Advances in Medical Ethics
Open Access

Abstract

Has the embrace of evidence-based medicine caused palliative care to lose its soul?

Shin Wei Sim, Radha Krishna Lalit Kumar

Background: Recent publications have suggested that palliative care may be detracting from its primary goal of providing holistic care by focusing almost entirely upon measurable clinical and scientific parameters, and neglecting psychosocial research. This paper aims to evaluate whether palliative care has indeed lost its way. Methods: We employ the example of growing calls for the adoption of Relational Autonomy in the Singaporean end-of-life care setting, and the proffering of the Ring Theory of Personhood to explore the effects of the adoption of evidence-based approaches on palliative care. Results: Evidence-based approaches of refuting efforts to employ Relational Autonomy within Confucian-led communities highlights not only the importance of the fusion of traditional empirical and psychosocial studies, but affirms the fact that palliative care continues to espouse a holistic approach. Conclusions: Evidence seems to suggest that the embrace of evidence-based medicine does not detract from the holistic nature of palliative care.

Published Date: 2015-07-05;