The High Cost of a Medicalized Death: Are We Heading in the Right Direction or Is It Time for a Change?

Farooq Azam Rathore; Imran Ahmad

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v75iSUPPL-2.13327

Authors

Farooq Azam Rathore Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Quetta institute of Medical Sciences , Quetta ,Pakistan
Imran Ahmad Department of Neurology, Quetta institute of Medical Sciences , Quetta, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v75iSUPPL-2.13327

Abstract

The medicalization of death refers to the process by which dying is increasingly viewed and treated as a medical issue, often leading to interventions that may not align with patients' desires or values.¹ This phenomenon has been shaped by historical, cultural, and systemic factors, resulting in a healthcare model that prioritizes hospital-based care at the end of life.^2,3

Every year, millions of people spend their final days in hospitals, hooked to machines and surrounded by strangers, rather than at home with loved ones. This is the reality of medicalized death—a phenomenon that prioritizes aggressive interventions over patient autonomy and dignity. Some people have argued that medicalization can provide necessary support and pain management for patients at the end of life, ensuring comfort and dignity. This perspective emphasizes the role of medical professionals in facilitating a "good death" through appropriate interventions.⁴ This editorial highlight the issue of medicalization in context of a developing country like Pakistan with limited resources and some possible solutions.

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