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Evaluating requests for physician-assisted suicide. A survey among German oncologists

Jan Schildmann1, Marc Cinci2, Leonie Kupsch1

  • 1Institute for History and Ethics of Medicine, Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Sciences, Medical Faculty of Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.

Cancer Medicine
|June 30, 2022
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

German oncologists frequently receive requests for physician-assisted suicide (PAS) from cancer patients. Most support formal assessments of decisional capacity and quality assurance measures for PAS regulation.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Medical Ethics
  • Palliative Care

Background:

  • Cancer patients represent a significant portion of individuals requesting physician-assisted suicide (PAS).
  • Understanding oncologists' perspectives on PAS is crucial for developing ethical guidelines and patient care protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To survey German oncologists' views on the criteria for assessing PAS requests.
  • To gather data on quality assurance practices related to PAS.
  • To inform the regulation of PAS within the medical community.

Main Methods:

  • A survey was conducted among members of the German Society of Haematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO) in March 2021.
  • Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate logistic regression.
  • Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis to understand nuanced views.

Main Results:

  • Over 57% of surveyed oncologists reported being asked about PAS by patients.
  • Palliative and psychological care options were considered most important in PAS requests.
  • A majority favored formal expert assessment of decisional capacity and quality assurance measures.

Conclusions:

  • Regulation of PAS necessitates rigorous procedures for assessing decisional capacity and patient counseling.
  • Developing feasible criteria for assessing the quality of PAS practices is an important future task.
  • Oncologists' input is vital for establishing responsible PAS guidelines.
Keywords:
cross-sectional studiesethicshaematologymedical oncologyphysician-assisted suicidesurvey

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