EUTHANASIA AND DOCTOR-ASSISTED SUICIDE - RESPONSES BY ONCOLOGISTS ANDNON-ONCOLOGISTS

Purpose. Public interest concerning euthanasia and doctor-assisted sui cide is creating ethical dilemmas in the health care profession. We su rveyed the views of oncologists and non-oncologists in Florida. Method s. Physicians responded to an attitudinal questionnaire. The data coll ected were compared with standard statistical methods. Results, Both o ncologists and non-oncologists had similar opposition to euthanasia on philosophic or general grounds, with more opposition on general groun ds expressed by oncologists. Both groups preferred better pain control and improved quality of life rather than euthanasia, but more oncolog ists than non-oncologists favored this alternative. Both groups admitt ed to participation in passive euthanasia, with little support for act ive euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide. However, should the acts o f euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide become legalized, more non-on cologists than oncologists would agree to participate. Conclusion. In Florida, more opposition to aspects of the termination of life was exp ressed by oncologists than by non-oncologists.