Physicians' attitudes about assisted suicide were assessed by using a
vignette of an acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient who
requests a lethal injection. Of the 389 respondents, 34% received at l
east 1 request for assisted suicide; 9% had requests from an AIDS pati
ent; and 41% had at least indirectly assisted a terminal patient to di
e in actual practice. Thirty-three percent of the respondents agreed t
o the authors' hypothetical patient's request for a lethal injection.
Medical and personal experiences did not determine attitudes that were
somewhat influenced by ethical beliefs and religious commitment. The
study confirms previous findings that many physicians underestimate th
e effect of depressive illness on rational decision making concerning
assisted suicide requests.