Swiss-Assisted Dying Clinic Faces Criticism Over Failure to Notify Families

Anne’s family spent days tracking down where she went and to get confirmation of her death

Pegasos, a Swiss assisted dying clinic, is once again facing scrutiny after a British family discovered the death of their loved one not through official notification, but by piecing together her final moments. The case echoes a previous controversy in which the clinic promised to inform families before proceeding with assisted deaths.

Delia, the sister of Anne, 51, learned of her sister’s decision only after receiving goodbye letters posted from Switzerland. Until then, the family had believed Anne was on holiday. “She was one of the healthiest people we know,” Delia said while packing up Anne’s belongings in Wales. Anne had no known terminal illness, but her family believes she struggled with depression following the loss of her only son.

In a letter to Delia, Anne wrote, “If you’re reading this, I am no longer here.” She expressed a deep desire to reunite with her son, stating, “There is nothing you could have done, because this was my decision to go to Switzerland and be in peace… I can’t keep going and get older and older without my son.”

After tracing Anne’s movements to Pegasos, the family spent days exchanging emails before the clinic confirmed she had undergone an assisted death. “Anne has chosen to die,” Pegasos informed them, later adding that Anne “felt alone and superfluous” and “did not want to grow old.” When Delia objected, insisting “this was NOT the right decision for her,” Pegasos ceased communication.

Anne’s brother, John, claims the clinic failed to contact him before proceeding. “Why do they possibly think they have the right to do these things without contacting her family? It just seems evil to me… not to give us a chance to speak to her,” he said.

This incident follows a similar case involving Judith Hamilton, 82, whose son Alastair died at Pegasos in secret. Alastair, a chemistry teacher, had no diagnosed illness, and his family believed he was simply going on holiday. After he failed to return home, Judith reported him missing, only to discover through bank records that he had paid £11,000 to Pegasos. The clinic had accepted his online application stating he suffered from “pain, fatigue, and discomfort.”

Judith Hamilton learnt of her son Alastair’s assisted suicide after she reported him missing

Judith later traveled to Basel to confront Pegasos owner Ruedi Habegger. In response, the clinic assured her that in the future, families would be notified before an assisted death. Now, following Anne’s case, Judith is furious that Pegasos appears to have broken its promise. “I cannot believe that despite what we were told, Pegasos has acted in the same heartless, cruel manner as they did when Alastair died,” she said. “I think they are despicable and should no longer be allowed to operate.”

A spokesperson for Pegasos defended the clinic’s actions, stating, “According to our protocols, we do our best to ensure that persons we assist have informed their loved ones of their plans to die. Should we have reason to assume that no information has been provided to close family, we will refrain from proceeding without credible proof that they are aware. This hasn’t been the case lately.” They added, “We are very sorry if Pegasos’ actions or communications have caused further distress to any affected family member.”

Switzerland is one of only seven countries where assisted dying is legal, making it a significant destination for "suicide tourism." The Isle of Man recently became the eighth jurisdiction to legalize assisted dying, with stricter requirements, including a residency rule and a prognosis of 12 months or less for eligibility. Meanwhile, the UK is moving toward legalization, as MPs recently voted by a majority of 330 in favor of a bill that would allow terminally ill individuals with fewer than six months to live to request assistance in dying.

The Pegasos clinic on an industrial estate on the outskirts of Liestal, a town just south of Basel, Switzerland