Review by Choice Review
Do patients have the right to die and, if so, do physicians have the right to assist them? In this timely work, McKhann (surgery, Yale Univ.) considers the many legal and ethical issues surrounding physician-assisted dying. The author bases his descriptions of dying patients and families' needs on interviews with patients who had serious illnesses and with physicians and nurses who cared for them, plus personal experience. A historical review of the issues follows, with a discussion of the role of the physician at the end of life, a comparison between a failed suicide attempt in the US and an assisted death in Holland, physicians' concerns about assisted dying, public concerns about assisted dying, legal precedents, and finally, the need for public policy to support appropriate options for assisted dying. As medical technology extends the quantity of life, quality of life issues will be of greater concern. With thoughtful regard to these issues and the firsthand experience of those who care for seriously ill patients, McKhann develops a cogent and compelling argument for physician-assisted dying in particular circumstances. Written in a clear and easy style with chapter notes, this book is recommended for all academic audiences, undergraduate through faculty, as an attentive resource on end-of-life concerns. J. D. Campbell; University of Missouri--Columbia
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
