Author: Jim McManus National Director of Health and Wellbeing, Public Health Wales Writing in a personal capacity Email: Jim.McManus [at] wales.nhs.uk X: @jimmcmanusph Bluesky: @jimmcmanusph.bsky.social ORCID: 0000-0002-3541-8963 Introduction: Public debate on assisted dying frames the issue as if individuals simply make free, autonomous choices. But no end‑of‑life decision happens in a vacuum. Choices are shaped […]
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Winter Newsletter from the Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer
Author: Dr. Kunihiko Ishitani President of The International Research Society of the Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer (SCPSC) President, Higashi Sapporo Hospital, Japan Our Winter newsletter is out and can be accessed here Introduction Can the concept of “human dignity” become a future episteme in cancer palliative care? Michel Foucault […]
Proposed Assisted Suicide Law in England and Wales: matters of devolution
Clinicians meet with elected representatives at the Welsh Parliament. Dr Sarah Davies was amongst them and discusses what happened on an interesting day meeting activists and politicians Author: Dr Sarah Davies, Respiratory Medicine Consultant, Glan Clwyd Hospital, Betsi Cadwalladr University Health Board, Rhyl, Wales The Terminally Ill Adults (TIA) Bill is currently being discussed […]
The Silence Between the Beeps: A Physician at His Sister’s Bedside
By Ali T. Taher, MD, PhD, FRCP Ali is Professor of Medicine at the American University of Beirut (AUB), where he serves as Director of the Naef K. Basile Cancer Institute and Associate Vice President for Academic Centers, Development and External Affairs. He is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in thalassemia and iron metabolism, […]
Healthcare staff attending child patient funerals – what is the right thing to do?
Dr Katharine Weetman, Assistant Professor in Clinical Communication [1], Professor Cara Bailey, Professor in end of life care [1][2], Dr Christine Mott, Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Medicine [3][4]. College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham. St Giles Hospices, Lichfield, Staffordshire. Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust. Acorns Children’s Hospice, Selly Oak, Birmingham. The moral […]
The Palliative Times presents: A day in the life of a palliative medicine consultant
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 In the latest of our ‘day in the life series’ the Palliative Times is delighted to present a day in the life of a Palliative medicine consultant thanks to guest author […]
Terminal illness in pregnancy in the context of assisted dying
Authors: Professor David Albert Jones [MA, MA, MSt, DPhil FHEA], Professor of Bioethics, St Mary’s University, Twickenham. [ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7268-6353] Dr Theresa Howe [MBBCh, BMedSci, MRCP (UK), FRCR], Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Velindre University NHS Trust, Cardiff Prof David Jones and Dr Teresa Howe discuss how a probing amendment on pregnancy in progressive illness has […]
The Last Christmas?
Dr Matthew Doré – Palliative Care Consultant Northern Ireland Hospice & Belfast Trust Hon Sec of APM and Co-lead Clin ECHO I am blessed to have my parents and my wife’s parents all coming around for Christmas this year, and in the flurry of Christmas preparation it got me thinking. But, and with a big […]
Death of the Kessler twins raises ethical questions in Germany
by Prof Mark Taubert, Consultant in Palliative Medicine and Vice-President of the European Association for Palliative Care Alice and Ellen Kessler, the 1960s pop stars, have died by joint suicide at the age of 89. The identical twins chose to have a joint assisted death at their home in Grünwald, close to Munich, in […]
Autumn 2025 Newsletter from the Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer
Author: Dr. Kunihiko Ishitani President of The International Research Society of the Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer (SCPSC) President, Higashi Sapporo Hospital, Japan Our Autumn 2025 newsletter is out and can be accessed here. Embracing the Active Role of Pathologists in Cancer Palliative Care There is much to be said for […]