Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 29, 2026
06:51
The Modified Temptation Resistance Task: A Paradigm to Elicit Children's Strategic Lie-telling
Published on: April 6, 2018
8.9K
Truth-telling and doctor-assisted death as perceived by Israeli physicians
Baruch Velan1,2, Arnona Ziv3, Giora Kaplan3,4
1TheGertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel. baruch_v@yahoo.com.
BMC Medical Ethics
|February 20, 2019
Summary
Israeli physicians hold diverse views on patient truth-telling and doctor-assisted death. While nearly 60% support assisted death, opinions on full prognosis disclosure are split, with younger doctors favoring patient autonomy.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Physician Attitudes
- End-of-Life Care
Background:
- Medical practice is evolving, necessitating examination of complex ethical issues.
- This study investigates Israeli physicians' perspectives on two critical dilemmas: full truth disclosure for poor prognoses and physician-assisted death.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore and analyze the attitudes of Israeli physicians towards patient autonomy and end-of-life care decisions.
- To understand the factors influencing physicians' ethical stances on truth-telling and assisted dying.
Main Methods:
- A nationwide online survey was administered to members of the Israeli Medical Association.
- Data from 2926 physician respondents were analyzed to determine attitudes towards medico-ethical dilemmas.
Main Results:
- Nearly 60% of physicians supported doctor-assisted death; one-third opposed it. Opinions on full truth disclosure were divided, with 50% supporting and 50% opposing.
- Support for truth-telling correlated with younger age. Doctor-assisted death support was higher among females and hospital-based physicians.
- A quarter supported both truth-telling and assisted death (respecting autonomy), while another quarter rejected truth-telling but supported assisted death (compassionate pragmatism).
Conclusions:
- Physician attitudes towards ethical dilemmas are influenced by personal attributes and professional experiences.
- This study provides insight into the complex medico-ethical landscape in Israel.
- Selected questions can effectively gauge the ethical climate of a medical community over time.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
973
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by...
973
01:18Autophagic Cell Death
4.5K
Christian de Duve discovered “autophagy,” a process in which cellular components are engulfed by membrane-bound organelles called autophagosomes. The autophagosomes then fuse with lysosomes to digest the enclosed contents. Autophagy is generally activated in cells to prevent cell death. However, cell death is triggered when the damage is beyond repair.
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and...
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and...
4.5K
01:30Overview of Cell Death
9.8K
Cell death is an essential process where the body gets rid of old or damaged cells. Cell proliferation and death need to be balanced, as an imbalance between the two may lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the...
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the...
9.8K
01:08Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI)
1.2K
Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) is a powerful analytical technique used in mass spectrometry. It enables the identification and characterization of various biomolecules, including proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. MALDI is an ionization technique, widely employed in biological and medical research, as well as in fields like pharmacology and biochemistry.The analyte of interest, a biomolecule or a mixture of biomolecules, is mixed with a suitable matrix...
1.2K
01:52Regression Toward the Mean
7.0K
Regression toward the mean (“RTM”) is a phenomenon in which extremely high or low values—for example, and individual’s blood pressure at a particular moment—appear closer to a group’s average upon remeasuring. Although this statistical peculiarity is the result of random error and chance, it has been problematic across various medical, scientific, financial and psychological applications. In particular, RTM, if not taken into account, can interfere when...
7.0K
01:08Obedience
35.6K
According to obedience research, we may harm others under the forceful pressures of an authority figure (Milgram, 1974). How about if the inappropriate orders were delivered with less force? The increasing interdependence between nurses and physicians compelled Hofling and his colleagues to explore nurses’ reactions to a potentially harmful medical request made by the perceived authority figure, the doctor (Hofling, Brotzman, Dalrymple, Graves, & Pierce, 1966). In this situation,...
35.6K