LITHUANIA – What do the public and doctors think about Medical Assistance in Dying?
20 May 2025
Guest article by Benedikt Bachmetjev* und Artur Airapetian**
In Lithuania, the topic of medical assistance in dying (MAID) is still quite new and rarely discussed. While some countries, like Switzerland, the Netherlands, or Canada, already have legal ways to help terminally ill patients end their life with dignity, Lithuania still has no clear law, no official policy, and not much public debate. But this is a question that affects everyone, sooner or later. It touches on human dignity, suffering, freedom of choice – and for many people, deep fears.
Lithuania has a special history. For fifty years, it was part of the Soviet Union, where religion was pushed out of public life and individual choice was often ignored. After independence, the country changed quickly – becoming more democratic, more liberal, and more open. But when it comes to personal and sensitive topics like death and dying, these aspects of history still influence how people think.
The public attitude
To understand people’s views better, a national survey was carried out in 2022. 5,804 people from all across Lithuania took part. It became the largest study on this topic in the country’s history. People were presented with real-life medical scenarios and asked whether terminally ill patients should be allowed to choose to die, with help from a doctor. The results showed that 71% supported assisted suicide, and 69% supported voluntary euthanasia, where a doctor would actively carry out the procedure at the patient’s request.
Support was much higher among younger people – over 80% of those under 35 said yes. It was also stronger among people who do not identify with a religion – 86% supported MAID, compared to 61% among religious respondents. People who had no personal experience caring for someone at the end of life were more supportive (79% said yes), while support dropped to 52% among those with over five years of such experience. It seems that personal contact with dying patients makes the issue feel more complex, and sometimes more painful.
But when the question involved patients with long-term mental illness, answers were very different. Only 41% supported assisted suicide in those cases, and many respondents said they were unsure. This shows a strong hesitation in society. People wonder: is the patient truly able to decide? Could something still help? Should we be more careful here? These are hard but important questions. They show that the public wants to talk – not just say “yes” or “no,” but to understand better.
Physicians’ attitude
A second study explored doctors’ attitudes towards MAID. 361 hospital doctors from different parts of Lithuania took part. This was the first study in the country to ask medical professionals directly about their views on MAID. Their answers were close to the general public: 61% supported assisted suicide, and 61.5% supported voluntary euthanasia for patients with incurable physical illness. But when it came to mental illness, only 19% of doctors said yes.
Doctors’ opinions also changed depending on their age, personal beliefs, and experience. Younger doctors – those under 35 – were much more open to MAID (80% said yes), while support dropped to 43% among doctors aged 46-55. Non-religious doctors supported MAID more (80%) than religious doctors (55%). Experience also mattered: doctors with more than 30 years of experience were more cautious (44% support), while younger doctors with under 10 years of experience were more likely to support MAID (80%).
There was stronger agreement on other end-of-life options. 92% of doctors supported Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders when the patient gave consent. 70% supported the use of living wills / advance directives.
It is time to start the conversation on MAID
People in Lithuania – both in society and in medicine – are not ignoring the topic. They are thinking, wondering, sometimes unsure, but clearly ready to talk. Support for MAID is growing, but there is also care, caution, and a wish to do things thoughtfully.
In the end, the main question is simple: how can we make sure that people in the final stage of life are treated with care, dignity, and honesty? These two studies do not give all the answers. But maybe they can help Lithuania begin the conversation, which in our opinion is needed more than ever before.
The two studies can be found here:
- Attitude of the Lithuanian Public toward Medical Assistance in Dying: A Cross-Sectional Study
- Demographic influences on Lithuanian physicians’ attitudes toward medical assistance in dying: A cross-sectional study
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* Benedikt Bachmetjev began his medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University in 2019 and is expected to graduate in 2025. His main work involves leading research projects for the Research Council of Lithuania, with a focus on public health, mental health, and end-of-life decisions. He is also active in public discourse, frequently appearing as a guest on Lithuanian national television, radio, various media outlets, and podcasts, where he discusses a range of public health issues, including end-of-life decisions.
** Artur Airapetian is a colleague of Benedikt Bachmetjev; they study together at the Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University. He also leads independent research projects for the Research Council of Lithuania, focusing on similar topics such as public health, mental well-being, and end-of-life decisions. Artur often accompanies Benedikt at public events and media appearances, where they jointly address these important issues.
