Morphine: essential but scarce. How can we make it more accessible?

Katherine Pettus, PhD, Senior director of advocacy and partnerships at IAHPC, wrote an excellent article that begins with the story of her sister’s death at home, which she uses as an example of appropriate and trusting relationships between hospice care and the caregivers looking after the patient. Oral morphine, approved by the palliative care team overseeing the case, played a crucial role in her sister’s final days.
Katherine Pettus highlights several foundational and highly relevant regulatory documents developed and endorsed by WHO and UN experts. However, the most valuable part of her article is the step-by-step guide for national palliative care associations on how to advocate for the accessibility of morphine and other essential medications for terminally ill patients.

Usage of cooling devices after patient death in paediatric palliative care: the experience of the UK

The authors of the article aimed to describe the most commonly used types of cooling devices and to explore the experiences of bereaved families and healthcare professionals who use these devices in the care of deceased patients and grieving relatives.
The study included works written in English, German, French, Italian, or Dutch and published in peer-reviewed journals. The analysis of numerous case studies resulted in a list of devices and equipment used in hospices in the UK. The findings suggest that the use of cooling devices not only provides parents with more time but also supports them in their parental role, helping them cope with grief. For example, cooling rooms and cold cribs are perceived as more caring, protective, and dignified places for deceased children, in contrast to the morgue, which is considered unsuitable for a child’s body.
The study results are useful for healthcare professionals, hospice staff, and researchers to improve care for bereaved families.

Palliative care and social media

Since the widespread adoption of social media in modern society, there has been a growing willingness and need for people to openly discuss terminal illnesses, dying, and grieving. The proliferation of professional and personal microblogs is beginning to impact the lives of palliative care workers and their patients.

The authors of the article aimed to discuss and evaluate the consequences of thematic events occurring online, as well as to review some existing and future developments, such as the creation of digital legacies and memorialisation.

Place of death for a terminally ill child. Is there a choice and how is the decision made?

There is currently no consensus on what constitutes a «good» death for a patient. However, healthcare professionals specialising in palliative care believe it is important to give a dying person the opportunity to pass away in a place of their choosing. This approach has gained worldwide recognition.
There are few studies on where children with non-oncological diseases die, but these studies are important because such illnesses can last for years, with alternating periods of exacerbation and stability.
While there is a positive trend globally to give a child and their family the option to choose a place where the child can die with dignity, there are other factors that complicate this process. You can learn more about the four groups of these factors by following the link.

«If you seek help from a palliative care doctor, it means you are giving up». Overcoming common barriers to end-of-life care

This excellent article, authored by two experts — a medical oncologist and a palliative care specialist — describes their observations regarding the involvement of palliative care services in patient management.
As physicians, the authors understand well how difficult it is for patients to endure physical symptoms. They acknowledge that few healthcare professionals are trained to have conversations about aligning the care being received with the patient’s personal values. This situation is further complicated by the strict time limitations of medical appointments.
The described scenario supports the argument for involving a palliative care team as early as possible after a diagnosis is made. The authors discuss various barriers to involving palliative care specialists and provide examples of how these barriers can be overcome.