Swiss Doctor Involved in First Sarco Pod Death Dies Months After Release from Detention

Dr Florian Willet died

Dr Florian Willet, a Swiss physician who was arrested in connection with the first reported use of the Sarco assisted dying pod, died by assisted suicide on 5 May in Cologne, Germany. His death came months after a traumatic fall from the third floor of his Zurich apartment, and followed a long psychological and physical decline attributed to stress from legal proceedings.

Dr Willet, 47, was the co-president of The Last Resort, a Swiss affiliate of the voluntary euthanasia advocacy group Exit International. He was the only person present at the death of a 64-year-old American woman who used the Sarco pod in a secluded forest cabin in Merishausen, northern Switzerland, in September 2024. The woman, who suffered from severe immune compromise, became the first recorded person to die using the 3D-printed capsule.

Australian euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke

The Sarco, developed by Australian-born physician Dr Philip Nitschke, was designed to enable a person to initiate the assisted dying process by pressing a button from inside the pod. The device, which cost over $1 million (approx. £747,440) to develop, was hailed by its creator as offering a peaceful, drug-free death at a time of one’s choosing.

Following the woman’s death, Swiss authorities arrested Dr Willet at the scene. He was placed in pre-trial detention for 70 days after prosecutors alleged that the Sarco had malfunctioned and the woman’s injuries were consistent with strangulation. Exit International strongly rejected the accusation, stating there was “no foundation” for the claim and that the entire procedure had been filmed, with footage submitted to prosecutors. Dr Willet had described the death as “peaceful, fast and dignified,” according to Exit International.

Dr Nitschke, who now lives in the Netherlands, defended the Sarco’s performance, stating that Swiss legal advice had supported its use under the country’s existing assisted suicide laws. These laws allow assisted suicide provided that the person acts voluntarily and no one stands to gain personally from their death.

Dr Philip Nitschke and Dr Florian Willet in December 2024

After his release in early December 2024, Dr Willet reportedly struggled to recover. Dr Nitschke described him as a “changed man,” stating that his “spirit was broken” and that he had lost his confidence and joy. During Christmas, Willet sought psychiatric treatment in Zurich but discharged himself from care just before New Year’s Eve.

In January, he suffered a severe fall from his third-floor apartment, resulting in multiple injuries. Doctors diagnosed him with acute polymorphic disorder, a condition often triggered by intense psychological stress. After undergoing surgery and three months of rehabilitation, he ultimately ended his life via assisted suicide in Germany, where the practice is legal.

Switzerland is one of the few countries that permits foreigners to access legal assisted suicide services. However, recent events have intensified debate around the nation’s right-to-die laws. Some Swiss politicians, including Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, have questioned the legality of emerging methods like the Sarco, calling for clearer regulations and the closure of what they describe as legal loopholes.

Dr Willet’s death adds further complexity to the global discourse surrounding assisted dying technologies, mental health, and the limits of legal and ethical boundaries in end-of-life care.