[Palliative care: specialist competence or any therapist?]

In Italy, a recent legislative decree establishes that from the 2021-22 academic year, medical graduates can specialize in palliative care. The proposal is to be greeted with enthusiasm. However, some concerns remain about how palliative care will become part of the care process. Two scenarios are of concern. First, that training in this area is reserved for specialists only, rather than being part of the competence of any therapist. Second, that palliative care is implemented sequentially rather than when necessary throughout the entire care span. The palliative intervention cannot be equivalent to the finding of "there is nothing more to be done". Because palliative care is part of the care itself and not a residual intervention.