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UK doctors’ attitude to assisted dying differs strongly from the public’s

BMJ 2009; 338 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b1338 (Published 01 April 2009) Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b1338
  1. Roger Dobson
  1. 1Abergavenny

    Most doctors in the United Kingdom are opposed to the legalisation of euthanasia or physician assisted suicide, a new survey shows, while half the general population favours it.

    The survey found that only 9% of medical practitioners were certain that doctors should be allowed to end the life of someone with an incurable and a painful illness, whereas half of the general public was in favour (Palliative Medicine 2009;23:205-12, doi:10.1177/0269216308102041).

    It also found that specialists in palliative medicine were the group of doctors most opposed to the idea, followed by those working in care of the elderly.

    “This study shows that …

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