의료윤리 문제에 관한 우리 나라 의사들의 의식 조사

In Korea there have been few studies conducted on physicians' perceptions and attitudes toward the medico-ethical problems, including informed consent, euthanasia, artificial abortion and problems having to do with human reproduction. In 1998 we administered a survey to find out the current attitudes and perceptions held by Korean physicians in these particular areas. 1,000 self-administered questionnaire including 38 questions were mailed to randomly selected members of the KMA (Korean Medical Association). We received 208 responses out of them and analyzed the data.

The survey showed that more than half of the respondents believed that it is permissible to withdraw the treatment from the hopeless patients if they or their proxy demand. Also, they approved physician-assisted suicide under certain circumstances. 42% of the physicians surveyed answered that the artificial abortion should be allowed for the purpose of family planning. This result must have something to do with the high abortion rate in Korea where the government has supported artificial abortion as a means of family planning. 35% of the surveyed endorse the organ sale, especially in the case of non-critical organs like kidney and cornea, while 58% of them deny it in any case.

On the other hand, it turns out that the problems in professional ethics (fees and charges, advertising, gender discrimination) are as serious among Korean physicians as biomedical issues themselves. The vast majority of the respondents felt sorry about the wrongdoing of their peers and pointed out that the current medical ethics education in medical schools is far from satisfaction.