ICMR Palliative Care Study Aims to Expand Access in India

India is set to take a major step toward improving end-of-life support as the Indian Council of Medical Research rolls out a palliative care study across multiple states.

Announced today, this initiative aims to address a long-standing gap in the country’s healthcare system, where access to pain relief and supportive care remains extremely limited for millions.

The ICMR palliative care study will focus on building practical models that can be integrated into public hospitals and scaled nationwide.

Researchers will work across diverse regions to test what approaches actually work in real-world conditions, from urban hospitals to rural health centers. The goal is not just data collection but creating systems that can be adopted widely.

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India currently faces a stark reality. Fewer than one percent of people who need palliative care receive it. This leaves many patients with chronic or terminal illnesses—such as cancer, heart disease, and neurological conditions—without proper pain management or emotional support. The lack of trained professionals, limited awareness, and weak infrastructure have made access uneven and often out of reach.

Through this study, ICMR will examine cost, feasibility, and outcomes of different care models. The findings are expected to guide policy decisions and help integrate palliative services into mainstream healthcare. This could reduce the financial burden on families while improving quality of life for patients.

The ICMR palliative care study also signals a shift in how healthcare is viewed, moving beyond just treatment to comfort and dignity. If successful, it could reshape how India supports patients during serious illness, especially in underserved areas where such care is almost nonexistent today.