Legalisation of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide: survey of doctors’ attitudes

@article{Seale2009LegalisationOE,
  title={Legalisation of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide: survey of doctors’ attitudes},
  author={Clive Seale},
  journal={Palliative Medicine},
  year={2009},
  volume={23},
  pages={205 - 212}
}
  • C. Seale
  • Published 27 February 2009
  • Medicine
  • Palliative Medicine
This study reports UK doctors’ opinions about legalisation of medically assisted dying (euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide), comparing this with the UK general public. A postal survey of 3733 UK medical practitioners was done. The majority of UK doctors are opposed to legalisation, contrasting with the UK general public. Palliative medicine specialists are particularly opposed. A strong religious belief is independently associated with opposition to assisted dying. Frequency of treating… 
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104 Citations
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Background Citations
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Methods Citations
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Results Citations
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German physicians’ views on legalization of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are compared with a similar survey of UK doctors, finding that a great majority of physicians oppose medical involvement in hastening death in non-terminal illnesses.
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The most common recent argument for AS/VE--that patients have a right to control when and how they die--in fact points to the involvement not of doctors but of legal agencies as decision makers plus technicians as agents.
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  • R. Jacobs, M. Hendricks
  • Medicine
    South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
  • 2018
TLDR
More than half the respondents in this study were open to legalising euthanasia/PAS, substantially more than in previous studies, however, only 41.9% of respondents would consider actually performing euthanasia or PAS, for certain patients.
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This survey evaluated the views, fears and needs for training among Finnish physicians representing different specialities being responsible for end-of-life care.
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Objectives: To review studies over a 20-year period that assess the attitudes of UK doctors concerning active, voluntary euthanasia (AVE) and physician-assisted suicide (PAS), assess efforts to…
Attitudes of UK doctors towards euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: a systematic literature review.
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UK doctors appear to oppose the introduction of AVE and PAS, even when one considers the methodological limitations of included studies, and degree of religiosity appeared as a statistically significant factor in influencing doctors' attitudes.
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TLDR
Most senior doctors in England and Wales feel that rational suicide is possible, suggesting that some medical opposition is best explained by other factors such as concerns of assessment and protection of vulnerable patients.
[Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide : Attitudes of physicians and nurses].
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The fact that nurses had a more positive attitude towards euthanasia and PAS and that all respondents accepted life-ending acts for themselves more than for their patients hints to still existing severe deficits in Germany.
The Assisted Dying Bill and the role of the physician
TLDR
Whether the proposed law presents an ethically sound alternative to the current prohibition against assisting in suicide is not clear, but Parliament must respond in order to address human rights issues and the call to legalise medically assisted suicide.
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