Instituto Português de Oncologia, UCP-R, Rua Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal.
Support Care Cancer. 2010 Mar;18(3):359-66. doi: 10.1007/s00520-009-0661-z. Epub 2009 Jun 1.
The attitudes and practise of doctors concerning euthanasia and assisted suicide have been the subject of studies performed in many countries. However, these issues have not been studied properly in Portugal.
This study is a survey of 450 Portuguese oncologists by postal means and personal contact.
The response rate was 33% (143). Only 13% would practise euthanasia with the present law in force forbidding such practise, and 24% would do so if it were legalised; 39% favoured its legalisation and 36% would like to have the option of euthanasia if they had a terminal disease. About assisted suicide, 15% would do it with the current law in force forbidding such action and 25% would do so if it were made legal; 32% favoured its legalisation and 24% would like to have that option if they had a terminal disease. There was one case of euthanasia and no cases of assisted suicide. The most important factor related with the acceptance of euthanasia and assisted suicide was religion, with non-practising Catholics accepting such practises more often than practising Catholics. The Portuguese oncologists have a very positive view on the potential role of palliative care in preventing many requests for euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Portuguese oncologists are mainly against the practise of euthanasia and assisted suicide and the number of requests is also relatively low; consequently, the number of episodes of assisted death is also apparently very low.
医生对安乐死和协助自杀的态度和实践一直是许多国家研究的主题。然而，这些问题在葡萄牙并没有得到适当的研究。
这项研究是通过邮寄和个人联系对 450 名葡萄牙肿瘤学家进行的调查。
回复率为 33%（143 人）。只有 13%的人会在现行法律禁止这种做法的情况下实施安乐死，如果法律合法化，24%的人会这样做；39%的人赞成合法化，36%的人如果患有绝症，希望有选择安乐死的权利。关于协助自杀，15%的人会在现行法律禁止这种行为的情况下实施协助自杀，如果法律合法化，25%的人会这样做；32%的人赞成合法化，24%的人如果患有绝症，希望有这种选择。有一例安乐死，没有协助自杀的案例。与接受安乐死和协助自杀最相关的因素是宗教，非信徒天主教徒比信徒天主教徒更经常接受这些做法。葡萄牙肿瘤学家对姑息治疗在预防许多安乐死和协助自杀请求方面的潜在作用持非常积极的看法。
葡萄牙肿瘤学家主要反对安乐死和协助自杀的做法，而且请求的数量也相对较低；因此，协助死亡的案例数量显然也非常低。
