EUTHANASIA is supported by 39 per cent of Portuguese oncologists, a survey has revealed.
Some 143 doctors dealing with terminally ill patients were interviewed as part of a study ‘A Boa Morte: Ética no Fim da Vida’ (A Good Death: ethics at the end of life), coordinated by the Palliative Services Unit of IPO Porto.
It revealed that 13 per cent of those questioned would be willing to practice euthanasia under legal conditions. If there was a change in legislation, 24 per cent would accept it.
Euthanasia is currently illegal in the country.
The study also shows that 20 per cent of the doctors had been asked by their patients to help end their lives.
Some 80 per cent believe the improvement of palliative care in Portugal would prevent many cases of requested euthanasia.
There are only seven palliative care teams in the country and around 20,000 people die of cancer in Portugal every year.
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