Euthanasia: The Good of the Patient, The Good of the Society.

How should physicians and a concerned public respond to initiatives to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide? While recent surveys show that the public favors giving terminally ill patients the option of physician-assisted suicide, physician response is divided and vigorously debated. Although euthanasia means "a good death," what is a good death? Who should decide? How should the decisions be made? What is the difference between killing and allowing to die? These are the kinds of questions addressed.

The authors articulate and analyze the controversies at...