By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
A Swiss group has decided to continue providing assisted suicide to Swiss citizens living abroad. EXIT, which is the largest assisted suicide group in Switzerland, had been considering limiting assisted suicide to Swiss citizens living in Switzerland but was pressured by its members to continue providing assisted suicides to foreigners.
According to an article published on September 14 by Swissinfo:
EXIT’s board of directors had wanted to restrict the service to within the borders of Switzerland as it was becoming difficult to obtain the necessary documentation from abroad and to arrange journeys to Switzerland.
But earlier this year, Swiss media reported that the proposal was not being viewed favourably by members. For this reason, EXIT’s directors decided to drop the proposal.
EXIT carried out 913 assisted suicides in 2020. Unlike other assisted suicide groups, such as Dignitas, that focus on suicide tourism, only 1% of EXIT’s assisted suicide deaths were suicide tourists.
Editor’s note. This appeared on Mr. Schadenberg’s blog and is reposted with permission.