Report of the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Association. Euthanasia/physician-assisted suicide: lessons in the Dutch experience.

This Board of Trustees Reports urges physicians to be aware of continuing efforts by some in society to end suffering by speeding deaths through medical interventions. The experience in Holland with euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is outlined in this report, as are the differing interpretations of the Dutch data by voices in Holland. The Dutch guidelines intended to protect patients have not been consistently respected. The sum of the experience suggests that implementation of their controls on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide has not been effective. Recognizing that there are differences between withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment and euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, the availability of mechanisms for end of life medical decision-making by patients, such as powers of attorney, etc., should be more widely promoted. The Board of Trustees recommends that the American Medical Association reject euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide as being incompatible with the nature and purposes of the healing arts.