Dying and death reimagined

Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2022 Dec 12:16:26323524221136020. doi: 10.1177/26323524221136020. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

This article presents an interview with lead authors Dr Libby Sallnow and Dr Richard Smith of the 'Report of the Lancet Commission on the Value of death: bring death back to life' published in January 2022. The authors are interviewed by Julian Abel, Director of 'Compassionate Communities UK', and Allan Kellehear the Co-Editor-in-Chief of 'Palliative Care & Social Practice'. The interview covers the reasons why the authors believe it is now time to review our major ways of providing care at the end of life including the current efforts in palliative care. The interview also underlines the important points made in the Report, provides reflections on some of its limitations, and suggests the role readers may play in contributing to the Report's recommendations and challenges.

Keywords: dying; end-of-life care; medicine; modernity; professionalization.