Assuring the Provision of Palliative Care as an Ethical Duty for All Physicians

Although palliative care is an evidence-based, essential component of care for patients with serious or critical illness and at the end-of-life, access to palliative care continues to be limited by inaccurate definitions, misrepresentation, stigma, and neglect. To help physicians and patients to overcome barriers limiting the provision of palliative care, the American Medical Association (AMA) has recently adopted policy and a new opinion in the Code of Medical Ethics which establishes an ethical duty for all physicians, in all specialties, to assure the provision of palliative care to patients who stand to benefit. Additionally, the new policy and Code opinion expand the depth and breadth of what palliative care access and delivery entail and address misconceptions that have resulted in barriers to the delivery of palliative care.

Importantly, the AMA’s recognition of the provision of palliative care as an ethical imperative obliges all physicians, regardless of specialty, to assess and address the palliative care needs of patients and to do so earlier in the disease course. Additionally, the policy and Code opinion, and lay the foundation for improving access and education about palliative care through law and policy reform.⁸ This article discusses the importance and significance of the new American Medical Association policy and Code of Medical Ethics opinion on palliative care which provides long overdue and necessary support and guidance for all physicians to provide this ethically imperative medical intervention that improves patients’ and their caregivers’ quality of life.