By Prof, James Downar and Prof. Sam H Ahmedzai Take Home Messages: We can never be 100% certain that an unconscious person is comfortable, but this is more of a concern for palliative sedation than for assisted dying. People may feel pressured into assisted death by family members, but we routinely allow the same family […]
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Sapporo Spring 2025 Newsletter
Author: Dr. Kunihiko Ishitani President of The International Research Society of the Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer President, Higashi Sapporo Hospital, Japan Introduction For our Spring Newsletter (for full newsletter, see link below) I have been reflecting on immunotherapy and its relation to palliative care. The recent remarkable advances in cancer […]
“Faecal vomiting” – a case of frequently mentioned, but rarely seen
Author: Dr Tony Duffy, Consultant Palliative Medicine, Edinburgh, Scotland Introduction: In the context of the current UK assisted dying debate, the terms ‘faecal’ and ‘faeculent’ vomiting have been publicly employed, including during the Second Reading debate in parliament. This terminology has featured in stories of unpleasant deaths to contextualise why some people feel assisted suicide […]
How 20 minutes of mindful breathing can rapidly reduce intensity of cancer pain
News: Malaysian study reveals that 20 minutes of mindful breathing can rapidly reduce intensity of cancer pain It complements traditional pain relief and broadens repertoire of options, says a team of Malaysian researchers in our main journal Twenty minutes of mindful breathing, which focuses a person’s attention on their breath, can rapidly reduce the […]
Assisted Dying in Germany- Munich study raises concerns
Author: Mark Taubert, NHS Consultant and Professor of Palliative Medicine, Cardiff, UK It can be a challenge finding data on assisted dying and euthanasia in jurisdictions where it is legal. In some areas the data is not made available, elsewhere not much is recorded or observed beyond patient demographics. Finding detail on complication rates and […]
Future Care Planning Cymru
**NEWS** A national peer forum event for Wales with regard to Future Care Planning was held in Cardiff on the 27th March 2025. The event saw key stakeholders and professionals, working in the areas of palliative, end of life care and advance care planning, get together with policy makers, Welsh government representatives and volunteer […]
Do They Go Gently?
Authors: Dr. Benjamin Thomas, Staff Specialist in Palliative Medicine, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, NSW, Australia. bluesky: andiyar.bsky.social Dr. Greg Barclay, Senior Staff Specialist in Palliative Medicine, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, NSW, Australia Introduction: Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) is becoming more widespread in multiple jurisdictions around the world. Legislation is currently […]
Exploring the unknown
By Dr Joseph Hawkins, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Clinical lead for End of Life Care, Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust. Twitter: @JoeHawk75825077 At a recent family event a relative explained in long suffering terms how no-one knew why she had a persistent, low level tachycardia at times. The issue appears benign and this […]
Assisted dying in the UK – law change must be informed by robust evidence
Author: Professor Katherine E Sleeman, King’s College London, UK The UK is moving closer to legalisation of assisted dying. One of the arguments made in favour of legalisation is the limit of palliative care to resolve all suffering. Many of the speeches made in support of the Leadbeater bill (which would legalise assisted dying […]
Sapporo Winter Newsletter
Author: Dr. Kunihiko Ishitani President of The International Research Society of the Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer President, Higashi Sapporo Hospital, Japan As the saying goes, “time flies like an arrow,” and before we know it the 5th Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer (SCPSC) will be upon […]