This article provides an overview of the scarce international literature concerning nurses' attitudes to euthanasia. Studies show large differences with respect to the percentage of nurses who are (not) in favour of euthanasia. Characteristics such as age, religion and nursing specialty have a significant influence on a nurse's opinion. The arguments for euthanasia have to do with quality of li...

Debate continues over the acts/omissions doctrine, and over the concepts of duty and charity. Such issues inform the debate over the moral permissibility of euthanasia. Recent papers have emphasised moral sensitivity, medical intuitions, and sub-standard palliative care as some of the factors which should persuade us to regard euthanasia as morally unacceptable. I argue that these lines of argu...

As more countries adopt laws and regulations concerning euthanasia, pediatric euthanasia has become an important topic of discussion. Conceptions of what constitutes harm to patients are fluid and highly dependent on a myriad of factors including, but not limited to, health care ethics, family values, and cultural context. Euthanasia could be viewed as iatrogenic insofar as it results in an out...


 In discussions about assisted dying (euthanasia, suicide), those who argue ‘against’ legalisation often reason from a religious angle, whereas ‘in favour’ adopt secular stance. The Dutch experience is more nuanced: here, euthanasia advocacy largely originated protestant believers. this contribution, I criticise the use of arguments favouring any specific position. Religion may provide he...

RATIONALE Stable isotope analysis is a critical tool for understanding ecological food webs; however, results can be sensitive to sample preparation methods. To limit the possibility of sample contamination, freezing is commonly used to euthanize invertebrates and preserve non-lethal samples from vertebrates. For destructive sampling of vertebrates, more humane euthanasia methods are preferred ...

BACKGROUND The problems related to requests for euthanasia by terminal patients; the variations in attitude of palliative care physicians and the possibility that availability of the best palliative care might obviate the problem by eliminating requests for euthanasia, are under discussion. DESIGN A mailed survey with no possibility of follow-up of all 685 physician members of the Italian Soc...

BACKGROUND In the debate about legalization of euthanasia very little attention has so far been given to the opinion of the patient. OBJECTIVE To assess the opinion of persons with HIV infection in Europe. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of persons with HIV infection attending HIV/AIDS treatment centres or HIV support organizations in 11 European Union Member States was performed. A total ...

BACKGROUND Nurses have an important role in caring for terminally ill patients. They are also often involved in euthanasia. However, little is known about their attitudes towards it. OBJECTIVES To investigate on a nationwide level nurses' attitudes towards euthanasia and towards their role in euthanasia, and the possible relation with their socio-demographic and work-related characteristics. ...

BACKGROUND The practices of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide remain controversial. OBJECTIVE To achieve better understanding of attitudes and practices regarding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the context of end-of-life care. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING United States. PARTICIPANTS 3299 oncologists who are members of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. ME...