Perceptions and attitudes of medical students and physicians on Euthanasia

<ns3:p> Background Euthanasia remains a contentious ethical and legal issue worldwide. In India, passive euthanasia has been permitted since the 2011 <ns3:italic>Aruna Shanbaug</ns3:italic> case, but active euthanasia remains prohibited. Healthcare providers’ perspectives are critical in shaping discourse, given their close involvement in patient care. This study aimed to assess the perceptions and attitudes of medical students and physicians toward euthanasia. Methods A cross-sectional study, conducted with ethical clearance, involved 212 medical students and doctors at a private medical college in South India between March and June 2022. A self-developed semi-structured questionnaire, including the Attitudes Toward Euthanasia (ATE) scale, was used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests to examine associations between demographic variables, sources of information, and attitudes. Results Awareness of euthanasia was high (86.3%), but knowledge of its types (47.2%), legal status (44.3%), and guidelines (30.2%) was limited. Overall, 66% supported euthanasia, with relief of suffering (78.6%) and patient autonomy (65%) cited as key reasons. Opposition (34%) was mainly due to concerns about misuse (52.8%) and the belief that medicine should preserve life (45.8%). Most respondents (71.7%) believed patient consent should be the final authority in euthanasia decisions. Information source significantly influenced attitudes (p = 0.012), with personal research fostering stronger support compared to hearsay or news. Conclusion The study highlights evolving attitudes toward euthanasia among medical professionals in India, with growing emphasis on patient autonomy. Media and information sources significantly shape perceptions, underscoring the need for structured education on end-of-life care within medical curricula. Broader multi-center studies are warranted to capture diverse perspectives and guide future policy. </ns3:p>