Published on: March 20, 2026

IPM PALMEDCON 2026, held on 7–8 February 2026 at the Institute of Palliative Medicine, Kozhikode, brought together clinicians and palliative care professionals from across the country under the theme “Palliative Care Beyond Guidelines.”

Both Dr. Sunil Kumar M. M. and Dr. Arjun Devarajan participated in the conference as faculty, contributing to key academic sessions that addressed practical and context-specific challenges in palliative care.

Dr. Sunil Kumar delivered a session on “Intravenous Infusions and Methadone” under the theme of bothersome symptoms. His presentation focused on safe, structured, and clinically sound approaches to complex symptom management. Drawing from extensive experience in palliative care systems and practice, he emphasised the need to combine protocol-driven care with clinical judgement to optimise patient comfort and safety.

Dr. Arjun Devarajan presented on “Palliative Care in the ICU – The Indian Scenario,” examining the integration of palliative principles within intensive care settings. The session highlighted the realities of late presentation, prognostic uncertainty, family-centred decision-making, and financial vulnerability in Indian ICUs. The discussion underscored that palliative care in critical care is not about limiting treatment, but about strengthening care through effective communication, symptom relief, and ethical clarity.

The sessions generated thoughtful engagement among participants and reflected a growing recognition that palliative care must be embedded across diverse clinical environments — from intensive care units to structured symptom management pathways.

IPM PALMEDCON 2026 reaffirmed the importance of moving beyond guidelines toward care that is context-sensitive, patient-centred, and grounded in compassion.