"Euthanasia in Switzerland"... Heated Debate Over Woman Battling Illness for 20 Years

A Woman in Her 40s Diagnosed with Lupus at Age 20

A woman in her 40s in China has publicly chosen euthanasia, sparking heated debates on Chinese social networking services (SNS) about her decision.

On the 28th, Yonhap News, citing Chinese media such as Jiemian News, reported that the euthanasia choice of a Shanghai-born woman introduced as "Sabai," who suffers from systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), has ignited controversy. The woman posted a video on her SNS account on the 23rd, stating, "I will undergo euthanasia in Switzerland on the afternoon of the 24th." Lupus is a difficult-to-treat autoimmune disease that causes inflammation throughout the body due to abnormalities in the immune system.

[Image source=Pixabay]

Sabai revealed that her father would accompany her to Switzerland, and after a video titled "The last video of my father and me" was posted on the 24th, there have been no further posts on the account.

Sabai, who is over 40 years old this year, disclosed that she was diagnosed with lupus at the age of 20. After consultations with several doctors, she judged that recovery was impossible and chose euthanasia, publicly sharing all the euthanasia organizations and procedures she contacted through SNS.

This has sparked discussions online in China. Some netizens expressed understanding of Sabai’s experience and praised her courage, but others voiced concerns that her choice might create a potential stigma against lupus patients, according to the state-run Global Times.

The Global Times quoted Mu Long, deputy director of the Rheumatism and Immunology Research Institute at Peking University People’s Hospital, emphasizing, "It is true that a small number of lupus patients, especially those who do not receive regular treatment, may experience acute and severe illness, but most cases are manageable."

Meanwhile, in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal, controversy has recently arisen over the so-called "euthanasia capsule." The assisted death machine "Sarco," first revealed in July, is a capsule large enough for one person to lie down in. After entering the capsule, closing the lid, and pressing a button, nitrogen is released, leading to death within minutes. In fact, last month, a 64-year-old American woman suffering from an immune disease ended her life using Sarco in a forest near Merishausen, Switzerland.

However, Sarco has been criticized for allowing use by people over 50 with only a mental health certificate, which does not align with Switzerland’s assisted suicide system. The Swiss government also opposed the approval of Sarco, stating that "the use of Sarco is illegal." As a result, the use of this capsule is currently suspended.