Economic Benefits of Investment in Palliative Care: An Appraisal of Current Evidence and Call to Action.

Abstract

World Health Assembly Resolution 67.19 affirms that palliative care is an ethical responsibility of health systems and urges member states to ensure domestic funding. Yet, even in countries with established services, palliative care is often fragmented and underfunded, with limited government support. The aim of this special article is thus to present a health economic appraisal of palliative care, building on established evidence of its clinical benefits. Under the auspices of the World Health Organization, a multidisciplinary, international team of palliative care researchers, global health experts and health economists conducted a literature review addressing six themes: current health financing for advanced illness, models of palliative care, cost savings for health systems and households, improved patient and caregiver outcomes, and strategies for sustainable financing. Results show that palliative care can prevent catastrophic health expenditures for families, increase efficiency in use of health resources, and support integration within national health systems. Palliative care also facilitates monitoring of service costs and enables the development of effective financing frameworks. This review offers practical guidance for policymakers, funders, and health system leaders to integrate palliative care into universal health coverage schemes. It underscores the dual imperative-ethical and economic-of investing in palliative care to promote equity and sustainability in health care delivery.