Telling the Truth to the Dying Patient

Cassell, Eric J.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4757-9573-8_18

Eric J. Cassell M.D., F.A.C.P.³

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Abstract

I would like to examine the question of truth-telling in the care of the dying patient. As we know, this is a matter of some controversy (Erickson, 1974). Until just a few years ago, it was thought that telling the truth to a patient with terminal disease would do that patient harm. In the absence of a cure, it was felt that nothing could be done for such patients. Since telling the patient his diagnosis was to pronounce upon him a hopeless sentence of doom, it was therefore thought preferable to conceal his fate from him.

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Authors and Affiliations

Department of Public Health, The New York Hospital, Cornell University Medical College, New York, New York, 10021, USA
Eric J. Cassell M.D., F.A.C.P. (Clinical Professor)

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Eric J. Cassell M.D., F.A.C.P.
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Editors and Affiliations

International Center for Health Sciences, Meharry Medical College, 37208, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Stacey B. Day M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Professor of International Health and Director, Formerly Professor and Member) (Professor of International Health and Director, Formerly Professor and Member)
Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, 10021, New York, New York, USA
Stacey B. Day M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc. (Professor of International Health and Director, Formerly Professor and Member) (Professor of International Health and Director, Formerly Professor and Member)

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Cassell, E.J. (1986). Telling the Truth to the Dying Patient. In: Day, S.B. (eds) Cancer, Stress, and Death. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9573-8_18

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9573-8_18
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-9575-2
Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-9573-8
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