Euthanasia and HIV disease: how can physicians respond?

By accepting the role of caregiver, the physician can do much to decrease the fear surrounding death. By providing an opportunity for a patient to discuss his ideas and feelings about his own death, physicians can better prepare their patients and themselves for the inevitable. None of us can reverse the dying process. By accepting the fact of death and by reframing our goals to provide care that promotes comfort and dignity, the act of watching our patients die becomes not only bearable but also serene.