In October/November 2003 DGHS carried out surveys on living wills and attitudes to doctors who carry out assisted dying. It seems that 53% of German citizens know about living wills, over 70% in the case of those over 60. 84% said they would not lose confidence in their doctor if s/he helped an incurably ill person to end their life; only 20% thought they would lose confidence in a doctor who provided active and direct assistance in the case of an incurably ill patient. Contrary to the established views of the medical profession, a majority of the population wants more scope for assisted dying and to see norms set out in law for active and direct assisted dying.
