Could Meeting Familial, Psychosocial and Cultural Expectations under the Aegis of Palliative Care Result in a Slippery Slope to Hastening of Death?

Palliative care utilises inclusive and reflexive practices in order to meet its pivotal goal of holistic care provision. This practice has been seized upon by detractors who posit that such working practices in attempting to accommodate and respond appropriately to the demands and considerations of cultural, religious, psychosocial and local beliefs will succumb to increasingly aberrant practices. These repeated and increasing overt breaches are thought to represent a slippery slope to unacceptable practices. Using the example of Continuous Deep Sedation within the context of end of life care, this paper will investigate the possibility of prevailing flexible care ethics being manipulated to result in a slippery slope to euthanasia.