Numerous studies have established that the Americans most directly affected by the issue of physician-assisted suicide -- those who are frail, elderly and suffering from terminal illness -- are also more opposed to legalizing the practice than others are:

• A poll conducted for the Washington Post on March 22-26, 1996, found 50% support for legalizing physician-assisted suicide [Washington Post, April 4, 1996, page A18]. Voters aged 35-44 supported legalization, 57% to 33%. But these figures reversed for voters aged 65 and older, who opposed legalization 54% to 38%. Majority opposition was also found among those with incomes under $15,000 (54%), and black Americans (70%).

• An August 1993 Roper poll funded by the Hemlock Society and other euthanasia supporters indicated that voters aged 18-29 supported "physician-aided suicide" 47% to 35%; voters aged 60 and older opposed it 45% to 35%. Hemlock's newsletter commented that "the younger the person, the more likely he or she is to favor this legislation." The newsletter added that "this is somewhat at odds with how Hemlock views its membership," since it sees itself as defending the interests of elderly citizens. [Derek Humphry, What's in a word? (Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization 1993), Table 1-A; "Poll Shows More Would Support Law Using Gentler Language," in TimeLines (Jan.-Feb. 1994), p. 9.]

• A study of cancer patients found that terminally ill patients experiencing significant pain are more opposed to physician-assisted suicide than other terminally ill patients or the general public. The patients who did tend to favor assisted suicide were those who had been diagnosed with clinical depression. The researchers commented: "Patients with pain do not seem to view euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide as the appropriate response to poor pain management. Indeed, oncology patients in pain may be suspicious that if euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide are legalised, the medical care system may not focus sufficient resources on provision of pain relief and palliative care." [Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel et al., "Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: attitudes and experiences of oncology patients, oncologists, and the public," in 347 The Lancet 1805 (June 29, 1996) at 1809.]

• Researchers at Duke University recently surveyed hundreds of frail elderly patients receiving outpatient treatment and their families. The elderly patients themselves strongly opposed physician-assisted suicide: only 34% favored legalization, with support even lower among female and black patients. But 56% of their younger relatives favored it, and they were usually wrong in predicting the elderly patients' views. [Dr. Harold Koenig et al., "Attitudes of Elderly Patients and their Families Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide," 156 Archives of Internal Medicine 2240 (Oct. 28, 1996).]

Email us at prolife@usccb.org
Pro-Life Activities | 3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington DC 20017-1194 | (202) 541-3000 © USCCB. All rights reserved.