PSYCHIATRY AND PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE

The psychiatric literature on physician-assisted suicide is scant and almost universally opposed to legalization. This opposition stems from the traditional perspective of suicide as a symptom of mental illness and the tendency of psychiatrists to extend their view of suicide in the medically well to the terminally ill. This article examines the ba sis for and validity of this opposition and makes recommendations abou t the role of the psychiatrist in physician-assisted suicide.