Swiss Group Agrees Rules For Assisted Suicide

The rules include that assisted suicide is only allowed for those in serious suffering due to health problems, accident or disability.

Swiss right-to-die group Exit has agreed rules to govern the practice of assisted suicide with prosecutors in the city of Zurich that it hopes might eventually form the basis of national regulation, they said on Friday.

The rules include that assisted suicide is only allowed for those in serious suffering due to health problems, accident or disability; all other options must be exhausted and only a deadly dose of anaesthetic sodium pentobarbital can be used.

The deal, which was signed on Tuesday, said Exit was not allowed to make a profit from helping people die and can charge a maximum of 500 Swiss francs ($461) per assisted suicide.

For double suicides, both parties must separately meet the criteria and assistance is not allowed for people under the age of 25 who are not experiencing severe physical suffering.

The government of Zurich -- where about 200 people commit assisted suicide each year -- said it had decided to draw up the rules with Exit because no national regulation was in sight although it would continue to campaign for this.

"Given the number of assisted suicides in the canton of Zurich, clear and transparent rules are of great interest," the government said in a joint statement with Exit.

Dignitas, the other main right-to-die group in Switzerland which mainly helps foreigners from Germany, France and Britain, has rejected the rules as too restrictive. Exit mainly helps Swiss people.

Foreigners are not explicitly excluded under the new rules, but a Swiss doctor who prescribes the deadly anaesthetic must have met the person twice over a period of time to be sure of their wishes.

Assisted suicide has been allowed in Switzerland since the 1940s if performed by a non-physician who has no vested interest in the death. Euthanasia is legal only in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the U.S. state of Oregon.

A study last year showed an increasing number of people seeking assisted suicides in Switzerland do not suffer from a terminal illness.

That fact and a recent rise in "death tourism" to Switzerland has provoked heated debate about the practice. The national government said last month it was divided on the issue but might consider tighter regulator or even an outright ban.