Physicians' Personal Preferences for End-of-Life Practices

Physicians would often prefer to avoid life-sustaining practices for themselves if they had advanced cancer or Alzheimer's disease, a study published in the Journal of Medical Ethics revealed. The study, conducted by Sarah Mroz and colleagues, analyzed data from 1,157 survey responses from general practitioners, palliative care physicians, and other medical specialists across eight jurisdictions. The findings suggest that physicians have varying opinions on end-of-life practices, with some considering euthanasia a viable option.

Key Takeaways:

• Physicians would personally prefer to avoid life-sustaining practices such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, and tube feeding if they had advanced cancer (0.5-3.5%) or Alzheimer's disease (0.2-3.8%).
• Approximately half of physicians consider euthanasia a good or very good option for both cancer (54.2%) and Alzheimer's disease (51.5%).
• The proportion of physicians considering euthanasia varied significantly across jurisdictions, ranging from 37.9% in Italy to 80.8% in Belgium for cancer, and from 37.4% in Georgia, USA, to 67.4% in Belgium for Alzheimer's disease.
• Physicians practicing in jurisdictions with a legal option for euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide were more likely to consider euthanasia a good or very good option (odds ratios: 3.1 for cancer and 1.9 for Alzheimer's disease).
• The study highlights the complex nature of end-of-life decisions, particularly for Alzheimer's disease, where the progressive status of the disease makes it difficult to determine a competent assisted dying request.

Statistics:

• 0.5% of physicians considered cardiopulmonary resuscitation a good or very good option in advanced cancer.
• 0.8% of physicians considered mechanical ventilation a good or very good option in advanced cancer.
• 0.2% of physicians considered cardiopulmonary resuscitation a good or very good option in Alzheimer's disease.
• 3.5% of physicians considered tube feeding a good or very good option in advanced cancer.
• 3.8% of physicians considered tube feeding a good or very good option in Alzheimer's disease.
• 54.2% of physicians considered euthanasia a good or very good option in advanced cancer.
• 51.5% of physicians considered euthanasia a good or very good option in Alzheimer's disease.
• 37.9% of physicians in Italy considered euthanasia a good or very good option in advanced cancer.
• 80.8% of physicians in Belgium considered euthanasia a good or very good option in advanced cancer.
• 37.4% of physicians in Georgia, USA, considered euthanasia a good or very good option in Alzheimer's disease.
• 67.4% of physicians in Belgium considered euthanasia a good or very good option in Alzheimer's disease.

Sources:

• Mroz S, et al. Physicians' personal preferences for life-sustaining practices in advanced cancer and Alzheimer's disease: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Medical Ethics, online June 10, 2025.