SAVES is not affiliated with Exit International / Dr Philip Nitschke and opposes the public availability of a 'peaceful pill'.

There is ample evidence of a diversity of opinion within the medical profession, with an arguable majority in favour of legalising voluntary euthanasia; as these following surveys reveal.

In 1987, Kuhse and Singer¹ reported the results of a survey of 869 Victorian Doctors:

• 62% answered yes to the question "Do you think it is sometimes right for a doctor to take active steps to bring about the death of a patient who has requested the doctor to do this?" (64% of AMA members polled said yes)
• 93% thought such a request could be rational
• 59% thought that a practice similar to that in the Netherlands should be allowed,
• 52% of AMA members thought that the AMA should change its stance on the issue.

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In 1993, Baume and O'Malley² surveyed 1268 NSW doctors:

• 59% thought actively hastening death on request was sometimes right
• 96% thought such a request could be rational
• 59% thought Netherlands practice should be allowed
• 52% thought their professional organization should approve medically assisted dying.

In 1994, Stevens and Hassan³ surveyed 298 SA doctors:

• 89% thought a request to hasten death could be rational
• 47% were in favour of legalization of voluntary euthanasia.

In 1996, the RACGP⁴ surveyed  886 members:

• 45% personally wished to have the option of voluntary euthanasia.
• 56% would not be distressed if it were available to others
• 68% believed that euthanasia can be an act of caring.
• 45% did not believe that “present arrangements are adequate in delivering help to the dying."

In 1997, Steinberg et al⁵ surveyed 259 Queensland doctors:

• 36% thought a doctor should be allowed by law to assist a terminally ill person to die.

In 1997, Kuhse et al⁶ published their survey of Australian end-of-life decisions (comparable to the Dutch Remmelink studies).   From this survey of 1918 Australian doctors, they estimated that:

• 1.8% of deaths were by VE or physician assisted suicide
• 3.5% of deaths involved termination of the patient’s life without explicit request
•  in 24.7% treatment was withheld or withdrawn with the intention to hasten death
•  in 6.5% of deaths opioids were administered with at least the partial intent to hasten death.

In 1998, Cartwright et al⁷ published their survey of 174 NT doctors:

• 53% approved of the Rights of the Terminally Act, which allowed active medical assistance in dying on request.

In 2001, Douglas⁸ et al published their survey of 683 Australian general surgeons

• 36.2% reported that they had given drugs in doses greater than was necessary to relieve symptoms with the intention of hastening death
• 20.4% reported that they had given drugs with the intention of hastening death, but without the explicit request of the patient     
• 1.9% reported assisting with a suicide
• 4.2% reported having acceded to requests for voluntary euthanasia

References:

1. Kuhse H, Singer P. 'Doctors’ practises and attitudes regarding voluntary euthanasia.' Med. J. Aust 1988, 148: 623-627
2. Baume P, O’Malley E. 'Euthanasia; attitudes and practises of medical practitioners.' Med. J. Aust. 1994; 161: 137-144
3. Stevens CA, Hassan R. 'Management of death, dying and euthanasia; attitudes and practices of medical practitioners in South Australia.' J. Medical Ethics 1994; 20: 41-46
4. Wilson I, Kay B, Steven I. 'General practitioners and euthanasia.' Aust Fam Phys 1997; 26: 399-401
5. Steinberg MA, Najman JM, Cartwright CM, MacDonald SM, Williams GM 'End-of-life decision-making: community and medical practitioners’ perspectives. ' Med J Aust 1997; 166: 131-134
6. Kuhse H, Singer P, Baume P, Clark M, Rickard M. 'End-of-life decisions in Australian medical practice.' Med J Aust 1997; 166: 191-196
7. Cartwright CM, Robinson GW, Steinberg MA, Williams GM, Najman JM, Tyler WB. 'End-of-life decision making perspectives of Northern Territory Doctors, Nurses and Community  Members,'   The Lancet, 1997; 349: 9051:577
8. Douglas C, Kerridge I, Rainbird K, McPhee J, Hancock L, Spigelman A. 'The intention to hasten death: a survey of attitudes and practices of surgeons in Australia.' Med J Aust 2001; 175: