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10th February 2022

Across the world there is an unbalanced and contradictory picture of death and dying. This has been particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some having the ultimate medicalised deaths, often alone in hospitals, and others , often in lower income countries, remaining undertreated, dying of preventable conditions and without access to basic pain relief.

This paradox is the basis for the Lancet Commission on the Value of Death. Drawing on multidisciplinary perspectives from around the globe, the Commissioners argue that death and life are bound together: without death there would be no life. The Commission proposes a new vision for death and dying, with greater community involvement alongside health and social care services, and increased bereavement support – which is the Compassionate Communities movement.

In addition to the full report they have created a video called A Realistic Utopia – a new vision for death and dyingIt’s well worth a look.