Hospital truth-telling policies & practices with respect to the terminally ill were explored via interviews with directors of 13 New York City area hospitals. Most hospitals required full disclosure about prognosis to dying patients; three had no guidelines at all, leaving it up to the physician's judgment case by case. It is argued that categorical, total truth-telling, like total deception, may violate the dying patient's dignity & autonomy, & while the decision is often left to physicians, they are not necessarily equipped to assess the human processes of death. Examples are provided of insensitive & inflexible truth telling. The needs of the patient rather than categorical hospital policy should dictate whether, when, & how to inform the patient of a terminal diagnosis. 6 References. A. Waters