title: Thanatology: a new clinical specialty to help confront death.
abstract: The complexities, widespread ramifications and uncertainties surrounding decisions dealing with the process of dying call for a specialty of clinical thanatology. The need for such a specialty grows out of medical technological progress, which has permitted the prolongation of life without parallel guidelines for its termination. The further functions and roles of a thanatologist would evolve with the passage of time.
authors.affiliation: University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boyarsky
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: North
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Boyarsky
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D010819:Physician's Role; D012297:Right to Die; D013795:Thanatology