Effect of the doctor on college students' attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide

Ninety-six students were presented with eighteen different vignettes descri bing different types of active and passive observed suicide, assisted suici de, and euthanasia. Attitudes regarding the morality and desired legality o f each situation were measured. Results indicate that the interaction betwe en the doctor and the patient, and, to a lesser extent, the active or passi ve nature of the agent of death, were more important than the actual action s of the doctor in allowing or causing death to occur.