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Many oncologists will admit that there is some concern that a frank discussion about terminal illness and end-of-life care may cause depression in the patient, said Gregory A. Thomas, MD, medical director of the Bridges Pediatric Palliative Care program at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Oregon Health & Science University.
Barbara A. Murphy, MD, who runs the pain and symptom management program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, said that the issue is more complex than to merely state that the truth causes depression.
“There are family members, patients and health care providers who maintain an ideology that ‘taking away hope’ or providing unfiltered truth is harmful to the patient,” said Murphy.
Submitted by Jacob (admin) on Wed, 08/06/2008 - 1:13am
