| Physician-assisted death: attitudes and practices of community pharmacists in East Flanders, Belgium. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 15810755 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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This study investigates attitudes and practices of community pharmacists with respect to physician-assisted death. Between 15 February and 15 April 2002, we sent anonymous mail questionnaires to 660 community pharmacists in the eastern province of Flanders, Belgium. The response rate was 54% (n = 359). Most of the pharmacists who responded felt that patients have the right to end their own life (73%), and that under certain conditions physicians may assist the patient in dying (euthanasia: 84%; physician-assisted suicide: 61%). Under the prevailing restrictive legislation, a quarter of the pharmacists were willing to dispense lethal drugs for euthanasia versus 86% if it were legalized, but only after being well informed by the physician. The respondents-favour guidelines for pharmacists drafted by their own professional organizations (95%), and enforced by legislation (90%) to ensure careful end-of-life practice. Over the last two years, 7.3% of the responding pharmacists have received a medical prescription for lethal drugs and 6.4% have actually dispensed them. So we can conclude that community pharmacists in East Flanders were not adverse to physician-assisted death, but their cooperation in dispensing lethal drugs was conditional on clinical information about the specific case and on protection by laws and professional guidelines. |
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Authors:
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Johan Bilsen; Marc Bauwens; Jan Bernheim; Robert Vander Stichele; Luc Deliens |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Palliative medicine Volume: 19 ISSN: 0269-2163 ISO Abbreviation: Palliat Med Publication Date: 2005 Mar |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2005-04-06 Completed Date: 2005-07-07 Revised Date: 2006-11-15 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 8704926 Medline TA: Palliat Med Country: England |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 151-7 Citation Subset: E; IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Medical Sociology and Health Sciences, End-of-life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium. johan.bilsen@vub.ac.be |
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Adult Aged Attitude of Health Personnel* Belgium Ethics Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary* / ethics Female Humans Interprofessional Relations Male Middle Aged Pharmacists / ethics, psychology* Professional Role Questionnaires Retrospective Studies |
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