Only political orientation and religion seemed to be indicators of how a physician might feel about the issue. Physicians who said they were politically conservative were more likely to oppose physician-assisted suicide, according to the Baylor study. Despite differences in the groups surveyed, there were similarities. Whether a doctor was an AMA delegate or not, they were most likely to believe that any decision on assisted suicide should be between physician and patient, rather than dictated by law or medical profession guidelines. Thomas A. Preston, MD, a Seattle cardiologist, said his views are most in line with the large group of doctors who say the decision should be made as part of the physician-patient relationship.
Laws complicate things.
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