There is now a new Voluntary Assisted Dying centre in Switzerland. Its name is Athanasios and it is based in Basel. The website address is www.athanasios.ch. It was launched this week (25th March). Full details will follow on this website as soon as the necessary research and due diligence has been done.
Operationally, it will be similar to Pegasos and Lifecircle. It has drawn some of its staff from each one. The medication used will be Nembutal (pentobarbital of sodium) and the means of application will be by cannula. The cost structure and fee levels are likely to be very similar to Pegasos, too. It is understood to be operational already, although we have no information yet about its capacity or its number of VADs to date.
The leading personnel are understood to be Flemming Scholaart who is the leader of the Danish right-to-die movement and Sylvianna Geist. The VADs themselves will be handled in the centre of Basel.
This sounds to be very good news. Athanasios widens the choice for people who could have preferred Dignitas but were worried that the Dignitas methodology usually involves a drink rather than a cannula. It could also be a preference for those who would have chosen Pegasos but were having doubts because of the reported administrative inefficiencies. It may well prove to be a replica of Lifecircle, which closed its books to new members in 2022.
Watch this space.
