As an International member of the British Medical Association, I have been receiving my subscription to the British Medical Journal regularly. Patient perspectives that have been incorporated into the final version of the academic piece, provide valuable insight into what patients consider most important for themselves vis-a-vis their disease management. Since my work is expected… — read more

This series entitled History and Origins of Palliative Medicine attempts to revisit foundational texts and figures in the discipline, critiquing their ideas in the context of contemporary institutional practices and the author’s ideological leanings in order to identify what was anticipated, what has been achieved, and what continues to remain unfinished. In his essay entitled… — read more

Specialist Palliative Care formulary lists prolonged QT interval (congenital or acquired), significant electrolyte abnormalities (hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia), underlying cardiac disease (congestive heart failure, significant conduction abnormalities, significant bradycardia, second- or third-degree heart block without pacemaker, and prolonged QTc more than 450 msec in males and 470 msec in females) as potential contraindications. Cardiotoxicity has been linked… — read more

PS. This piece might be read as a companion piece to the one published under the moniker – Mindful Critique 11, available at https://pallmedprep.com/2026/08/04/mindful-critique-mc11-perspectives-on-the-challenges-and-demands-of-interviews-in-a-fledgling-speciality-revisiting-situations-which-are-not-usually-spoken-of/. I have been an academic reviewer for more than 10 years now. Of late, I remain disappointed by my decision not to add humour to my interactions with the system and… — read more

Background In those approaching the end of their life, Agitation might serve as a direct reminder of physical discomfort, fear and unmet needs. Agitation affects half of the people with dementia approaching the end of life, out of which one-third continue to have disabling symptoms despite off-label treatment with benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, and opioids. Restoring calm… — read more

I recall having started writing this blog as a means of addressing the complex ethical demands of my role as a contractual faculty at a tertiary care cancer centre. As a faculty member, one has to contend with responsibilities that go beyond caring for your patients. These might include engaging with policy issues and making… — read more

Type of study – A single-centre interventional pilot study without a comparator arm, evaluating the efficacy of transdermal buprenorphine in pain associated with oral mucositis Study sample and inclusion criteria – 50 oral cancer patients, opioid naive receiving post-operative radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, with inadequate pain control on non-opioid or topical preparations, with CTCAE… — read more

Both central and peripheral causes neuromuscular weakness and central nervous system effects might drive respiratory depression.Respiratory muscle weakness (proximal muscle weakness affecting the diaphragm and respiratory muscles driven by PTH-rp) is considered the underlying driver of respiratory paralysis.Severe hypercalcemia produces encephalopathy that depresses central ventilatory drive. Hypophosphatemia associated with hypercalcemia might independently contribute to respiratory… — read more

Sensory Phenotyping or Quantitative sensory testing-based phenotyping is a terminology used in the context of neuropathic pain management. In a landmark randomised control trial by Demant et al, patients with peripheral neuropathic pain were classified by quantitative sensory testing (QST) into irritable receptor and non-irritable receptor phenotype. The Irritable receptor phenotype group signifying sensory gain… — read more

This series attempts to provide recent updates from palliative medicine and supportive care themed conferences. The first series of posts covers important topics discussed at the recently concluded annual conference of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer held from June 25-27 in Melbourne, Australia. Cannabis in Cancer-related fatigue Persistent, distressing and not relieved… — read more