The Swiss Medical Association agreed to a new set of guidelines for assisted suicide that state:
- The physician must conduct at least two detailed discussions with the patient separated by an interval of at least two weeks.
- The symptoms of the illness and/or functional impairment must be unbearable, the severity of which is to be substantiated by a legitimate diagnosis and prognosis.
- Assisted suicide for healthy persons is not medically or ethically justifiable.
Previous guidelines did not require a two week interval and they permitted assisted suicide for otherwise healthy people. Lifecircle already offers the first meeting online. Swiss assisted suicide groups, as Dignitas, EXIT or The Swiss Medical Association are concerned that “stricter” rules will discourage suicide tourism.