[End-of-life practices of physicians in Germany]

Ethical questions at the end of life are at the centre of scientific and public debates. Up to the present there is scarcity of empirical data regarding physicians' end-of-life practices in Germany.

Cross-sectional study among a random sample of German physicians by means of the questionnaire of the EURELD Consortium with additional questions on experiences and attitudes regarding physician assisted suicide.

734 physicians from five state chambers of physicians responded (response rate 36.9 %). 403 physicians reported about end-of-life practices regarding adult patients. Alleviation of symptoms took place in 86.7 % of cases and in 50.7 % medical treatment had been withheld. In three cases death was the consequence of a drug which was provided or administered by respondents. 20.7 % of respondents had been requested to perform physician-assisted suicide (PAS). 41.7 % of participants could not imagine participating in PAS, whereas 40.2 % could imagine this under certain circumstances. A prohibition of PAS by professional law war rejected by 33.7 %, 25.0 % support such a ban and 41.4 % were undecided.

Physicians in Germany perform a broad spectrum of end-of-life practices. The empirical findings can serve as a starting point for the reflection about an appropriate normative framework for physicians' end-of-life practices.