Palliative Care Research and Education
Analysis of Current Knowledge and Practice
Calls to legalize physicianassisted suicide point to public concern, supported by several studies, that the current health care system does not adequately relieve suffering for people with certain health care problems. People suffering from terminal or chronic illnesses or from disabilities are considered especially vulnerable to suicide because their need or desire for palliative — or comfort — care may not be adequately met in a health system that focuses on curative care. Palliative care encompasses a range of approaches to manage the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering that may accompany health conditions that are not responsive to curative…
