Just under 12 per cent of doctors have reported receiving requests for euthanasia, a survey published in the Malta Medical Journal shows. It also shows that half of the doctors surveyed agreed to intensifying analgesia (painkillers) at the end of life with the possibility of hastening death, but 90.2 per cent would never consider euthanasia.
Pierre Mallia and Jurgen Abela, who conducted the survey among 350 doctors, reported that 86 per cent of respondents declared that their religion was important in end of life care.
42.9 per cent agreed (25.6 per cent disagreed, 31.5 per cent neutral) with the right of a patient to decide whether or not to hasten the end of life.
60.4 per cent agreed (23.9 per cent disagreed, 15.7 per cent neutral) that physicians should aim to preserve life. 32.1 per cent of doctors said they withdrew or withheld treatment in the care of these patients. Of the remaining 67.9 per cent, 36.6 per cent agreed with such practices.
50.3 per cent said they had intensified analgesia at end of life with the possibility of hastening death. Only 6 per cent had sedated patients at end of life.
The overall majority of doctors is against euthanasia. There is a strong sense of guidance by their religious beliefs when it comes to end of life care.
Lastly, 11.9 per cent said they received requests for euthanasia but 90.2 per cent of doctors said they would never consider euthanasia.
"Significant correlations were observed between considering euthanasia, importance of religion, withdrawing/withholding treatment, doctors’ specialty, preservation of life and request for euthanasia," the journal said.
"The overall majority of doctors is against euthanasia. There is a strong sense of guidance by their religious beliefs when it comes to end of life care. Doctors believe in preserving life as a guiding principle at the end of life, but do not shun intensification of analgesia at the end of life. Different specialties have slightly different views on EoL. Doctors need guidance – legal and moral - on this subject, in the absence of which, their religion and philosophy of life is used to guide them in this rather difficult area of practice," the Journal said.