Researchers at the UVic-UCC publish an article on ethical challenges in the implementation of palliative care

Researchers from the Chair of Palliative Care at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC) have published an article in the Journal of Palliative Care about the ethical challenges of the early identification of advanced chronic patients with palliative care needs. The article is authored by the director of the chair, Xavier Gómez-Batiste; the two deputy directors, Cristina Lasmarias and Jordi Amblàs; and the chair's members and collaborators, Carles Blay, Laura Vila, Joan Espaulella, Xavier Costa and Marisa Martínez-Muñoz. The other professionals and researchers participating include Núria Terribas, director of the Bioethics Chair, as executive director of the Grifols Foundation. 

The article starts with the process for implementing a new early detection programme in Catalonia, run by the Government of Catalonia's Ministry of Health. The aim of the programme was to establish a new model for care and improvement of the patients' quality of life, but also to provide a response to various ethical concerns that arose before and during the implementation process. The document explains how these concerns were addressed, through a collaborative and comprehensive review process that included the innovative initiative of creating a working group or ethical committee made up of professionals and researchers. This committee worked on a process involving the compilation and review of data to subsequently prepare a document containing recommendations for implementation.

Among the challenges they encountered were the stigmatization that chronic patients or those with palliative care needs may suffer from, and their risk of missing opportunities to follow curative treatments once they have been diagnosed. Concerns were also raised about other issues, such as privacy and empowerment of the patient, and the need for organisational improvements and training initiatives for professionals to ensure the correct implementation of the programme was identified.