Journal of Palliative Care & Medicine
Open Access

Abstract

There are intriguing and challenging ethical dilemmas in the practice of palliative care in a traditional developing society. This presentation reviews the different ethical issues involved in cancer and palliative care in developing countries with special reference to India. Published literature on pain relief and palliative care in the developing countries was reviewed to identify ethical issues and dilemmas related to these and discuss ways by which ethical principles could be observed in the delivery of palliative care in such countries. The literature review demonstrated a number of ethical dilemmas and challenges professionals, cancer patients and their family encountered during palliative care. It was noted that patient��?s preferences and decisions are influenced by the family members. Dilemmas leave the professionals and families confused about how ethical their actions have been. Specific ethical issues were noted in relation to availability and use of oral morphine for pain relief, spiritual care, lack of adequate palliative care services and palliative care education. The were difficulties in understanding the complex ethical issues in a developing country with traditional background. Ethical issues need to be handled delicately and sensitively in palliative care settings within the framework of traditions and culture of the society and financial constraints. The possible role of ethics committees in palliative care settings to help decision making needs to be studied and discussed.

Biography

Santosh Kumar Chaturvedi is the Dean of Behavioural Sciences and Professor of Psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore, India. He is a Member of the International Psycho-Oncology Society and Indian Association of Palliative Care and was a Member of Board of Directors, International Psycho Oncology Society. He regularly conducts Workshop on Communication Skills in Oncology and Palliative Care settings, and also trains trainers in teaching Communication skills. His areas of interest include consultation liaison psychiatry, chronic pain, psychosocial oncology, palliative care and quality of life research.

Email: skchatur@gmail.com