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Context. The International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care developed a consensus-based definition of palliative care (PC) that focuses on the relief of serious health-related suffering, a concept put forward by the Lancet Commission Global Access to Palliative Care and Pain Relief. Objective. The main objective of this article is to present the research behind the new definition.

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Individuals in low‐income and middle‐income countries (LMICs) account for approximately two‐thirds of cancer deaths worldwide, and the vast majority of these deaths occur without access to essential palliative care (PC). Although resource‐stratified guidelines are being developed that take into account the actual resources available within a given country, and several components of PC are available within health care systems, PC will never improve without a trained workforce. The design and implementation of PC provider training programs is the lynchpin for ensuring that all seriously ill patients have access to quality PC services. Building on the Breast Health Global Initiative's resource‐stratified recommendations for provider education in PC, the authors report on efforts by the Jamaica Cancer Care and Research Institute in the Caribbean and the Universidad Católica in successfully developing and implementing PC training programs in the Caribbean and Latin America, respectively. Key aspects of this approach include: 1) fostering strategic academic partnerships to bring additional expertise and support to the effort; 2) careful adaptation of the curriculum to the local context and culture; 3) early identification of feasible metrics to facilitate program evaluation and future outcomes research; and 4) designing PC training programs to meet local health system needs.

Cancer is a leading cause of death in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and is forecast to increase substantially over the coming years. Governments, regional agencies, and health services of SIDS face daunting challenges -including small and vulnerable economies, unequal distribution of resources, weak or fragmented health services, small population sizes making sustainable workforce and service development problematic, and specialised cancer services unavailable to many. Deliberate action is required to prevent massive human and economic costs relating to cancer. This paper highlights challenges and opportunities for SIDS, and identifies ways in which the international community can support efforts to improve cancer control in these settings. Our recommendations focus on funding and investment opportunities for cancerrelated health system strengthening, sharing of technical assistance for research, surveillance, workforce and service development, and supporting SIDS with policies changes to reduce consumption of commodities that increase cancer risk. AbstractCancer is a leading cause of death in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and is forecast to increase substantially over the coming years. Governments, regional agencies, and health services of SIDS face daunting challenges -including small and vulnerable economies, unequal distribution of resources, weak or fragmented health services, small population sizes making sustainable workforce and service development problematic, and specialised cancer services unavailable to many.Deliberate action is required to prevent massive human and economic costs relating to cancer. This paper highlights challenges and opportunities for SIDS, and identifies ways in which the international community can support efforts to improve cancer control in these settings. Our recommendations focus on funding and investment opportunities for cancer-related health system strengthening, sharing of technical assistance for research, surveillance, workforce and service development, and supporting SIDS with policies changes to reduce consumption of commodities that increase cancer risk.