title: Palliative care development in the Asia-Pacific region: an international survey from the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although palliative care is an important public healthcare issue worldwide, the current situation in the Asia-Pacific region has not been systematically evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This survey aimed to clarify the current status of palliative care in the Asia-Pacific region.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were sent to a representative physician of each member country/region of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN). The questionnaire examined palliative care service provision, information regarding physician certification in palliative care, the availability of essential drugs for palliative care listed by the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) and the regulation of opioid-prescribing practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 14 member countries/regions of the APHN, 12 (86%) responded. Some form of specialist palliative care services had developed in all the responding countries/regions. Eight member countries/regions had physician certifications for palliative care. Most essential drugs for palliative care listed by the IAHPC were available, whereas hydromorphone, oxycodone and transmucosal fentanyl were unavailable in most countries/regions. Six member countries/regions required permission to prescribe and receive opioids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The development of palliative care is in different stages across the surveyed countries/regions in the Asia-Pacific region. Data from this survey can be used as baseline data for monitoring the development of palliative care in this region.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine and Palliative Care Team, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.|Department of Palliative Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Seirei Hospice, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Meiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuriya
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care, Braeside Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Meera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agar
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Youn Seon
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2406-5848
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine, National Cancer Center Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lingegowda
authors.affiliation: Palliative Care Unit, Selayang Hospital, Selayang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Rico K Y
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Hammond Care and Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Roderick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.affiliation: Madre de Amor Hospice Foundation Inc., Los Banos, Philippines.
authors.forename: Rhodora
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ocampo
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shao-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Division of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand.
authors.forename: Temsak
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Phungrassami
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Care and Pain Management, National Cancer Hospital, Ha Noi, Vietnam.
authors.forename: Yen-Phi
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine, Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuneto
mesh_terms: D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D005202:Asia, Eastern; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D044349:Oceania; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012954:Societies, Hospital
keywords: Asia-Pacific; essential drugs; opioid regulation; palliative care; resource