A Time to Die: The Place for Physician Assistance

This book is written for all those who are concerned about how their life may end--and who wish to die without unnecessary suffering. Dr. Charles F. McKhann discusses many aspects of physician-assisted dying and explains why he thinks it should be made legally available under certain circumstances.
Dr. McKhann, a specialist in cancer surgery, has conducted in-depth interviews with people who were dying from a variety of illnesses and with the physicians who cared for them. Drawing on these interviews and on his own experiences as a physician, he looks at the dying process as it is encountered in painful and debilitating diseases and at the needs of patients and their families. Dr. McKhann presents the case for rational suicide, comparing a failed suicide attempt in the United States with a planned death in the Netherlands and illustrating the differences in approach and attitudes. He explains the ways in which physician assistance is already taking place and considers the physicians personal and professional concerns. And he reflects on relevant religious, moral, legal, and public-policy issues that are currently so widely debated. His thought-provoking book is a valuable resource not only for the general public but also for compassionate physicians who attend people with fatal diseases and for lawmakers who strive for understanding and courage in dealing with this new challenge.

Drawing on in-depth interviews with people who were dying and with the physicians who cared for them, as well as on his own experiences as a physician, Dr. Charles McKhann argues persuasively that physician-assisted dying should be made legally available under certain circumstances. "A comprehensive and thoughtful guide to the hotly contested issue of physician-assisted death. The author draws on extensive clinical experience in the treatment of patients with cancer, detailed interviews with seriously ill patients and the clinicians who care for them, and a thorough survey of the literature. . . . The book should be very helpful to those who are uncertain about where they stand on this deeply challenging issue."-Franklin G. Miller, New England Journal of Medicine "A compelling read that is well researched, controversial, and unobtrusively personal."-John T. Sinnott, M.D., Journal of the American Medical Association "An excellent book that reflects the views of a compassionate and experienced clinician on an issue that is of growing concern in our nation. It deserves to be read by all physicians whose work brings them into contact with terminally ill patients. In addition, it could be of interest to the increasing number of elderly people and their families who may have to confront this issue at some point in their lives."-Judd Marmor, Psychiatric Times Named one of the Outstanding Academic Books of 1999 by Choice