Ten Myths About Palliative Care
Palliative care remains one of the most undervalued and misunderstood areas of medicine, even among healthcare professionals. Despite decades of progress, international guidelines, and extensive research, persistent misconceptions obscure the true nature of this field. These myths do more than just distort our discussions about illness and support; they influence the decisions made by patients and their families, shape how young specialists perceive the profession, and affect healthcare policy and resource allocation.
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Photo by Jsme MILA on Pexels
By Uliana Pavlovskaia, PACED
Dispelling these myths is more than just an academic task. It is an essential step in making palliative care a normal and accessible part of the healthcare system.
Myth 1: Palliative care is only for the final days of life
This is perhaps one of the most deeply rooted and widespread misconceptions. For many, palliative care is still linked solely to the stage of illness when all treatment options have been exhausted. In reality, its role is much wider. It can begin at the moment of diagnosis and continue for months or even years. Palliative care does not ‘switch on’ only when everything else has ended. On the contrary, its goal is to support the individual through various stages of the illness, helping to manage symptoms, navigate complex decisions, and maintain quality of life. Palliative support should be considered not only in the final days but as soon as the patient and their loved ones need additional medical, psychological, or social assistance.
Image: Yuriy Fokin for PACED, children's hospice Firefly World, Georgia
Myth 2: It means giving up on treatment
Palliative care is not about abandoning treatment; it is about reframing its goals and priorities. The focus shifts not only to prolonging life but also to preserving its quality, alleviating suffering, and honouring the patient’s values and wishes. Modern clinical guidelines increasingly emphasise the importance of integrating palliative care into the management of serious illnesses early on.
Image: Alina Korotkian for PACED, children's hospice Firefly World, Georgia
Myth 3: Palliative care only concentrates on pain control
Pain is a fundamental part of suffering, but it is not the only factor. The idea of ‘total pain’, introduced by Cicely Saunders, describes suffering as a complex experience that includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. This means a person may encounter not only physical pain but also anxiety, insomnia, breathlessness, fatigue, isolation, fears for loved ones, and existential distress. These experiences are linked and can amplify each other. Therefore, palliative care addresses not only physical symptoms but also emotional health and social factors. It is this multidisciplinary approach that genuinely enhances a person's quality of life.
Image: Courtesy Felix Pinto-Baquerizo, PACED
Myth 4: Palliative care is solely for cancer patients
Historically, palliative care mainly developed within oncology. However, nowadays it is crucial for people living with heart failure, COPD, dementia, neurodegenerative diseases, and other progressive long-term conditions. These illnesses often involve a prolonged course, gradual loss of function, and a high symptom burden. As life expectancy increases and more people live with chronic illnesses, the global demand for integrated palliative care becomes more apparent.
Image: Yuriy Fokin for PACED, children's hospice Firefly World, Georgia
Myth 5: Palliative care is restricted to a hospice environment
Pain is a fundamental part of suffering, but it is not the only factor. The idea of ‘total pain’, introduced by Cicely Saunders, describes suffering as a complex experience that includes physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. This means a person may encounter not only physical pain but also anxiety, insomnia, breathlessness, fatigue, isolation, fears for loved ones, and existential distress. These experiences are linked and can amplify each other. Therefore, palliative care addresses not only physical symptoms but also emotional health and social factors. It is this multidisciplinary approach that genuinely enhances a person's quality of life.
Image: Alina Korotkian for PACED, mobile palliative care team, Georgia
Myth 6: Opioids speed up death or inevitably cause addiction
The fear of opioids remains a significant obstacle. However, clinical research indicates that when doses are correctly titrated and administered under medical supervision, opioid analgesics are an effective and safe way to treat severe pain. The risk of psychological addiction in seriously ill patients is very low when used correctly. More often, the problem is not over-prescription but under-treatment of pain. It is this very fear—opioidophobia—that frequently causes patients to suffer unnecessarily. Modern clinical guidelines emphasise that providing adequate access to pain relief is a vital part of high-quality palliative care.
Image: Courtesy Felix Pinto-Baquerizo, PACED
Myth 7: Discussing death heightens depression and anxiety
Fear of death is a universal human experience. In many cultures, there is a belief that discussing a prognosis or the end of life will destroy hope or increase distress. Research suggests otherwise. Open and respectful communication about the illness and possible scenarios is linked to better understanding, more informed decision-making, and fewer invasive, non-beneficial interventions at the end of life. Discussing the prognosis does not diminish hope; instead, it shifts it—from expecting a cure to wishing to uphold autonomy, control, and dignity. Such a shift often gives the patient a greater sense of certainty and inner peace. Honest communication, therefore, becomes a vital part of professional ethics.
Myth 8: Palliative care is exclusively for the elderly
Although often linked to older patients, palliative care is vital for people of all ages, including infants, children, and young adults. Children with serious illnesses may live with their condition for many years, placing a substantial burden on their families. Paediatric palliative care is a specialised field that considers the child’s age and developmental stage and works closely with the family. Modern research demonstrates that the need for paediatric palliative care remains significant worldwide.
Image: Felix Pinto-Baquerizo, PACED | Children's hospice Firefly World, Georgia
Myth 9: Palliative care is solely the doctor's responsibility
Palliative care is founded on a multidisciplinary model, involving specialists from various fields. It includes not only doctors but also nurses, psychologists, social workers, spiritual care providers, care coordinators, and other professionals. This approach ensures that emotional, social, and spiritual needs are addressed along with clinical symptoms. Teamwork offers consistency in decision-making, eases the burden on families, and guarantees continuity of care. Multidisciplinary collaboration is not an optional add-on; it is the very bedrock of palliative care. Often, psychological, social, or spiritual support becomes the decisive factor in determining the quality of life for the patient and their loved ones.
Image: Alina Korotkian for PACED, children's hospice Firefly World, Georgia
Myth 10: Palliative care is about death
Palliative care is often seen through the lens of end-of-life, but at its core, it focuses not on death itself, but on providing support amidst serious illness. It is about helping individuals navigate difficult times with dignity—by managing symptoms, offering opportunities to make decisions, and respecting their personal values and priorities. Palliative care protects autonomy, fosters relationships, maintains a sense of meaning, and preserves important roles. It creates a space for meaningful conversations about fears, hopes, and choices. Its main aim is not death as an event, but the ongoing life following a diagnosis. Palliative care is not about the end; it is about companionship.
Image: Courtesy Felix Pinto-Baquerizo, PACED
Why do these myths persist? Because conversations about illness and death are some of the most challenging topics in society. Additionally, for many years, medical culture has concentrated almost exclusively on curing. In numerous countries, palliative care develops unevenly and often remains ‘invisible’—until it becomes a personal necessity.
However, myths gradually lose their power wherever open and professional dialogue develops, where specialists share their expertise, patients and families receive honest information, and education becomes systematic. Understanding does not appear overnight, but it grows alongside practice, research, and dialogue.
The less ambiguity and fear there is in the field of palliative care, the more space there is for what matters most—for life itself.
However, myths gradually lose their power wherever open and professional dialogue develops, where specialists share their expertise, patients and families receive honest information, and education becomes systematic. Understanding does not appear overnight, but it grows alongside practice, research, and dialogue.
The less ambiguity and fear there is in the field of palliative care, the more space there is for what matters most—for life itself.
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