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Physician-assisted suicide: epistemological problems.

S H Dinwiddie1

  • 1Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.

Medicine and Law
|January 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
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Determining eligibility for physician-assisted suicide is complex. Current medical knowledge lacks reliable methods to assess patient competency or ensure objective decision-making, raising concerns about accuracy and potential bias.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Clinical Decision-Making
  • End-of-Life Care

Background:

  • Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) debates often assume clear criteria for eligibility and decision-making.
  • The ethical justification of PAS is frequently discussed without addressing practical implementation challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the scientific validity of judgments regarding eligibility for physician-assisted suicide.
  • To examine the reliability of determining patient competency for PAS requests.
  • To assess the potential for physician bias in PAS decisions.

Main Methods:

  • The study critically reviews existing research and clinical practices related to PAS.
  • It analyzes the inherent uncertainties in medical diagnosis and assessment.
Keywords:
Death and Euthanasia

Related Experiment Videos

  • It explores the influence of physician's personal feelings on clinical judgment.

    • Main Results:

    • There is an unavoidable rate of error in medical diagnoses and assessments.
    • Currently, no scientific basis exists to reliably determine a patient's competency to request PAS.
    • Clinical judgments required for PAS decisions are not supported by research and may be influenced by physician bias.

    Conclusions:

    • Accurate determination of eligibility for physician-assisted suicide, based on proposed standards, is currently not feasible.
    • The objectivity required for PAS decisions is potentially compromised by the subjective nature of clinical judgment and physician's personal feelings.
    • Further research is needed to establish reliable methods for assessing competency and ensuring unbiased decision-making in PAS.