practice, and only a few countries, including Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium, allow it legally.

What are your thoughts on assisted suicide?

The Peaceful Pill is available for those who want more information on euthanasia.

An online edition can be found here along with frequent updates

We have an online live pain management conference coming up called New And Integrative Ways To Manage Pain, which will welcome a few palliative medicine docs. It will be interesting to visit this issue there and ask for everyone’s thoughts.

Faculty at our event will include Delia Chiaramonte, MD, MS (whose SoMeDocs podcast episode was among the favorites in 2024),

David Rosenblum MD, Arian Nachat, MD Chief Executive Officer Dr Olivia Ong, FFPMANZCA FAFRM (RACP), Nikhil Verma M.D., Sarah Merritt, MD, Peter A. DePergola II, PhD, MTS, HEC-C, CT, Rikin Patel, DO, Elisha Peterson MD MEd FAAP FASA, & Michael Foti, DO.

Health Train Express offers this only for information, and should not be used for any purposes regarding euthanasia.