title: Pharmacists' attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide.
abstract: Pharmacists' attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide were measured. Surveys were mailed to a national random sample of 1050 licensed pharmacists. Part 1 of the survey collected information about the respondents and their education and practice setting. Part 2 asked them to indicate "yes," "no," or "unsure" in response to questions about physician-assisted suicide and to rank the intensity of their religious conviction. Part 3 solicited respondents' opinions about physician-assisted suicide. Respondents returned 534 completed questionnaires. Most of the respondents (72.6%) believed that patients are sometimes justified in wanting to end their own lives but only 48.6% believed that physicians should actively help their patients die. Of those who believed that physician-assisted suicide may be appropriate in some situations, 70.9% considered it to be an appropriate use of prescription drugs. Among respondents who believed that physician-assisted suicide may sometimes be appropriate, 66.6% believed it is inappropriate for a physician to involve a pharmacist without the pharmacist's knowledge and consent. However, only 53.8% indicated that they would want to know if a prescription they dispensed were going to be used in a physician-assisted suicide, and only 34.3% indicated that they would ever knowingly participate in one. Younger pharmacists and those with a high degree of religious conviction were significantly more negative toward physician-assisted suicide. Comments in part 3 indicated that personal experiences also influenced pharmacists' attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide. Pharmacists' opinions about physician-assisted suicide vary considerably and seem to be associated with factors such as personal experiences, religious conviction, and age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rupp
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Isenhower
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005065:Euthanasia; D033101:Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D024382:Professional Role; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States