Session Abstract: End-of-life care is not just a medical issue—it is a fundamental human rights imperative. As societies grapple with rapidly aging populations, the ethical, legal, and societal dimensions of dying have never been more pressing. Yet, across global healthcare systems, ageism and systemic inequities continue to limit access to dignified, person-centered end-of-life options. Too often, older persons are denied agency in decisions regarding their own care, and paternalistic policies dictate the terms of their final days. This symposium will explore these critical issues, advocating for an international commitment to choice, autonomy, and dignity at the end of life.

 

Moderated by Dr. Kiran Rabheru and Dr. Lia Susana Daichman, this 90-minute session will bring together distinguished members of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance (ILC GA) to share diverse perspectives from around the world. Through short 5–7-minute presentations and a moderated panel discussion, we will examine the intersection of human rights, ageism, and medical assistance in dying (MAiD). Key topics include:

 

• The human rights framework for end-of-life care: How international policies and legal frameworks can safeguard autonomy, equity, and ethical decision-making.

• Confronting ageism in end-of-life care: How implicit biases shape medical practices and limit the choices available to older persons.

• Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): Evolution, controversies, and safeguards: A critical look at how MAiD policies vary across jurisdictions, the impact of expanding eligibility criteria, and concerns about coercion and vulnerability.

• Global disparities in palliative and hospice care: How structural inequalities influence access to quality end-of-life care, and what can be done to ensure compassionate, person-centered support.

• Balancing choice and protection: The ethical dilemmas surrounding patient autonomy, informed consent, and the responsibilities of healthcare providers.

 

This session will conclude with an interactive panel discussion, encouraging attendees to reflect on pressing ethical and policy questions and to explore strategies for advancing rights-based, inclusive end-of-life care worldwide. As MAiD becomes increasingly integrated into healthcare systems, the need for a global dialogue—rooted in compassion, ethics, and justice—has never been greater.

 

This symposium will be of particular interest to policymakers, healthcare professionals, ethicists, human rights advocates, and researchers committed to reshaping the global discourse on end-of-life care.

 

Join us in driving a global movement to ensure that dying with dignity and agency is a right—not a privilege.