The Member of lifecircle represents a request for AVD to the trustees of the Eternal SPIRIT Foundation. They will decide whether the reason for the application meets the guidelines of the foundation and they eventually forward the documents for further assessment to a Swiss physician. This Swiss physician will assess the request on the basis of medical reports enclosed, and after two personal discussions with the member.

For a person from abroad two detailed discussions with a Swiss doctor are compulsory, during which will be clarified whether the death wish meets with Swiss guidelines. A person from abroad must therefore expect to stay in Switzerland for at least 3-4 days before an AVD can be realized. Swiss citizens are ideally assessed by their general practitioner, or if this is not possible, by a consulting physician of the Eternal SPIRIT Foundation.

As soon as the Swiss doctor gives the o.k., an appointment can be scheduled for an AVD within one or two days. For Swiss citizens the AVD takes place in their homes or on the premises of Eternal SPIRIT,  for persons from outside of Switzerland the AVD takes place in general on the premises of Eternal SPIRIT.

The member signs his/her wish for dying once again, the day the AVD takes place. The member takes a drug that prevents vomiting, then he/she can either drink the lethal medication or take it by an intravenous drop. The supply of the drug will be filmed. This is the only reliable evidence that proves that the member has executed the application himself/herself and in full awareness. Falling asleep occurs within a few minutes, death usually follows within half an hour. For the attending relatives and friends the whole process is not very stressful and they are supervised as required by the accompanying employee of Eternal SPIRIT.

After determination of death, the accompanying person reports an extraordinary death to the police. This is required by Swiss law. A forensic scientist and a person of the public prosecution may also be called. Their task is to ascertain whether all the requirements of Swiss law were met. Witnesses can be interviewed, but this occurs rarely.

If the authorities have released the deceased, he/ she is then taken over by a funeral service. Persons from abroad are advised to accept a cremation, the urn can easily be transfered home.

There are diseases which are not curable with all medical procedures and which sometimes cannot be stopped in their progression. People who suffer from such an illness, can be severely disabled and in need of nursing care over a long period of time. In this situation, some people do not want to continue to bear their fate because they see no sense in a life in complete dependence and without their own activity. Some people feel the need to be nursed as not dignified, they do not want to be wrapped and washed like an infant. Some diseases cause pains that can be made bearable only with such high doses of morphine and sedatives that the patient is unconcious. Those who do not accept to be nursed without hope of improvement, may be eligible for AVD.

Also people with a disease which is incurable and clearly leads to reduction in quality of life, although it does not lead to death in the near future (such as dementia, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, quadriplegia, to mention just a few) are eligible for AVD.

• Minors
• Incapable of discernment
• Mentally ill people without serious physical suffering

Approximately 2 - 3 weeks, but it may take up to four weeks in some cases.

It can never be 100% definite that you will not be sent home. You must be of sound mind on the day of the AVD. If one of the two doctors have doubts about your faculty of judgement, the AVD cannot be performed. However, we make every effort during the preliminary investigations to check whether you meet the guidelines of the Foundation. This makes it an extremely rare occurrence that someone must be sent home.

Unfortunately this is not possible because the identifying person needs to be known to ES before the AVD, so this must be a family member, friend or acquaintance who was already in contact with you back home.

The urn can be delivered to an address/funeral organization in your country or we will scatter the ashes in Switzerland.