[Demands for death (suicide assistance and euthanasia) in palliative medicine]

During a prospective open survey over 12 months of hospitalized patients, 44 death demands were registered for 39 patients (25 cancer, 6 cardiovascular disorder, 2 Parkinson's disease, 3 arthritis, 1 COPD, 1 dementia and 1 severe depression). 14 patients were also depressed. 28 requested euthanasia, 16 suicide assistance. At 1 month, 3 persisted, 16 had abandoned, 16 had died and 4 were not questioned. At 6 months, 7 were alive but had abandoned and 2 had committed suicide at their home. The majority of death demands correspond to euthanasia which is a murder according to the penal code. In front of such demand, realistic short-term objectives must be established. Many patients give up their project. This indicates great uncertainty in front of care and greatest ambivalence in front of life.