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Swiss Assisted Dying Clinic Under Scrutiny After Second Case of Non-Disclosure to Family
A Switzerland-based assisted dying clinic, Pegasos, is facing renewed criticism after it facilitated the death of a British woman without informing her family. This incident allegedly contradicts the clinic’s claims of revised procedures following a similar occurrence in 2023. The case has sparked further debate around assisted suicide practices and ethical considerations within such facilities.
Anne Canning’s Journey to Switzerland
Anne Canning, 51, from Wales, travelled to the Pegasos clinic, situated near Basel, in January to undergo voluntary assisted dying.
Her decision was reportedly linked to severe depression following the loss of her son, according to her sister Delia. Delia informed ITV News that Anne was not suffering from any terminal illness. The family believed Anne was going on holiday to Switzerland, unaware of her true intentions.
Unforeseen Revelation for the Family
The family remained completely uninformed about Anne’s plan until a collection of letters arrived at their home.
These letters, posted from Switzerland but not directly from the Pegasos clinic’s address, contained the message: ‘If you’re reading this, I am no longer here. I have contemplated this extensively and need to find [my son] and ask him some questions.
‘There is nothing you could have done, because this was my decision to go to Switzerland and be at peace.’
Policy Breach Allegations at Pegasos
This distressing revelation, uncovered by an ITV News investigation, raises questions about Pegasos clinic’s adherence to its stated policy changes. The clinic had purportedly pledged to contact family members of every patient choosing to undergo assisted suicide at their facility prior to administering the lethal medication.
Echoes of the Alastair Hamilton Case
This recent incident bears a striking resemblance to the 2023 case of Alastair Hamilton, a 47-year-old chemistry teacher. Hamilton informed his parents he was visiting a friend in Paris but secretly travelled to Switzerland to end his life at the Pegasos clinic.
After his distraught family reported him missing, the Metropolitan Police, the Foreign Office, and Interpol eventually discovered Alastair’s death through Pegasos’ assistance.
In emails to Alastair’s family, a Met Police sergeant expressed frustration, describing Pegasos’ ‘lack of compassion and lack of transparency’ as ‘completely unacceptable’.
Swiss Law and Assisted Suicide
Since 1942, Swiss law permits assisted suicide provided the helper’s motives are not self-serving, such as financial gain.
The legislation mandates that the individual seeking assisted dying must be of sound mind but does not require a terminal illness or any medical condition. Assisted suicide clinics in the country operate as non-profit organizations.
Dignitas vs. Pegasos: Contrasting Approaches
Dignitas, another prominent Swiss clinic, known for assisting over 540 Britons in the last two decades, maintains stringent criteria. Dignitas clients must be terminally ill, experiencing severe pain, or living with an ‘unendurable disability’.
In contrast, Pegasos, led by activist Ruedi Habegger, states that terminal illness is not a prerequisite for their services. Their website indicates they can approve a death request ‘in as little as a few weeks’ for individuals over 18.
Anne Canning’s Health and State of Mind
Despite Anne Canning’s evident depression, her family emphasized her otherwise robust health.
‘She was one of the healthiest people we know,’ her sister Delia told ITV from Anne’s Welsh home, while sorting through her belongings with her brother John.
‘Anyone who loses a child probably wants to die and be with them. But with the appropriate support, she could have overcome it.’
Family’s Desperate Search for Answers
With only suicide letters and a Swiss postmark, Delia contacted numerous clinics, hoping to locate her sister.
According to ITV News, Pegasos took several days to respond, eventually sending a brief message: ‘Anne has chosen to die… She died gently and not alone. I hope her letters help you to accept this. All official papers and her urn will be sent to her brother John.’
Pegasos’ Statement and Protocols
In response to the ITV investigation, Pegasos issued a statement asserting: ‘According to our protocols we do the best of our abilities that persons we assist have informed their loved ones of their plans to die.
‘Should we have reason to assume that no information has been provided to close family, we will refrain from proceeding without credible proof that they are aware. This hasn’t been the case lately.’
They further stated: ‘We understand that the assisted death of a loved person is a distressing time for the family. We are very sorry if Pegasos’ actions or communications have caused further distress to any affected family member at any time and thoroughly consider all concerns.’
‘Finally, we’d like to emphasize that – since our foundation in 2019 – all our actions have been in accordance with Swiss law.’
Alastair Hamilton’s Family Speaks Out
Last year, Alastair Hamilton’s family publicly shared their devastating experience amid ongoing discussions about assisted dying in the UK.
Alastair’s brother Toby stated: ‘I’m not against assisted dying, but you can’t allow someone who is not terminally ill to turn up and do this on their own, completely isolated, and then completely disregard the family. It’s a cowboy operation. These people are cowboys.’
Mrs. Hamilton added: ‘Why Pegasos acted the way they did and agreed to help Alastair do this, I don’t think I will ever understand.
‘We’re all still heartbroken and still have so many questions, but I’m not sure we will ever get all the answers.’
Alastair Hamilton’s Undiagnosed Condition
Alastair’s family revealed he had been struggling with low mood since 2022, experiencing weight loss and increasing fatigue.
He reduced his working hours and returned to his parents’ home in Hampton, but doctors were unable to diagnose his condition.
His concerned family arranged multiple private health assessments, including cancer and HIV tests, to determine the cause of his weight loss. However, doctors remained unable to identify any medical condition.
Toby recounted: ‘Alastair started talking about suicide as casually as discussing going to the pub.
‘I pleaded with him not to mention the ‘S word’ to our mum and reassured him we would allocate resources, whatever he needed, until we found a solution.’
Final Farewell and Departure
On August 10th, Alastair’s father, Edward, 85, drove him to Gatwick Airport, unaware that his son was not traveling to meet a friend in France.
Mrs. Hamilton recalled her final moments with her son: ‘Before he left, he embraced me and gave me a big kiss, and just said, ‘Always remember Mum that I love you very much, I always have, I always will, no matter what’.
‘I was delighted that he seemed to be regaining his enthusiasm for life, and he was always very affectionate and loving towards me, so I didn’t realize these words were his final goodbye.’
Search and Discovery of Alastair’s Fate
His family grew concerned when Alastair became unresponsive to calls, texts, and voicemails over the following week.
Mrs. Hamilton contacted the police and reported him as a missing person. Scotland Yard subsequently determined that Alastair had indeed flown to Switzerland.
Analysis of his bank records revealed four payments totaling £10,310 to the Pegasos Swiss Association, a small clinic operating from an office in Basel’s city center.
Police contacted Pegasos, who confirmed Alastair’s death at their clinic but withheld the date of his death and other details.
Days turned into weeks, and Toby persistently emailed the clinic, pleading: ‘I urge and beg you to please reply to my email as soon as possible.
‘Can you imagine what this is doing to our family during this incredibly traumatic time?’
However, the clinic remained unresponsive for another week before sending a terse email requesting passport scans and a signed affidavit from Toby to access information about his brother.
Despite Toby complying immediately, another week passed before they finally confirmed Alastair’s death date as August 14, 2023.
Family’s Grief and Unanswered Questions
Last night, Toby expressed his anguish: ‘If you had any empathy, any basic human decency, you would pick up the phone and speak to the grieving family.’
Mrs. Hamilton added: ‘I would have remortgaged the house to have his body returned home if I had known what happened, but we were never given that chance.’
Lingering Loss and Lack of Closure
Two months after Alastair’s death, in October, his family received his ashes by post.
They never received the goodbye letters Pegasos claimed Alastair had left.
His wristwatch, clothing, and personal belongings have also never been returned. Toby recounted: ‘We eventually found Alastair’s application to Pegasos, which was essentially a two-page cover letter.
‘It doesn’t appear they conduct the same level of checks as Dignitas. They aren’t engaging with doctors for medical records or psychotherapists to assess a person’s mental state.’
Dame Esther Rantzen’s Perspective on Assisted Dying
Childline founder Dame Esther Rantzen, who joined Dignitas after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, urged ‘lawmakers to catch up with the public’ on the issue of assisted dying.
Upon learning of Alastair Hamilton’s case, Dame Esther told The Mail on Sunday: ‘We can learn from countries with existing legislation on this to determine the most practical and humane approach to legalizing assisted dying without endangering vulnerable individuals.’
Pegasos did not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Mail on Sunday.