title: [Medicine at life's end--the view of a palliative physician].
abstract: An international comparison reveals considerable differences in the legal constraints imposed upon a physician in his approach to the question of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Despite the fact that surveys show 50-80% of the German population to be in favor of active assistance for terminally-ill patients wishing to end their lives, in 2004 the Bundesärztekammer (Federal Medical Association) confirmed its earlier rejection of active euthanasia and assisted suicide. Instead, Germany favors palliative medical measures that enable those whose death is imminent to take their leave with dignity.
authors.affiliation: Klinikum der Universität, München Medizinische Klinik, Innenstadt. Fuat.Oduncu@gmx.de
authors.forename: Fuat S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Oduncu
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives / Q000941:ethics; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005060:Europe; D005194:Family Practice; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009922:Oregon; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000941:ethics; D010819:Physician's Role; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000941:ethics; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics