Medical records data for suicides & for symptomatically depressed & non-depressed enrollees of an HMO were compared in order to address the role of primary care physicians in suicide prevention. Suicidal ideation & behavior, selected psychiatric diagnoses, & interpersonal problems were associated with suicide. There were no substantial differences in the use of medical services between the suicides & the controls. Less than 20% of suicides had seen a doctor in the last month prior to death.