IAHPC Essential Medicines for Palliative Care

IAHPC List of Essential Medicines for Palliative Care

In collaboration with other organizations, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) developed in 2007 a list of essential medicines for palliative care in response to a request from the Cancer Control Program of the World Health Organization (WHO).

To work on this proposal, IAHPC formed a working committee which included board members of IAHPC and external advisers from the field. The Committee developed a plan of action which included a modified Delphi process, a general survey among palliative care experts from around the globe, and a face to face meeting in Salzburg, Austria, with representatives from international palliative care and pain relief organizations.

Below you will find the link to the IAHPC List. The list includes 34 medications of which 14 are already included in the WHO list as essential in the treatment of several conditions, some of which are common in palliative care.

Partnership organizations in this process

African Palliative Care Association (APCA)
American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM)
Asia Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Association (APHN)
Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians
Christian Medical College, Vellore - India
Eastern and Central Europe Palliative Care Task Force (ECEPT)
European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC)
European Federation of IASP Chapters (EAFIC)
European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO)
Help The Hospices - UK
Hospice Africa Uganda - Uganda
Hospice and Palliative Care Association of South Africa (HPCA)
International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)
International Palliative Care Initiative - Open Society Institute
International Psycho Oncology Society (IPOS)
Latin America Association for Palliative Care (ALCP)
Li Ka Shing Foundation - China
Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC)
National Association for Palliative Care (NHPCO)
National Council for Palliative Care - UK
Palliative Care Australia (PCA)
USA Department of Veterans Affairs
Velindre NHS Trust - UK
Vietnam CDC, Harvard Medical School AIDS Partnership (VCHAP)
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Psychiatric Association (WPA) - Psycho Oncology Program

Read about the process followed to develop the IAHPC list of Essential Medicines for Palliative Care

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How your gift supports the IAHPC mission

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Education

Your gift funds the operational costs of our online courses taught by globally recognized experts who volunteer their time and provide educational resources relevant to palliative care topics. It also supports scholarships that enable palliative care workers to attend educational events and congresses, and allows us to maintain Pallipedia, the free, live, online dictionary.

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The goal of this pillar is to implement strategies, resources and tools that will improve the competencies of the global workforce for appropriate palliative care delivery. We have two programs under this pillar plus many other resources for our members.

Scholarship Program

Your membership helps us produce, and enables access for those with fewer resources, to the following:

Palliative Care in Neurological Conditions
Comprehensive Basic Pain Assessment and Management
Advanced Pain Assessment and Management
Comprehensive Symptom Assessment and Management
Advocacy for global, regional, and national advocacy for palliative care
Pallipedia: Free, online palliative care dictionary
Special Issue on Assisted Dying Practices by several authors
Some Notes for Physicians Contemplating a Career in Palliative and Person-Centered Care by Eduardo Bruera, MD
Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide: Are they clinically necessary or desirable? by Dr. Roger Woodruff
How to Help our Patients in their Terminal Phase by Wilson Astudillo A. and Carmen Mendinueta A.
Cómo Ayudar a un Enfermo Terminal by Wilson Astudillo A. and Carmen Mendinueta A.
Palliative Care in the Developing World - Principles and Practice by Eduardo Bruera, Liliana De Lima, Roberto Wenk and William Farr

Advocacy

Your gift enables us to build and strengthen the partnerships that accelerate global, regional, and national advocacy for palliative care. We advocate for its integration into primary health care under universal health coverage and effective access to essential palliative care medicines and packages for people of all ages. Your gift supports our work to prepare delegates and participate in technical consultation meetings of the relevant UN organizations.

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The goal this pillar is the integration of palliative care into primary health care within the spectrum of universal coverage to improve access to adequate care for patients in need. We offer the following to our members:

Online Advocacy Course
Mentoring for advocacy to develop palliative care in your country
A chance to join IAHPC delegations to UN and WHO meetings
National association collaboration with IAHPC advocacy initiatives
A chance to apply for the Leadership Development Program (LEAD)

Your membership helps us produce and enables free access to the following resources:

IAHPC Advocacy Policy Briefs
Palliative Care Advocacy Why Does It Matter?
Documents on Human Rights and Access to Medicines and Care

Research

Your gift enables us to continue doing research that provides guidance and recommendations for action, based on responses from the global palliative care community. Such research includes our recent evaluation of the impact of euthanasia and assisted dying practices on palliative care workers and the use of essential medicines for palliative care. It also supports the costs of publications focused on research relevant to palliative care.

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The goal of this pillar is to design and implement projects that lead to the integration of palliative care into health policies, resolutions, and key documents. Our studies help us provide guidance and recommendations, and take action based on the responses from the global palliative care community.

Your membership enables you to participate in IAHPC projects such as the:

Global Palliative Care Database
Consensus-based definition of palliative care
Clinical use of tramadol
Opioid Price Watch
IAHPC List of Essential Practices in Palliative Care in English and Spanish
IAHPC Opioid Essential Prescription Package
IAHPC List of Essential Medicines for Palliative Care (in multiple languages)

Information dissemination

Your gift enables us to continue our in-depth reporting and book reviews in Pallinews, as well as media campaigns that raise awareness about the need to increase access to care and support for patients and families.

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The goal of this pillar is to create and publish positive stories and focused messaging, to support and advance the global palliative care movement.

Your membership allows us to make the following resources available free of charge to the palliative care community:

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