title: Physician-Assisted Dying: Acceptance by Physicians Only for Patients Close to Death.
abstract: This study reports on German physicians' views on legalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, comparing this with a similar survey of UK doctors. A questionnaire was handed out to attendants of a palliative care and a pain symposium. Complete answers were obtained from 137 physicians. Similar to the UK study, about 30% of the physicians surveyed support euthanasia in case of terminal illness and more support physician-assisted suicide. In contrast, in both countries, a great majority of physicians oppose medical involvement in hastening death in non-terminal illnesses. The public and parliamentary discussion should face this opposition to assisted suicide by pain and palliative specialists.
authors.affiliation: Ruhr-University Bochum, Kemnaderstr. 342, 44797, Bochum, Germany. juliazenz@mail.de.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zenz
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Moenchebergstraße 41-43, 34125, Kassel, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tryba
authors.affiliation: Ruhr-University Bochum, Henkenbergstr. 63, 44797, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zenz
keywords: Euthanasia; Pain; Palliative care; Physician-assisted suicide; Right to die; Terminal care