Effect of the Doctor on College Students’ Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide

96 students were presented with 18 different vignettes describing different types of active & passive observed suicide, assisted suicide & euthanasia. Attitudes regarding the morality & desired legality of each situation were measured. Results indicate that the interaction between the doctor & patient &, to a lesser extent, the active or passive nature of the agent of death, were more important than the actual actions of the doctor in allowing or causing the death to occur. (12 refs.)