Commentary
The important paper by Bentur et al. [1] captures the
range of challenges to the inclusion of palliative care in
medicine. Various clinical, economic, cultural, and institutionalized
systems and practices all impinge on the
ability of Israel and other countries to bring about this
needed component. Moreover, the effort to accomplish
that goal occurs in the context of simultaneous efforts
by other groups to deal with the same problems that are
targeted by the Palliative Care medical subspecialty.
This brief Commentary touches on: (1) palliative care
terminology and its extent world-wide, (2) ethical and
human rights perspectives, and (3) potential collaborations
and other means of reaching palliative care goals