BERLIN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- More than two-thirds of the people in Germany agree with euthanasia, while 22 percent of respondents reject it, a recent survey showed on Thursday.
When having a serious illness, 70 percent of respondents want to have the opportunity to access medical assistance at suicide, said the survey from the German Employees' Health Insurance (DAK) released Thursday in Hamburg.
East Germans with 82 percent favored opportunities of euthanasia, more frequent than West Germans with 67 percent.
In Germany, a legal revision of euthanasia has been debated for a long time. The Bundestag is expected to decide without pressure from their political parties and lobbyists about prohibiting commercial euthanasia.
German Federal Health Minister Hermann Groehe has already agreed to punish any assisted suicide on a commercial basis.
Meanwhile, 79 percent of respondents think it good, when the Bundestag considered the topic on euthanasia. In particular, the 14 to 29 years old Germans support the plan.
"The results show that the policy discussed a topic that greatly concerns people," said DAK CEO Herbert Rebscher. "However, it is clear that the matter still needs more investigation."
According to the survey, the majority of respondents feel "less well" or "not well" informed about the current rules in force related to the euthanasia, while only 5 percent of respondents feel "very well" informed.
Active euthanasia is illegal in Germany, while assisted suicide is not. Those, who provide poison to a terminally ill patient, will not get punished. However, involvement of a doctor in the suicide of a patient is prohibitted in Germany. Within the European Union, euthanasia is allowed in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
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