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Physician desire for euthanasia and assisted suicide: would physicians practice what they preach?
O M Howard1, D L Fairclough, E R Daniels
1Division of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Orion_Howard@DFCI.Harvard.edu
Summary
Nearly half of oncologists would consider euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide for themselves. Most are willing to provide these interventions for patients, aligning practice with personal beliefs.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Oncology
- Public Health
Background:
- Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) are significant public health concerns.
- Physician attitudes towards these end-of-life interventions are crucial for patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency with which oncologists perceive a personal desire for euthanasia or PAS.
- To assess oncologists' willingness to provide these interventions to patients.
Main Methods:
- A survey of 355 randomly selected oncologists in the United States.
- Interviews focused on attitudes and practices regarding euthanasia and PAS.
Main Results:
- 48.1% of oncologists could envision desiring euthanasia or PAS for themselves.
- Religious affiliation and religiosity were associated with a lower personal desire for these interventions.
- A significant majority (85.8%) of oncologists who desired euthanasia/PAS for themselves found them acceptable for patients.
- Even oncologists not desiring these interventions for themselves (41.7%) found them ethically acceptable for patients.
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of oncologists contemplate euthanasia or PAS for personal use.
- Physicians' willingness to provide these interventions generally aligns with their personal views.
- Oncologists prioritize patient autonomy, often respecting patient wishes even when differing from their own beliefs.