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According to the WHO, palliative care improves the quality of life for patients and families coping with life-threatening illnesses, by
mitigating pain and other symptoms and providing spiritual and psychological support from the time of diagnosis until the end of life, and
through themourning period. “Palliative care is a special care, which affirms life and regards dying as a normal process, [it] neither hastens
nor postpones death.”
Essential medicines are considered to be those that cover people’s priority healthcare needs. They are selected in light of the prevalence of
the diseases they treat and their safety, effectiveness and comparative cost-effectiveness. In the context of existing health systems, essential
medicines are supposed to be available at all times, in sufficient quantities, in the appropriate pharmaceutical forms, with guaranteed
quality, and at a price that is affordable for individuals and the community.
The Inter-American Convention on protecting the human rights of older persons defines palliative care as “Active, comprehensive, and
interdisciplinary care and treatment of patientswhose illness is not responding to curative treatment orwho are suffering avoidable pain, in
order to improve their quality of life until the last day of their lives. Central to palliative care is control of pain, of other symptoms, and of
the social, psychological, and spiritual problems of the older person. It includes the patient, their environment, and their family. It affirms
life and considers death a normal process, neither hasteningnor delaying it.”
