A pro-euthanasia advocate, Dr. Florian Willet, has reportedly died by assisted suicide in Germany, just over a year after being arrested concerning the controversial "suicide pod" that has sparked intense debates in the world of assisted dying. Dr. Willet, who was 47, was in attendance when a 64-year-old American woman used the pod in a Swiss forest last September, leading authorities to investigate his role in the incident.
Philip Nitschke, the inventor of the pod, confirmed Dr. Willet's passing and noted that he experienced significant psychological trauma after being detained for 70 days. He stated, "In the final months of his life, Dr. Florian Willet shouldered more than any man should." Willet's organization, The Last Resort, which supported the implementation of the pod, lamented that the arrest and resultant stress had left him "broken."
Dr. Willet's legal troubles revolved around allegations of intentional killing, which he was never charged with. Tragically, before his death on May 5, he reportedly fell from a third-floor window, necessitating extensive medical attention and psychiatric care during recovery.
Though assisted dying is legally permitted in specific circumstances within Switzerland, the use of the suicide pod—also known as Sarco—has faced opposition from critics concerned that it could glamorize suicide and bypass medical oversight. While thousands have sought assisted dying in Switzerland, laws against such practices remain strict in the UK and many European nations. BBC News has reached out to Swiss prosecutors for further comment on this situation.
