Year: 1991 Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, v.114, no.2, (January 15, 1991), p.168-169 SIEC No: 19910111

The author argues that an editorial by Lowenstein & Hunt in which they recommend screening patients for suicide intent is unreasonable. Bird says there are no guidelines on how to predict suicide, what to look for & how to certify that a certain person is unlikely to commit suicide. He argues that this editorial gives families with good attorneys an opportunity to conduct a witch hunt against internists & physicians who have not conducted a “suicide screen”. Lowenstein & Hunt’s reply follows.