Swiss Neighbors Demand End to Assisted Death

(NEWSER) - Some 800 Brits have signed up to commit suicide at a controversial Swiss clinic, reports the Guardian. The terminally ill patients have become members of Dignitas so they can travel to Zurich when the time comes to take a drug overdose. The number of British residents crossing the border for assisted suicide continues to climb, triggering heightened debate in Britain about a nationwide ban on the practice. More»

Assisted suicides to be restricted to the terminally ill

(NEWSER) - Swiss authorities are trying to cut back on the numbers of people swarming its borders with the intention of dying. The government plans to cut back or even ban assisted suicide amid concerns that too many people—some of them not suffering terminal illnesses—are traveling to Switzerland for assisted suicides, reports the BBC . There were 400 cases of assisted suicide in the country last year, including 132 foreigners. More»

As Britain eases rules, Switzerland fears rush of ill bent on killing themselves

(NEWSER) - Swiss politicians have stepped up efforts to battle "suicide tourism" as British officials prepare to announce new rules expected to make it easier for citizens to cross borders to die, reports the Independent. Some 115 Britons have died at assisted suicide operations run by Dignitas in Switzerland. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland under certain conditions. Several doctors, however, question how rigorous the screening process is for Dignitas patients. More»

Swiss founder argues option shouldn't be only for terminally ill

(NEWSER) - The founder of a Swiss assisted-suicide center thinks the Brits are too narrow-minded about the service he offers—it should be available to everyone, not just the terminally ill. The center has sparked an uproar in Britain over plans to help a healthy woman kill herself, the Times of London reports. The woman’s husband is terminally ill, and the Canadian pair agreed to die together. Preparing for a court fight, Dignitas founder Ludwig Minelli told the BBC that suicide was a “marvelous opportunity.” More»

Footloose pachyderm tours downtown Zurich

(NEWSER) - An escaped elephant went on a tour of downtown Zurich yesterday evening, spending an hour on the loose before police apprehended her. Sabu, a 26-year-old female from the Swiss national circus, cooled off in Lake Zurich before roaming the streets of the business district and doing a little window-shopping on the Bahnhofstrasse, Bloomberg reports .See video of the escapade in the gallery above or by clicking here . More»