What is Dignitas?
Q: What is Dignitas?
A: Dignitas is a Swiss group that helps people with assisted suicide.
Q: Who started Dignitas?
A: Dignitas was started in 1998 by Ludwig Minelli, a Swiss lawyer.
Q: What does the law in Switzerland say about assisted suicide?
A: The law in Switzerland says that someone can help in an assisted suicide so long as they do not have any self-interest (for example, so long as they are not going to inherit money from the person who dies).
Q: How does the doctor make sure that the patient really wants to die?
A: The doctor has to meet the patient on two occasions and make sure that the patient really does wish to die. There must be evidence for this, i.e. the patient has to sign a paper, and two witnesses have to sign to say they saw the patient signing. If the patient is too ill to sign, a video film can be made. The patient is asked several times whether that is what they want.
Q: Are there any examples of people travelling from other countries such as Britain for assisted suicide at Dignitas?
A: Yes, some people travel from other countries such as Britain to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland so that they can be helped to die. For example, rugby player Daniel James had a terrible injury which left him paralysed and travelled there with his parents; British conductor Edward Downes and his wife both travelled there where they died together.
Q: Is it possible for more than one person at once go through assisted suicide at Dignitas?
A: Yes, it is possible for more than one person at once go through assisted suicide at Dignitas - like Edward Downes and his wife did together in 2009.
