Last week a prominent Canadian television company showed a program on the Dignitas organization in Switzerland. As this station also reaches many viewers in the USA, it has aroused a lot of interest and inquiries, so we are repeating this informational message about Dignitas.
PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE FOR THE TERMINALLY OR
HOPELESSLY ILL, COMPETENT, ADULT PERSON IN SWITZERLAND
Physician-assisted suicide is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Oregon, USA. But, except for Switzerland, the law confines the procedure to residents only, and under strict conditions. Switzerland alone allows foreigners to come for hastened death, provided it is altruistic, not profit-making or ill-intentioned.
Two right-to-die organizations (both called EXIT) in Switzerland help only their own members to die, but DIGNITAS will help foreign visitors to die in cases which they feel justified because of the suffering. The person must be a competent adult.
The Dignitas clinic is in Forch, near Zürich, Switzerland, and therefore operates under Swiss law, which, since l940, has permitted assisted suicide, with or without a doctor. ‘Assisted suicide’ in this instance means drinking a lethal overdose provided by Dignitas. Euthanasia (direct lethal injection) is illegal and not done. Swiss authorities are informed of all deaths.
There are fees to be paid for documentation, registrations, certificates, etc. A death arranged through Dignitas costs 3,500 Euros (about £2,450 pounds sterling, or 4,240 US dollars), which includes all the administration fees and payment to the collaborators. Traveling expenses to Switzerland are extra, but only a one-way ticket is required. Members also pay a modest annual subscription.
In certain cases, after considerable investigation, DIGNITAS will help an adult with long-time, severe, incurable mental illness to die.
How to contact Dignitas in Switzerland: they must be fully informed in advance of a person’s wishes, circumstances, medical condition, see the medical records, and agree to help. It is not a ‘walk-in’ clinic.
Email: dignitas@dignitas.ch Web: www.dignitas.ch
Mailing address:-
Postfach 9 – CH 8127 Forch, Switzerland
Telefon: +41-44-980 44 59
Contact person is : Ludwig A Minelli, attorney. (Speaks English)
This is an informational message (November 25, 2007) from ERGO at www.finalexit.org
