Koenig H G
Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
J Fam Pract. 1993 Aug;37(2):171-9.
Surveys show that most Americans favor the decriminalization of physician-assisted suicide in certain circumstances. Several states are now considering legislation to bring this about and make the United States the first place in the civilized world where physician aid in dying is sanctioned. In the Netherlands, where physician-assisted suicide is practiced but officially remains illegal, 85% of assisted suicides occur in the elderly, and most involve the help of general practitioners. In the United States, family physicians provide health care to many older adults with chronic or terminal illness whose numbers will increase as the elderly population expands. The legalization of physician-assisted suicide would affect the way American physicians practice medicine in unpredictable ways, yet physicians are participating relatively little in deliberations concerning this issue. The problem of suffering in persons with chronic and terminal illness cannot be ignored. Compassionate, effective, and ethical solutions must be found. As a former family physician and now geriatric psychiatrist, I review the pros and cons of physician-assisted suicide (emphasizing arguments against legalization) and encourage family physicians to debate this matter.
调查显示，大多数美国人支持在某些情况下将医生协助自杀合法化。现在有几个州正在考虑立法以实现这一目标，并使美国成为文明世界中第一个批准医生协助死亡的国家。在荷兰，虽然实行医生协助自杀但官方仍将其视为非法行为，85%的协助自杀案例发生在老年人身上，并且大多数涉及全科医生的帮助。在美国，家庭医生为许多患有慢性或绝症的老年人提供医疗保健服务，随着老年人口的增加，这一群体的数量也会上升。医生协助自杀合法化将以不可预测的方式影响美国医生的行医方式，然而医生们在关于这个问题的讨论中参与相对较少。慢性和绝症患者的痛苦问题不容忽视。必须找到富有同情心、有效且符合道德的解决方案。作为一名前家庭医生，现在是老年精神病医生，我审视了医生协助自杀的利弊（着重阐述反对合法化的观点），并鼓励家庭医生就此事展开辩论。
