Physician Desire for Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide: Would Physicians Practice What They Preach?

355 randomly selected American oncologists were interviewed about their attitudes & practices related to euthanasia & assisted suicide. 48.1% could imagine a situation in which they might desire euthanasia or assisted suicide for themselves. Oncologists who were Catholic & more religious were significantly less likely to desire these interventions for themselves. Of those oncologists who could imagine a situation in which they might desire euthanasia or assisted suicide themselves, 85.8% found these practices acceptable for their patients. Only 6.8% of oncologists who found these interventions acceptable for themselves did not support euthanasia or assisted suicide for their patients. (14 refs.)